This lemon infused olive oil lends a bright pop of flavor and tanginess to your favorite dishes.
Use it as a base for your salad dressing or spoon it over your favorite pasta - this is one heavenly concoction you won’t regret making.
I’m a big fan of condiments, infused oils and preserves.
My refrigerator and pantry are almost always stocked with my hot tomato oil, salsa macha, hot honey butter.
And because I’ve been trying out a lot of salad recipes recently, I really wanted to try my hands at an infused oil that packs in a lot of flavor.
And that’s when I thought of making this lemon oil.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
The simplicity of this recipe is my favorite part about it.
On days when I don’t want to put in a lot of effort into cooking, and just want something simple yet delicious, I always turn to using a condiment that I have, and this beautiful citrusy oil has always been a winner.
Plus, it is super versatile too. The bright lemon flavor works wonderfully with almost all kinds of recipes.
Ingredients For the Lemon Infused Oil Recipe
You’ll need just two simple ingredients to make this lemon-infused olive oil at home.
Lemon: Fresh lemon is what works the magic here. Choose unblemished, firm lemon for best results.
Olive oil: I would recommend using extra virgin olive oil for this recipe. It really adds so much more flavor, is cold-pressed and is healthier too.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Ready to try this lemon olive oil recipe? Here’s what you’ll need to do.
Start by washing the lemon and peeling them using a vegetable peeler.
In a small saucepan, add the oil and the lemon peels, along with a bit of lemon zest and let it simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Take it off heat, allow it to cool down completely and then strain it using a fine mesh strainer.
Pour the oil into a glass bottle or jar and store it in a cool and dark place.
Substitutions & Variations
- I kept the recipe simple and used just olive oil and lemon as the key ingredients, but if you want to go the extra mile, you could also add in some fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme.
- If you want to bring a kick of heat into this infused oil, you can also choose to add some red pepper flakes into the mix while the oil is still simmering.
💭Top Tip
Remember to have the oil over medium heat, and never let the temperature go beyond 150 degrees F.
Equipment
How to Store Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Storing this lemon infused oil is super easy. It can stay good at room temperature for 2-3 weeks, if not longer. Just make sure you don’t add in the fresh lemon peel if you’re doing.
You can also choose to refrigerate the oil if you want it to have a longer shelf life.
Also Read: Basil Gremolata
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- I would recommend using good quality lemon for this recipe, ideally the organic variety, since we’re using only the peel.
- You may also want to wash and scrub the peel nicely to get rid of any possible contaminants.
- Use a sharp paring knife or a vegetable peeler to remove the peel.
- When peeling the lemon, make sure you use only the bright yellow part, and not the white pith on the inside. Adding the white pith will make the oil bitter.
How to Use the Lemon Infused Oil
The best part about this lemon infused olive oil recipe is the fact that you can put it to use in so many different ways.
Here are a few good ideas to get you going!
As a Dressing
This flavored olive oil makes the perfect base for your salad dressing. I love mixing it together with some balsamic vinegar and a few spices and drizzling it over my bowl of fresh salad.
As a Marinade
This citrus oil would be a good marinade for your meats too! Mix it together with a nice seasoning mix like my homemade Tajin seasoning and use it as a rub for your chicken or seafood dishes.
In Stir Fries
My favorite way to put this infused oil to use is to pair it with my oven roasted or grilled vegetables. It is such a simple, effortless way to add so much flavor! Making oven roasted veggies or foil packets? Swap your simple olive oil for this one!
Other Ideas
You can also spoon the lemon oil over your pastas and soups. I love how it brings out the flavors of my creamy marry me pasta and my broccoli cheddar soup.
I also ended up drizzling some of it over my Tom Yum Gai soup and it turned out fan-tas-tic!
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 3 lemon
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Start by washing the lemon and peeling them using a vegetable peeler.
- In a small saucepan, add the oil and the lemon peels, along with a bit of lemon zest and let it simmer on low heat for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Take it off heat, allow it to cool down completely and then strain it using a fine mesh strainer.
- Pour the oil into a glass bottle or jar and store it in a cool and dark place.
