The 12 Best Ways To Use Infused Olive Oil

Olive oil didn't become a pantry staple by accident — it makes just about everything taste better. Whether it's splashed over salads or used to roast vegetables, this liquid gold can add depth and character to even the simplest dishes. Beyond its earthy flavor, olive oil also offers several health perks, from improving heart and brain function to lowering cholesterol and fighting inflammation.

Still, plain olive oil is only the beginning. Infused olive oil goes a step further by pairing that smooth base with bold, aromatic ingredients for an extra burst of flavor. It's regular olive oil — usually extra-virgin olive oil — that's been steeped in zesty goodies such as herbs, citrus, spices, or chili.

While plenty of ready-made options exist, it's surprisingly easy to make infused olive oil at home. There are two main methods for making infused olive oil — hot and cold infusion. The hot method uses gentle heat below 140 degrees Fahrenheit to draw out the flavor from herbs or spices. Cold infusion, which involves steeping ingredients in olive oil for several days or weeks, takes more time, but it pays off with more nuanced flavors. Once ready, infused olive oil can elevate a wide range of dishes. Here are just a few ideas for your next dish, whether sweet or savory.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a few shortcuts to make a soup, especially since there are quick ways to enhance the final recipe. From three-ingredient tomato soup to microwaved carrot soup, not all broths require endless stirring while they simmer for hours. Similarly, some canned soups can be surprisingly hearty and delicious, delivering a hearty pick-me-up with very little effort.

One of the fastest ways of adding flavor to a bowl of soup is by topping it with a little infused olive oil. Whether it's herb or chili, a tiny amount of flavored olive oil can add an entirely new dimension to a soup's aroma and taste, giving it a gourmet, restaurant-style finish. The trick lies in choosing the right flavor for the soup's base — something that complements rather than competes with its main ingredients. For instance, a chili-infused olive oil might work well in ramen but overpower the delicate flavors of asparagus soup.

Butter can be easily replaced with infused olive oil without altering the texture of most baked goods. The exception is recipes that depend on butter's solidity for structure — like those that call for solid butter or butter creamed with sugar. Whether making cake, bread, or cookies, adding a few drops of infused oil to your batter or dough can imbue it with subtle herbal or citrusy undertones. Since butter contains about 80% fat while olive oil is entirely made up of fat, it's best to reduce the amount of oil by roughly 15% when substituting one ingredient for the other.

Aside from enhancing flavor, using infused olive oil in baking instead of butter has plenty of benefits. Compared to butter, olive oil comes out on top nutritionally because it's packed with monounsaturated fats and natural antioxidants instead of the heavier saturated fats. In addition, olive oil is easier to incorporate into the batter or dough since it doesn't require melting. Finally, it's also a secret weapon for texture, helping baked goods stay soft, springy, and moist.

Pasta can be as simple or as sophisticated as what is in your pantry and refrigerator. Sometimes, it's the finishing touches rather than the core ingredients that make all the difference — a sprinkle of cheese, a squeeze of lemon, or a drizzle of olive oil can completely transform a pasta sauce, no matter how basic it is to begin with.

Splashing flavored olive oil over a finished pasta dish can add subtle layers of aroma that complement the sauce rather than overpower it. The trick lies in using the right flavor combination. Some of the most popular olive oil flavors for pasta dishes include garlic, herb, chili, and truffle. For a Mediterranean-style pasta sauce, try infusing olive oil with tomatoes. To deepen the natural flavor of tomatoes in pasta sauce, make a mixture with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, honey, garlic, and chili peppers. To make the flavored oil, purée the ingredients with olive oil, leave the mixture in the refrigerator overnight, and strain it through cheesecloth to separate the solids from the oil.

Whether it's a juicy steak, chicken breast, or a medley of seasonal vegetables, grilling is a perfect way of bringing out the flavor of the food. Texture-wise, it's hard to beat the combo of crispy, charred edges and succulent, tender centers. Grilling can also imbue food with deep, smoky notes that can add an element of complexity to even the simplest ingredients.

