How Infused Oils Are Made and How They Can Transform Your Cooking
Nanette HumerInfused oils are one of the easiest ways to add big flavor to everyday cooking. One drizzle of basil, lemon or roasted garlic oil can do the work of a handful of fresh herbs, with no chopping. Here's how we make ours, and ten of our favorite ways to use them.
The short answer: infused oils are made by steeping fresh herbs, spices or truffles in oil until the oil takes on their flavor. Think of them as "liquid spice." Use them to dip, drizzle and marinate, and add them at the end of cooking, just like fresh herbs. For sautéing and frying, use a plain cooking oil like our cold pressed grapeseed oil.
How infused oils are made
Before we dive into what you can do with these bottles of pure flavor, let's talk about how infused oils are made. At Salute Santé! we start with real herbs and spices. Some of our herbs, such as rosemary and basil, come straight from our own farm, which is completely pesticide-free. With those fresh-cut herbs, we create a "grapeseed oil bath," submerging the herbs in lightly warmed oil. This gently releases the herbs' natural essential oils and their flavor into the grapeseed oil.
Truffle oil is made a little differently. Our oils are infused with real white or black truffles in Italy. As you know if you've read our guide on how to use truffle oil like a pro, we only use real truffles. The aroma of truffle is so strong that the oil takes on its flavor quickly.
If our process sounds simple, that's because it is. Our flavor comes from real ingredients, not chemical or lab-made extracts. When it comes to what we put in our bodies, we think simple is better.
Why we start with grapeseed oil
With every infused oil, we find that a neutral oil like grapeseed creates the best flavor. That's why our basil oil tastes like fresh basil and our truffle oil tastes like real truffles. Grapeseed oil is the ideal canvas: light, slightly nutty and clean, so the natural flavor of the herbs comes through. Oils with a strong flavor of their own can clash with the herbs or mute them. With grapeseed oil, there's nothing to compete with.
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How to use infused oils in your cooking
The first rule of thumb: infused oils are perfect to dip, drizzle or marinate. For cooking, sautéing and frying, use an unflavored oil like our cold pressed grapeseed oil. Treat infused oils like fresh herbs, which you usually add at the end. The natural oils that carry all the flavor can cook off when they're heated too long, so they shine brightest as finishing oils or in marinades.
1. Sauces, aiolis and dips
Oil is the main ingredient in aioli and plays a big role in most dips and sauces. Here's a genius tip: use an infused oil in addition to your other herbs, or instead of them. To make garlic aioli, use roasted garlic oil instead of roasting a whole head of garlic, a great weeknight shortcut. Or use basil oil along with fresh basil for a pure, rich basil flavor. Try it in our Lemon Garlic Aioli.
2. Chili oil on ramen and soups
Making ramen at home is a fun and easy dinner, as gourmet or as simple as you like. If you like a bit of spice, chili oil is a game changer. Don't stop at ramen: it's delicious on corn chowder, any broth-based soup and our Puréed Winter Squash Soup. The fresh chilis infused into the oil make it the perfect liquid spice.
3. Basil oil on caprese salad or bruschetta
A classic, and so delicious. To be honest, we put basil oil on almost anything. Because our basil is harvested just hours before it's infused, the oil tastes and smells just like the fresh herb. Drizzle it over a caprese salad or our Tomato & Basil Bruschetta.
4. Rosemary oil on roasted potatoes, chicken or lamb
Herb oils like rosemary are delicious drizzled over roasted potatoes and meats. Roast as usual and finish with rosemary oil, or add it to the marinade for extra flavor. Try it on our Grilled Rack of Lamb.
5. Focaccia topping
If you've never made homemade focaccia, give it a try soon. It's a relatively easy bread, and everyone loves the crispy crust and soft center. One of our favorite toppings is simply brushing on roasted garlic oil. Get the recipe for our Roasted Garlic Focaccia.
6. Muffins and breads
Grapeseed oil is great for baking because it's light and never greasy. Our Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are a great way to use lemon oil: it's fresh and citrusy and gives them a bright flavor. Try it in other muffins and quick breads, too. And roasted garlic oil makes the easiest garlic bread.
7. Pasta, pizza and risotto
Make truffle risotto or truffle mac and cheese with white or black truffle oil. Toss linguine with basil oil and garlic, or stir it into our Fresh Basil Pesto. Drizzle chili oil over homemade pizza. With a pantry of infused oils, you always have liquid spice on hand for Italian night.
8. Dressings and marinades
A classic and brilliant use. Dressings and marinades are mostly oil, so an infused oil gives you more flavor in every bite. Basil and lemon are especially good in dressings, and every infused oil is wonderful in a marinade. Learn more in How to Make Delicious and Easy Homemade Salad Dressings.
9. Truffle oil on popcorn
The easiest gourmet snack there is. Drizzle white truffle oil over freshly popped corn, toss with fine salt and a little grated Parmesan, and movie night is instantly fancy. Here's our White Truffle Popped Corn recipe.
10. A finishing touch for any dish
Try infused oils on soups, pastas, cheese boards and pizzas. The truth is, you can use them on almost anything. Let your imagination run wild and have fun experimenting.
Meet our infused oils
- Basil: fresh and herbal. Caprese, pasta, pesto, dressings.
- Lemon: bright and citrusy. Seafood, salads, roasted vegetables, baking.
- Rosemary: savory and piney. Roast potatoes, chicken, lamb, focaccia.
- Chili: warm, gentle heat. Ramen, soups, pizza, eggs.
- Roasted garlic: rich and mellow. Garlic bread, aioli, pasta, marinades.
- White and black truffle: earthy and elegant. Pasta, risotto, potatoes, popcorn.
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Infused oil FAQ
Can you cook with infused oils?
You can, but high heat cooks off much of the flavor. For the best taste, cook with plain grapeseed oil and use infused oils to finish the dish or in marinades.
How should I store infused oils?
Keep them tightly capped in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove. Light and heat dull the flavor.
Can I make infused oil at home?
Homemade infused oils made with fresh garlic or herbs should be refrigerated and used within a few days, because fresh ingredients in oil can grow harmful bacteria at room temperature. A bottle of ours is the easy, shelf-stable way to keep these flavors on hand.
Can't decide? Our Roasted Garlic, Lemon & Basil Trio is the perfect place to start, and our Oprah's Favorite Things Infused Gift Set has five flavors plus our Original Grapeseed Oil.
