The ratio for this herb oil is 4:1 herbs to oil. Try it with your favorite herbs, or make use of your leftovers.
Homemade herb oil can be used wherever you need a bit of brightness, just like regular fresh herbs. This vivid green oil is a great way to use up leftover herbs, stalks and all, and can be used in a bunch of ways, like on chicken, fish or eggs, stirred into soups, or used in a vinaigrette.
If you’re looking for an easy way to revitalize a simple meal, look no further. Leftover herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, dill, mint, oregano, scallions, and tarragon are transformed into a fresh and zippy oil that you can use in a million different ways. With some fresh herbs, some salt, and oil, you’re on your way to fancy town. You’ll be able to use this herb oil for a few weeks, too – definitely outlasting those fresh herbs that would’ve died a slow and painful death in the back of your fridge!
Don’t waste your herbs!
Typically, “soft” herbs like the kinds listed above are used, but you can definitely use “hard” herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme (you’ll just need to blanch them a little while longer). A few ways you can use homemade herb oil…
- Drizzled over your favorite protein like chicken or fish
- Scrambled into eggs
- Used as a topping for pastas, risottos, or bowls
- Stirred into broths or soups
- Used in salad dressings and vinaigrettes
- Dotted on top of toasts and pizzas
- Used as a dip for crusty bread
- Added to a sandwich or wrap
- Even shaken up into cocktails (get creative!)
Here’s how to make easy, foolproof herb oil so you can get started on the path to greatness.
It all starts with a pot of boiling, salted water. Set a large bowl filled with ice water (your ice bath) nearby. This happens fast! Submerge your herbs, stems and all, into the boiling water for about 10-15 seconds. This is where your eyes come in handy – 10-15 seconds is only an estimate – as soon as your herbs turn a bright, extremely vivid green, they’re ready. Pluck them out of the boiling water and submerge them into your ice bath. Let your herbs chill in the ice bath until they’re completely cool. Blanching your herbs preserves their bright green color, making your herb oil pop.
Blanching your herbs shocks them and keeps the oil beautifully green, even after several weeks.
Drain your herbs, wringing them out with a clean paper towel or lint-free dish towel if necessary, and drop them into your blender or food processor. Add in the oil of your choice, and blitz them until the herb-oil mixture is completely smooth and homogenous. I like to use a good olive oil, but any neutral oil like grapeseed, vegetable, canola, or refined sunflower oil. Feel free to add a bit more oil to the blender if things are not as smooth as you would like.
Line a strainer or large sieve with a coffee filter or cheesecloth, and set it over a large measuring cup or bowl. Pour the herb-oil mixture into the strainer, and leave for several hours or up to overnight, stirring a couple times to move the process along if necessary. Don’t press down on the mixture, though, or you’ll find yourself with specks remaining instead of a nice, clear oil. All you have left to do is transfer your herb oil to a jar, container or bottle and enjoy!
You can find a list of herb oil uses above, but don’t use this herb oil for cooking. When you heat this oil up, it’ll lose much of its flavor and freshness. So, as a rule of thumb, stick to drizzling, dipping, or topping.
This recipe calls for 1 cup of oil, and for me, yields around 3/4 cup of herb oil. If you are using a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, you are likely going to yield closer to the full 1 cup.