To elevate those flavors even further, try brushing your ingredients with infused olive oil before popping them on the grill. If you are planning to grill on high heat, be sure to opt for refined or light olive oil, rather than extra-virgin olive oil, to prevent burning and smoking. Refined or light olive oil has a smoke point of 465 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much higher than the 330 degree Fahrenheit smoke point of extra-virgin olive oil.

Want to add more dimension to your grilling? Pair it with an infused olive oil that complements the main ingredients in the recipe. For instance, a little garlic-, rosemary-, or chili-infused olive oil can add a delicious flavor nuance to vegetables and cuts of meat and poultry. Brush the ingredients with the flavored olive oil and continue basting them with the mixture while they grill. This won't just imbue the meat with flavor but it will also keep it nice and moist. Those who really like getting creative in the kitchen may wish to bundle fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme and use them brush-style to coat meats and veggies with infused olive oil as they grill.

Olive oil plays a starring role in many salad dressings, and for a great reason — it adds both flavor and texture to the final product. For instance, a little olive oil can balance out the harshness of the vinegar or lemon juice in a zesty vinaigrette or soften the bite of ingredients such as raw onion.

Swapping out regular olive oil for infused olive oil can give your greens a delicious burst of flavor, even replacing some of the other ingredients you would normally throw into the mix. For example, try whisking a drizzle of basil-infused or lemon-garlic olive oil with balsamic vinegar for a fresh and bright vinaigrette that brings depth to the other ingredients without overwhelming their flavor. Alternatively, drizzle your fruit salad with lemon- or orange-infused olive oil for a zesty and refreshing twist that enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit. For an earthier take, match your fruit with thyme- or mint-infused olive oil.

Adding a splash of olive oil to your veggies does more than just make them taste better. It helps your body absorb important nutrients like beta-carotene and lycopene from vegetables. Because olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, even a small drizzle can make a big difference in how well your body processes those nutrients.

Aside from enhancing flavor, marinating meat offers several other benefits. Certain ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and pineapple can be used to tenderize tough cuts of meat by breaking down their muscle fibers. Meanwhile, the oil in marinades keeps the meat from drying out, prevents it from sticking to the pan, and promotes even browning during cooking.

While a marinade may not carry flavor inside the meat or fish, using a flavored olive oil as a base in a marinade can go a long way toward enhancing the surface taste of the protein. When it comes to red meat, go for bold olive oils infused with garlic or chili. Lamb, on the other hand, pairs beautifully with herbal oils infused with rosemary, thyme, or marjoram.

For best results, use about half a cup of marinade per pound of meat. Marinating time should vary depending on the meat's size and density. As a rule of thumb, meats like steak and pork can be kept in a marinade for up to 24 hours and poultry for between two and 24 hours. If you marinate the protein for too long, it may become mushy. Last but not least, always marinate meat in the refrigerator — not at room temperature — to keep it safe from harmful bacteria.

One of the most popular Italian culinary exports, pizza comes in countless topping combinations. Some of America's favorite pizza toppings include pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, chicken, and bacon. That said, there are plenty of other creative ingredient choices you can use in your kitchen, including eggplant, artichokes, goat cheese, and caramelized onions.

No matter the flavor combination, one of the best ways to elevate pizza is by drizzling it with a splash of infused olive oil. When it comes to giving that finishing touch to a pizza, some of the most popular options include aromatic olive oils infused with chili, basil, garlic, or truffle. For a spicy kick, opt for chili oil. For something earthy, try a little truffle oil. Even a simple garlic- or herb-infused olive oil can make a plain cheese pizza taste restaurant-worthy. Another option is to coat the pizza dough with infused olive oil instead of tomato sauce, creating a lighter and more aromatic base.

