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You can make basil infused olive oil right in your own kitchen with just two main ingredients and about 10 minutes of active prep time.
Making basil infused olive oil is one of the easiest ways to capture that fresh, peppery, slightly sweet aroma of summer basil, and it’s a staple in so many Mediterranean-style kitchens.
Whether you want to drizzle it over caprese salads, use it as a dipping oil for crusty bread, or finish a bowl of pasta with a fragrant kick, learning how to make basil infused olive oil will quickly become one of your favorite cooking tricks.
In this post, we’ll walk through the easiest steps for how to make basil infused olive oil, the best type of olive oil to use for basil infused olive oil, and the golden rules for storing basil infused olive oil so it stays fresh and safe.
Let’s get into the good stuff.
Why Make Basil Infused Olive Oil at Home
Making basil infused olive oil at home is not just about saving a few bucks, it’s about getting a far superior flavor than most store-bought versions.
When you learn how to make basil infused olive oil yourself, you control the quality of every single ingredient, from the freshness of the basil to the quality of the olive oil you pour over it.
1. Freshness You Can Taste
The most obvious reason to make basil infused olive oil at home is the incredible freshness factor.
Commercially made basil infused olive oil often sits on shelves for months, and by the time you open the bottle, the basil flavor has faded and turned flat.
When you make basil infused olive oil yourself, you’re using freshly picked basil leaves, and that bright, grassy, almost peppery flavor infuses directly into the oil within just a day or two.
You simply can’t replicate that vibrancy with a store-bought bottle.
2. Total Control Over Ingredients
Another reason to make basil infused olive oil at home is that you decide exactly what goes in the bottle.
You can choose a high-quality extra virgin olive oil for a richer, fruitier taste, or you can use a milder olive oil if you prefer the basil to be the star of the show.
You can also add garlic, lemon zest, or chili flakes to create your own unique blend, something you won’t find in a standard commercial product.
Making basil infused olive oil at home also means skipping any artificial preservatives or flavorings that some brands sneak into their products.
3. It’s Incredibly Economical
Honestly, learning how to make basil infused olive oil is one of the most budget-friendly upgrades you can make in the kitchen.
A large bunch of fresh basil costs a fraction of what a small bottle of specialty infused oil costs at the grocery store.
If you have a basil plant on your windowsill or in your garden, the cost drops to nearly zero, and you can make batch after batch all season long.
How to Make Basil Infused Olive Oil: The Simple Method
Now, let’s get to the heart of the matter, exactly how to make basil infused olive oil using the easiest method that delivers the best flavor.
There are a few ways to do this, but the cold infusion method is the most popular because it preserves the delicate, fresh basil flavor and avoids the risk of scorching the oil.
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients and Supplies
To start making basil infused olive oil, you will need:
– 1 cup of fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
– 1 to 1.5 cups of good quality olive oil (extra virgin is great)
– A clean, dry glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
– A fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
– A clean, dry bottle for final storage
The quality of your olive oil matters a lot here.
If you want a truly outstanding basil infused olive oil, choose an olive oil you enjoy drinking on its own.
Avoid using stale or low-quality oil as the basil won’t be able to mask any off-flavors.
Step 2: Prep the Basil Leaves
First, gently wash your basil leaves and pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel or use a salad spinner.
This is a crucial step when you make basil infused olive oil because any lingering water on the leaves can cause the oil to turn cloudy and potentially harbor harmful bacteria.
Moisture is the enemy of shelf-stable infused oils.
Once dry, gently bruise the basil leaves by rubbing them between your fingers or lightly tearing them.
Bruising releases the essential oils inside the basil, which will help give you a more intensely flavored basil infused olive oil.
Step 3: Combine Basil and Olive Oil
Place the bruised basil leaves into your clean glass jar.
Pour the olive oil over the basil leaves, making sure they are fully submerged.
If you’re wondering how to make basil infused olive oil that isn’t overpowered by the oil, use a slightly lighter olive oil here.
A mild, buttery olive oil, like one from Provence, allows the basil flavor to really sing.
Seal the jar tightly and give it a gentle shake.
Step 4: The Infusion Period
Now, here’s where patience pays off.
Place the jar in a cool, dark place like a pantry or a kitchen cabinet and let it sit for 1 to 2 weeks.
Yes, it takes a little time to make basil infused olive oil properly, but the flavor will be so much more complex than anything you can do in a hurry.
