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    Home » Cooking Basics

    Lemon Olive Oil

    Published: Mar 23, 2021 · Leave a Comment

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    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    This easy lemon olive oil is a quick infused oil made with lemon zest and fresh herbs, and it’s perfect in salad dressing. Freeze for later!

    lemon olive oil in a glass bottle with lemons and herbs around the bottle

    I love infused oils and vinegars.

    That might be obvious, since I’ve shared recipes for quite a few on this site!

    Infusing extra flavor into oil or vinegar is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to make your meal a little extra fabulous.

    That said, as much as I love trying store-bought infused oils, the flavors can be hit and miss. And sometimes the ingredients are a little iffy.

    Homemade infused oils are easy, with all of the flavor and none of the questionable ingredients.

    This lemon olive oil is made with oil, lemon zest and fresh (or dried) herbs. I like to freeze it for later.

    Looking for more ways to infuse your favorite herbs? Try making thyme tea, cold-brew hibiscus tea, cold-brew chamomile tea, lavender simple syrup, hibiscus simple syrup and basil simple syrup.

    Ways to Use Lemon Olive Oil

    My favorite way to use lemon olive oil is in an basic vinaigrette. The standard vinaigrette ratio is three parts fat (oil) to one part acid (vinegar), but I generally make mine a little more acidic.

    Try mixing this lemon olive oil in a vinaigrette along with hot pepper vinegar, chive blossom vinegar, basil vinegar or oregano vinegar!

    I like to use vinaigrettes for warm veggie salads. Try swapping this oil for regular olive oil in a green bean almond salad, French potato salad, haricot vert salad or a broccoli raisin salad.

    Safety with Infused Oils

    Olive oil on its own is safe at room temperature. Obviously.

    We need to take care, however, when adding ingredients to the olive oil. If you add commercially dried ingredients, such as in this hot chili oil recipe, the oil is still considered safe at room temperature.

    Ingredients that contain moisture (such as lemon peel and fresh herbs) will drastically lower the olive oil’s shelf life because the ingredients introduce water to the oil.

    Olive oil infused with “wet” ingredients (like this lemon olive oil) should be stored in the fridge and used within two to three days or frozen for longer storage.

    Yes, I am aware that there are lots and lots of lemon olive oil recipes out there that recommend storing the oil at room temperature for months. But when it comes to food safety, I like to side with science.

    What’s the Best Olive Oil to Use?

    I believe in buying quality olive oil, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive.

    Look for oil that lists a harvest date, not simply an expiration date. Olive oil tastes best within 18 months of harvesting, and yes, it can become rancid over time.

    Exposure to sunlight will make the oil go bad more quickly, so look for bottles packaged in dark green glass or metal.

    I generally buy California Olive Ranch’s olive oil or oil from Thrive Market.

    How to Make Lemon Olive Oil

    Start by warming the oil in a saucepan. Heat it until it’s just starting to simmer, and then turn off the heat.

    Add your lemon zest and herbs, cover the pot, and let the zest and herbs steep in the oil for about 10 minutes.

    Steep Lemon Zest + Herbs in Warm Oil
    Steep Lemon Zest + Herbs in Warm Oil

    At this point, you’ve got options.

    You can use the oil right away, or you can continue infusing the oil in the fridge. Or do both, use some right away and steep the rest for later.

    lemon olive oil in a glass bottle with lemons and herbs around the bottle
    Put Oil in a Glass Container + Refrigerate

    How to Freeze Lemon Olive Oil

    I don’t know about you, but I’m unlikely to use an entire batch of infused oil within three days.

    Instead, I like to freeze part of my infused oil for later.

    lemon olive oil in a silicone mold for freezing
    Pour Lemon Olive Oil into Silicone Mold to Freeze

    My favorite way to freeze oil is to pour it into a silicone ice cube tray. Simply freeze the oil in the ice cube tray, pop the frozen oil out and then store the oil cubes in a freezer bag.

    I also use this technique for freezing basil in oil, freezing basil pesto, basil butter, chive butter, orange butter, mushroom butter and freezing leftover oil from marinated feta.

    lemon olive oil in a glass bottle with lemons and herbs around the bottle
    Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved!
    5 from 2 votes

    Lemon Olive Oil

    This easy lemon olive oil is a quick infused oil made with lemon zest and fresh herbs, and is perfect in salad dressing. Freeze for later!
    Author: Sarah Trenalone
    Prep Time3 mins
    Cook Time2 mins
    Minimum Infusion Time:10 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Servings: 16 1-tablespoon servings
    Calories: 120kcal
    Freezer Friendly?
    Yes
    Will It Keep?
    3 Days (Fridge), 3 Months (Freezer)
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    Ingredients

    • 1 cup olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or rosemary, removed from stems Or use 2 teaspoons fragrant, dried herbs
    • 2 lemons, zested organic lemons preferred

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil until it's warm and just beginning to simmer. Do not bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat.
      Add the herbs and lemon zest. Allow the herbs and zest to steep covered for at least 10 minutes.
      Steep Lemon Zest + Herbs in Warm Oil
    • If desired, use right away.
      For a more intense lemon flavor, add the oil, zest and herbs to a glass container and steep for at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days) in the fridge.
      The oil will harden in the fridge, so move it to room temperature about 30 minutes before using.
      lemon olive oil in a glass bottle with lemons and herbs around the bottle
    • Refrigerate oil: The infused oil will last for up to 3 days if kept refrigerated.
      Freeze oil: Leftover oil can be preserved longer if frozen within 2-3 days.  For easy freezing, try pouring the oil into a portioned silicone mold (such as an ice cube tray), and then moving the frozen oil cubes to a freezer bag.  Use frozen oil within 3 months for the best flavor. If frozen, oil should be used within two days of thawing.
      lemon olive oil in a silicone mold for freezing

    Notes

    Amounts listed for lemon zest and herbs can be adjusted as desired. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 120kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 14g (22%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 4mg | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg (6%)
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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