How to Make Vibrant Green Herb Oil

1. Blanch the Greens

Bring a pot of water to a boil. At the same time, prepare a bowl of ice-cold water.

For example, if you are using parsley, add the parsley to the boiling water. It only needs a few seconds. You will notice that the leaves soften and lose their raw, firm texture.

As soon as this happens, transfer the parsley directly into the ice water. This stops the cooking process and helps preserve that beautiful green color.

2. Remove Excess Water

Take the greens out of the ice water and squeeze them firmly between your hands to remove as much water as possible.

This step is important — the less water left in the herbs, the more concentrated and vibrant your final oil will be.

3. Blend with Oil

Once the greens are well drained, weigh them.

For example, if you have 300 g of blanched parsley, use 600 g of oil, which is twice the weight of the greens.

You can use either sunflower oil or olive oil. Olive oil works beautifully, but because it has a stronger flavor, it can sometimes overpower the delicate flavor of the herbs.

For this reason, I usually prefer sunflower oil when I want the flavor and freshness of the green ingredient to really shine.

Add the greens and oil to a powerful food processor or blender and blend until completely smooth.

4. Strain the Oil

Place a fine, slightly porous kitchen cloth over a deep container. You can also use two layers of clean disposable hair nets — a surprisingly useful trick in the kitchen.

Pour the blended mixture over the cloth and leave it to strain naturally.

Avoid pressing the mixture too much. Let the oil slowly drip through so you end up with a clean, clear green oil.

5. Separate the Water

Once the oil has passed through the cloth, transfer it into a piping bag and tie the opening tightly.

Hang the piping bag somewhere stable and leave it undisturbed for 1–2 hours.

You will notice that the mixture naturally separates. The liquid that settles at the very bottom is excess water from the herbs.

Carefully cut a small opening at the very bottom of the bag and let the water drain out. Discard this water rather than mixing it back into the oil.

Once the water has been removed, transfer the clean green oil into a clean bottle or container.

The Result

You’ll be left with a beautifully vibrant green herb oil that can add both color and flavor to your dishes.

Keep the oil refrigerated to help preserve its fresh color and flavor for as long as possible.

Try it with parsley, dill, spring onion, leek greens — or experiment with your favorite fresh herbs and green vegetables. 🌿