Often served as a starter or accompaniment at restaurants, bread dips are typically made with extra-virgin olive oil and bold ingredients such as balsamic vinegar, chili flakes, or herbs. Infused olive oils are also sometimes served alongside warm bread, offering a flavorful way to kick off a meal. Some of the best breads to serve alongside a dipping oil include crusty options such as baguettes, ciabatta, or sourdough.

Making your own infused olive oil dipping mixture for bread couldn't be easier. Simply pour high-quality flavored olive oil into a shallow dish to create an accessible base for the bread, then top it with a sprinkle of sea salt, cracked pepper, and a choice of herbs and spices for added flavor. To mimic the classic Italian restaurant version of the dip, combine two parts of the oil with one part balsamic vinegar — this is perfect for giving the mixture a touch of acidity to balance the richness of the oil. Alternatively, serve the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in two separate dishes to give each person more control over dipping and soaking.

For many, topping ice cream with olive oil might seem counterintuitive. After all, olive oil is often paired with savory dishes rather than desserts, making the combination feel almost rebellious. In reality, ice cream and olive oil work surprisingly well together. When paired with homemade vanilla ice cream, olive oil can balance the sweetness of the dessert with delicious fruity and earthy notes, turning a simple scoop into something layered and gourmet.

Adding infused olive oil to ice cream elevates not only its flavor but also its texture. This is because olive oil thickens when exposed to low temperatures, encasing the frosty treat in a silky and smooth coating. This adds a complex, buttery element to what would otherwise be a standard bowl of ice cream. To enhance both the sweetness of the ice cream and the olive oil's fruity notes, finish the dessert with a pinch of sea salt.

Whether scrambled or fried, breakfast eggs are one of those unremarkable staples that are made on autopilot. Once they have been part of your morning ritual long enough, it's easy to forget that they have endless potential. Here is a secret — one of the best ways to instantly transform your breakfast eggs from ordinary to remarkable is by splashing them with a little flavored olive oil.

Start by selecting the type of infused olive oil that best suits your taste. Some popular flavors for pairing with eggs include herb-infused oils for freshness, chili for spice, garlic for savoriness, and lemon for a clean citrus lift. When infused olive oils are used in the right amount — it's best to use them sparingly — these flavors will add complexity to the dish without overpowering it. When making fried eggs, fluffy scrambled eggs, or an omelet with infused olive oil, keep the heat low to preserve the oil's delicate flavor and stop it from burning. Alternatively, drizzle the infused olive oil over the eggs as a finishing touch just before serving, rather than during cooking.

Many recipes for mashed potatoes call for a dollop of butter. The addition is used to give the potatoes a rich, savory taste and a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. While it may not make the mash as fluffy as butter does, adding infused olive oil to mashed potatoes can give the side dish a new kind of richness, infusing it with a fruity, garlicky, herby, or spicy flavor. The replacement is also a great choice for healthy-conscious eaters looking to cut down on saturated fat or those on dairy-free or vegan diets.

Infused olive oil can also add a whole new dimension to roasted potatoes. To make them, cube or slice raw potatoes, toss them in flavored olive oil — rosemary or garlic are popular choices — and bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until golden. Be sure to use a light or refined olive oil for roasting, as it has a higher smoke point than extra-virgin olive oil.

Let's be honest — half the fun of watching a movie or a big game comes from enjoying a big bowl of freshly-prepared popcorn. From the aroma and crunch to the salty fingers, the familiar mix can turn an ordinary night into an event. Popcorn comes in many flavors, including classic buttered popcorn and more imaginative options like flavorful citrus popcorn or sweet cinnamon blend popcorn.

One of the easiest ways to give your popcorn a flavor boost is by topping it with — or popping it in — infused olive oil. And the options are endless. Try tossing the kernels in rosemary-, basil-, or thyme-infused olive oil. Or give it a spicy edge with a chili-infused olive oil, and brighten things up with citrus-infused olive oil. Whatever flavor you opt for, be sure to mix everything together well to coat all the kernels. Alternatively, use the infused olive oil to roast the popcorn on the stove, so the flavor develops gradually as the kernels pop open.