I don’t always time things right when it comes to grocery shopping. I’ll plan on making a simple Caprese salad but I might only pick up tomatoes & mozzarella and totally space on the basil. Other times I might have remembered the basil but totally forgot the mozzarella & tomato situation. When that’s the case, I take the basil that might soon spoil and turn it into something else like pesto or better yet- BASIL INFUSED OIL.
So when I have a surplus of tomatoes & mozzarella and no basil….I’m all set.
Sometimes I have all three and the addition of basil infused olive oil elevates a simple Caprese into something…STELLAR.
And we’re off!
It all starts with really good Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Fresh Basil. I used to grow basil at our old house and hope that by next summer we’ll have our gardening situation figured out. So if you have a surplus of basil from your garden, you should preserve it in oil. It’s fantastic. It’s also really rewarding to have a jar of something you made sitting on the kitchen counter.
Most recipes call for whirring olive oil & basil in the food processor. This technique will produce a much greener looking oil. I felt like using my mezzaluna this day. I wanted to feel like I did some work. I wanted to actually smell the basil and get my hands dirty. Like I always say…chopping is therapy.
Chop the basil and mix it with the oil. Put it in a saucepan and put it over medium high heat.
Take it off the heat after it simmers ever so slightly, let the basil steep.
And then strain it right into a jar.
And what we have is basil infused olive oil.
It’s perfect on a Caprese salad and exceptional on an arugula & avocado salad.
It tastes green and super summery.
I imagine that it’s fantastic if you add it to a grilled sandwich, drizzle it on popcorn, eggs and pasta or maybe we should dunk a baguette in some?
WAIT! Imagine it on this already herby ricotta bruschetta. Oh lordy.
Basil Infused Oil
yields 2 cups
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Chop basil finely. Place basil & oil into a small sauce pan and heat over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let basil & oil steep for at least 30 minutes. Strain mixture into a jar and keep in an air tight container for up to 1 month.
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57 Comments
say somethingLove love love! So simple… can’t wait to make this!
Oh god! This looks delicious. I’m a huuge fan of basil. We always have some in our garden or even in a little pot on our kitchen counter. It smells so nice! I’m definitely trying this oil! My boyfriend would really like it too I think!
also I wanted to say, I’m always amazed by your photography; The photos on this blog are beautiful.
thank you so much!
I’m just in the process of getting into homemade flavored oils, vinegars, and extracts. Your recipe adds a new idea in my ever growing list.
Thanks!!
I’m all about homemade! What vinegar flavors did you make? This excites me.
Yum! I can also recommend basil oil on toast, served as soldiers with a boiled egg. It’s become my favourite breakfast!
sound fab!
you know what? I think that when I`ll make this basil infised oil I`ll have huuuge desire to drink it because of its awesome flavour
crazy but so true
haha!
YES!! This looks so good and I love the font!
I’ve always wanted to make infused oil… I am so making this with basil from the garden!! Thanks!!
I’m on my third basil plant and hoping this one will make it. I’m not done with Caprese salads this summer! One question – do you pack down the basil leaves when measuring the 1 1/2 cups or is it looser than that?
it’s just a heaping 1 1/2 cups. Nothing toooo calculated.
Infused oils are amazing. Those are such pretty basil leaves. My basil plant looks pathetic right now!
Basil is tough to grow! So finicky!
Hell to the yeah! And now I just want avocados for lunch.
I’m on an avocado rampage!
I am all about the infusing lately (I have a jar of limoncello happening in the pantry right now)! This sounds amazeballs. Maybe drizzled over the tomato cobbler on Joy’s blog today? Yes please.
Tracy,
anything that can be done with the basil after?
can you still use it in some salad?
Or can you leave it in the oil? or is going to spoil?
The basil gets pretty bitter after being stewed in the oil. Try it to see if you like it. Maybe it would be good mixed into a pesto or added to a soup. If you leave it in the oil, it will discolor.
You had me at FRESH BASIL. **sigh**
I love infused oils… so much flavor going on in there!
I was JUST thinking about this the other day! I bought basil olive oil a few weeks ago, and a few days after that I made blueberry vodka. I started thinking….could I make basil olive oil in a similar way? My basil plant is enormous and I can’t use it fast enough.
I did some googling and the consensus seemed that a) you could do it, in a similar way to infusing vodka, but b) it’s likely to get germy/moldy/gross so just don’t do it unless you’a a professional. Nowhere I found even mentioned this method! I’m pumped!
And this method doesn’t take a long time! You basically have basil infused oil within an hour.
Yum. I have leftover basil. And some decent olive oil. Oh, I am going to make this and use it for dipping foccacia.
Thank you!
Sounds fantastic!
Done! Well, it’s steeping right now but it’s almost done. I’ve been looking for the perfect hostess gift and this is it! Thanks Tracy Shutterbean.
Sounds like a simple & perfect idea! I think I may try this with other tender herbs too–tarragon anyone?
This looks so good and best of all–easy! It’s making me wondering if dill infused oil would work the same way.
This is awesome. I love infusing oils with all types of herbs. Have you ever done this with vinegar? NOM.
I’m just like you – terrible at getting everything I need in one place, at one time. This basil oil sounds awesome…Perfect salad addition!
great idea! I had some leftover basil the other day, and i made a basil simple syrup for cocktails. it was really gross
. i think steeped the basil for waaaaaay tooooo looooong.
God I love everything you do.
Val
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
LOVE. Making this today with the surplus of basil I have from my garden. Thank you for the inspiration!
Making this!! Thank you for being so brilliant!
Brilliant! My basil plant is out of control lately and everytime I pick a ton, two days later it’s full again! I can’t eat it fast enough.
Can’t wait to try this!!
Its funny how much I forget about infusing oils! making very very soon!
Just made it Tracy! This should be called “Awesome Sauce”.. Gonna slather it on some olive bread and make capresse sammies for a bbq tonight. You and your recipes ROCK!
Whoa! Tracy, this is great! I just made some Mint, Lavendar and Lemon Infused Water and I’m itching to try something similar with oil!! Definitely going to try this recipe out!
This is awesome and so easy! I love making herb infused oils!
Ohhhhh my goodness. I’ve had herb-infused oils and vinegars on my “to make” list for summer, but didn’t think about putting it on popcorn. I MUST do this ASAP!
Is there any concern about creating off-flavors from heating the olive oil, or does it heat gently enough that it isn’t an issue?
Heats gently enough1
So you’ll post to Punk Domestics, yes?
My friend just dropped off a HUGE bag of basil from his garden. I’m so going to make this!
Thanks very much for the fabulous suggestion. This is delicious. So good with so many uses, but my fave is dipping chunks of bread into the basil goodness!
Sounds yummy! I love basil. I think I’ll make it this weekend. What about adding some fresh basil leaves to the oil once it’s done? I think it might look pretty and would remind me (or a recipient) that it’s basil oil. Would there be any problems storing the oil with the leaves? Also, how long do you think it can be stored/used?
I would not advise it. The leaves will turn black and won’t be very pretty.
Does this need to be refrigerated, or can it sit on the counter?
It can sit on the counter.
I grow basil out on the patio every summer. It just needs lot of sun and frequent watering – think of Italy. Now a new great idea for using up the last of it. Thanks for the inspiration – will try this on the weekend. What would happen if you threw a little minced garlic into the infusion? Would that work?
This is great I made it today and added to the basil 3 garlic gloves chopped in big chunks, as I love my basil with some garlic and it turned out very yummy and super tasty. The garlic doesn’t over power the flavour either
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