What is Infused Olive Oil?

I tried to make infused olive oil using fresh basil and extra virgin olive oil, which I heated first. Within minutes of pouring the oil into a glass container with the basil, the oil got cloudy. It was a freshly opened bottle of oil. Is this normal?

I have never tasted an infused olive oil that I did not like. I love the taste of lemon in just about anything, so when I saw a recipe for lemon infused olive oil, I had to give it a try.

This is the first time I had done something like this, and I was surprised at how easy it was. After I washed the lemon I used a peeler to scrape off some of the zest and added this to a pan that had olive oil in it.

I warmed it up for about 10 minutes and then let it cool to room temperature. Then I strained the oil to remove the zest, but leaving the oil infused with the taste of lemon.

I store this is a glass jar in the refrigerator. If this is your first time doing this, many times the oil will appear cloudy after it has been in the refrigerator for awhile.

This is normal and should appear clear once it sits out at room temperature for a few minutes.

I love to make infused olive oil at home so I can add the herbs and spices that I like best. The two I use most often are garlic infused olive oil and olive oil infused with rosemary.

Since garlic goes so well with so many different kinds of dishes, this is the one that I use most often. But once I tired the rosemary with chicken, it quickly became one of my favorites as well.

I heat the olive oil in a pan and than add some fresh rosemary sprigs and a little bit of dry, red crushed pepper.

Whatever I don't use right away I store in the refrigerator. When you are using infused olive oil, the aroma when cooking is wonderful.

The rosemary infused olive oil is also great as a dipping sauce for bread. Once I began using olive oil that has been infused, that is what I prefer when I am eating bread with a meal.

@fify-- That's right, the sooner the better. I personally don't use it after about four days in the fridge. That's why it's a good idea to only make a small amount at a time so that it's not wasted.

We have to be very careful when it comes to canning and bottling foods at home, including infused oils. A rule I always follow is that I never add any fresh herb, fruit or vegetable into something that has already been bottled and waited.

The reason is because these fresh foods will release toxins into the oil and bacteria and mold can easily multiply. The same goes with adding citrus juices into infused olive oils. It's best to do that before bottling because the citrus can cause the infused oil to ferment.

I just love olive oil infused with fresh herbs. My favorite to use are oregano and basil, they make the olive oil taste so fresh and fragrant, it's perfect for pasta salads and with cheese.

Making it is pretty easy too, you just have to know which method to use. I use a method that I learned from my best friend. What I do is first keep the fresh herbs in boiling water followed by cold water for a few seconds. Then I put it through a blender to make a paste of it and finally squeeze through a sieve. I combine it with good quality virgin olive oil and make sure to finish it in a week.

Actually I head that the sooner it's finished, the better it is. It doesn't last for very long since it's fresh.

I agree, infused olive oil is delicious and can be eaten so many ways. But I think the best way to have it is just as a dip with fresh bread. I don't like to use it in salads and pasta because I don't want to lose the delicate flavors in the olive oil by mixing it with other foods.

I first tried infused olive oil at a really nice Italian restaurant. No matter what you order, this restaurant first brings out fresh Italian bread and olive oil as an appetizer. They have a variety of infused olive oil dips available. My favorite is the garlic and thyme one and the one infused with red peppers. They are so delicious!

If you like salads herb infused olive oil can make a great salad dressing. I find that when herbs are added, especially something like pepper, that you can really taste it when you sprinkle it on things.

I only buy organic olive oil because I am on a bit of health kick right now and don't like the idea of too many additives in my food. The supermarket near my home doesn't sell infused olive oil so I am forced to buy it online.

Does anyone know if it is possible to make your own infused olive oil? I would love to try it if it is easy to do.

There are a lot of things you can do with infused olive oil, but what I love the best is using it to make bruschetta. I buy garlic olive oil from the farmer's market near my home and it really adds great flavor to my dishes.

Another simple thing to try is using basil infused olive oil as a topping for pasta. If I am feeling lazy I will just make some penne and drizzle it with the olive oil and eat it like that.

I know some people are worried about the fats in oils, but olive oil, infused or otherwise is great for your heart health.