Apparently this is the summer of the simplest of simple recipes.
This was another one of those, “It’s so simple, but this is just way too good to not share on the blog, right?” conversations I had with Mark.
And it’s clear where we ended up on that topic.
So. Herb oil. What’s the deal?
Take lots of herbs (honestly whatever), add it to olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and garlic.
Done. That’s it. Seriously!
And yet…it’s almost impossibly tasty. How can five simple ingredients result in something so flavorful?
It brightens up anything. Any dish, any meal. It truly is the “make everything better” oil!
We’ve been making this herb oil nonstop this summer. When we moved into our new place, Mark’s parents gifted us a bunch of herbs – basil, thyme, lemon thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, and parsley. They’re all growing happily and healthily outside, and when it gets close to dinner time, I send Mark outside to clip me a little bit of each.
I chop them all up nice and fine, add it to oil, season it up, and it’s ready for:
- Grilled potatoes (honestly, my favorite food at the moment)
- Salads (add a touch of vinegar, and you have yourself a salad dressing!)
- Grilled bread
- Grilled vegetables
- Nourish bowls
- Burritos (yes, seriously)
- Pasta
- Pizza
Honestly anything and everything. We have yet to come up with anything on top of which this herb oil doesn’t taste amazing.
It’s kind of similar to a chimichurri, just with a little more flexibility. And it’s sort of like a cheater’s version of pesto. Without the cheese and nuts and such.
And because the herbs are so customizable, it can be anything you want it to be!
If you find yourself with some herbs that need a little love, it doesn’t get much more loving than introducing them to olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.
It’s the best way to treat an herb, imo.
PrintHerb Oil (that you’ll want to put on everything)
We put this stuff on EVERYTHING! It’s so good on summery foods like grilled potatoes, veggies, and more.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ~1/2 cup
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chopped herbs* (ideas below in the Notes section!)
- 1/4 cup+ olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- salt + pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add your herbs, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper to a small jar or container and mix well to combine. I like mine on the chunkier side, so I don’t do more than 1/4 cup of oil. If you like it more on the looser side, add some more!
- Smother everything any anything with your homemade herb oil! Way to go!
Notes
Herb Ideas!
- Like I mentioned in the post, I use a little bit of each of the following in my herb oil: basil, thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, and parsley. Delicious.
- Cilantro, mint, and parsley would be really fresh and delightful on potatoes!
- Rosemary and thyme are an unbeatable combination
- Go all-basil for easy pesto vibes
- Oregano and basil are very pizza-y –– I’d love to slather the crust of a homemade pizza with this stuff!
- Sage and rosemary would be great to pair together for fall foods!
- Cilantro, oregano, and parsley would be great on Mexican-style foods
- Any herb on their own would work too!
very informative blog…!