Are you feeling guilty about a bottle of garlic-infused olive oil getting dusty in your pantry? Keep reading to learn how to make your meals delicious with this easy-to-use flavor enhancer.
Garlic-infused oil is an easy way to add flavor.
What Is Garlic-infused Olive Oil?
Olive oils, and other liquids, like vinegar or alcohol, can be infused with different flavors. Sometimes fruits are used but other times ingredients like herbs, spices, or garlic are selected.
Garlic infused olive oil has a garlic flavor to the oil. Essentially, chopped garlic is left to soak in olive oil for a day, or even a week. The pieces of garlic are then strained out.
Certain flavorful compounds transfer into the oil. When the solids are removed, the high FODMAP carbohydrates are removed.
How to Use Garlic-infused Olive Oil
- Drizzle garlic-infused olive oil over poached or fried eggs.
- Serve slices of crusty bread with little bowls of flavored olive oil instead of butter.
- Drizzle garlic-infused olive oil over steamed broccoli rabe or broccolini.
- Create a vinaigrette with a punch.
- Add some kick to a black bean soup. Citrus juice with garlic-infused olive oil build depth with contrasting flavors.
- Roasted potatoes. Perhaps new potatoes? Or fingerlings? Add a little smoked paprika and lime for additional flavor.
- Marinate mushrooms in garlic-infused olive oil and red wine vinegar (along with the herbs or spices of your choice).
“Monounsaturated fats in olive oil, nuts, and fish can have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help stave off heart disease and many other conditions.” -Heidi Godman, Harvard Health Letter
Flavored oils make throwing together a delicious salad, or dressing up plain vegetables, easy.
And what’s faster than a drizzle of heart and brain-healthy olive oil? Not much.
Make Your Own Infused Olive Oil– Without Botulism!
Commercial infused olive oils are safe to store for long times– even at room temperature.
Homemade garlic-based olive oils should be consumed promptly and stored in the refrigerator to avoid botulism. Use them within four days.
This handout has a recipe on page four that can be stored for longer than four days in the refrigerator.
Where Can I Buy Garlic-infused Olive Oil?
Garlic-infused olive oil is becoming more common. Specialty stores, focused on olive oil and vinegar (like our own Crystal City Olive Oil), often have it.
Larger supermarkets and gourmet markets may carry it. Many producers sell it via the internet, including a low FODMAP version: FODY Foods.
Start Creating Delicious Food: Add Garlic-Infused Olive Oil Your Pantry
Get started by printing out these ideas and putting them on your fridge. Then, make or buy garlic-infused olive oil to keep on hand for busy nights, when you need to make delicious food fast.
The next step: try a different flavor!
Drop me a note and let me know how you make out, or share a photo on Facebook.