Give the jar a gentle swirl every day or two to help distribute the flavor.
Taste a tiny bit after the first week to see if the flavor is strong enough for you.
If you want a stronger basil infused olive oil, you can leave it for up to two weeks or even add a few fresh basil leaves mid-way through the process.
Step 5: Strain and Store
Once you’re happy with the flavor, it’s time to strain your basil infused olive oil.
Place your fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a clean bowl or directly into your final storage bottle.
Pour the oil through the strainer to remove all the basil leaves.
Squeeze the cheesecloth gently to extract as much oil as possible, but avoid pressing too hard as you might release some bitter chlorophyll into the oil.
Pour the finished basil infused olive oil into a clean, dry glass bottle, and it’s ready to use.
Safety Tips for Making Basil Infused Olive Oil
When you learn how to make basil infused olive oil, it’s super important to understand the safety rules around herbs and garlic in oil.
While making basil infused olive oil is simple, you need to respect a few food safety guidelines to prevent botulism, which is a rare but serious risk with improperly stored infused oils.
1. Avoid Garlic (or Use It Carefully)
Many people want to make garlic basil infused olive oil, and it tastes fantastic.
However, garlic is a low-acid vegetable and when submerged in oil in an anaerobic environment (without oxygen), it creates the perfect conditions for botulism bacteria to grow.
If you want to add garlic to your basil infused olive oil, do it the safe way.
You can roast the garlic first to reduce its water content, or better yet, you can add a clove of garlic to the infused oil right before using it and remove it after the meal, rather than storing it.
The safest way to make basil infused olive oil is to stick with just basil and olive oil.
2. Keep It in the Fridge
Even if you skip the garlic, your homemade basil infused olive oil should be stored in the refrigerator.
Because the basil contains some water, and you’re not using a commercial preservation process, the fridge is the safest place for it.
Your basil infused olive oil will last for about two to three weeks in the fridge when stored properly.
The olive oil will solidify and turn cloudy in the fridge, but that’s totally normal.
Just take it out of the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to use it, and it will return to its liquid state.
3. Freeze for Longer Shelf Life
If you want to make a big batch of basil infused olive oil to last for months, the freezer is your best friend.
You can pour your finished basil infused olive oil into ice cube trays and freeze it.
Once frozen, pop the basil infused olive oil cubes into a freezer bag.
Whenever you need a little flavor boost, just grab a cube of basil infused olive oil and toss it into a pan with pasta, vegetables, or use it to finish a dish.
Pro tip: If you’re planning to freeze, you can make basil infused olive oil with garlic safely because freezing the oil prevents the growth of bacteria.
Delicious Ways to Use Basil Infused Olive Oil
Once you’ve mastered how to make basil infused olive oil, you’re going to want to use it on everything.
This versatile oil can transform simple dishes into something special with just a drizzle.
1. Dipping Oil for Fresh Bread
This is the most classic way to use basil infused olive oil.
Pour some of your basil infused olive oil into a shallow dish, add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and some cracked black pepper.
Dip crusty sourdough or a warm baguette in there, and you’ll have a beautiful appetizer ready in seconds.
The basil flavor in the olive oil pairs perfectly with the salt and the crunch of the bread.
2. Finish Pasta and Drizzle Over Veggies
Instead of finishing your pasta with plain olive oil and fresh basil leaves, use your homemade basil infused olive oil.
The infused flavor is already deep inside the oil, so every strand of pasta gets a consistent basil flavor with every bite.
The same goes for grilled or roasted vegetables.
A drizzle of basil infused olive oil over a tray of roasted tomatoes, zucchini, or bell peppers brings a fresh, herbal note that picks the whole dish up.
So, How Do You Make Basil Infused Olive Oil?
You can make basil infused olive oil easily at home with fresh basil, good quality olive oil, and a little patience.
You make basil infused olive oil by bruising clean, dry basil leaves, submerging them in olive oil, and letting the mixture sit in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks to allow the flavors to meld.
Then you simply strain out the leaves and store the finished basil infused olive oil in the refrigerator to enjoy for weeks to come.
Whether you’re using it for dipping, drizzling, or finishing, homemade basil infused olive oil adds a touch of gourmet freshness that no store-bought bottle can match.
So grab that bunch of basil, pick a good olive oil, and give this simple kitchen project a try.