Easy Basil Oil

Often when we are thinking about the health benefits of adding herbs to our life we neglect to think about our awesome culinary herbs. Basil is one of my favorites. In addition to being ultra tasty it is also a powerhouse of nutrition. Today I share with you a delicious way to preserve that summer basil goodness for fall and winter use–easy basil oil.

Fresh basil from my garden on the drying rack to wilt for 1 day.

Growing conditions for Basil

Basil is a Mediterranean plant (there are also varieties that grow in other parts of the world, particularly Asia). It thrives best in warm, dry conditions. I normally try to grow 5-10 plants of a large leaf, Italian variety. This year I grew Genovese from Johnny’s Seeds. When starting from seeds you definitely want to start early in the season. Where I live that would be around mid-March. Our spring frost date is Memorial Day and our fall frost date is Labor Day.

Near the end of the season I am often scrambling to preserve that goodness. I normally make a simple pesto. But this year I neglected my garden a bit too much and a lot of my basil went to seed. So I decided to try something different–Basil oil.

Health Boosting Basil

Before I dive into how to create the basil oil I want to talk a bit about the health benefits of using copious amounts of basil.

Kami McBride says in her amazing book, The Herbal Kitchen that basil is a great example of how traditional societies added basil to dishes to aid in digestion. She uses the example of basil to tone down high acid content of tomato.

In addition McBride lists the actions of Basil-Diaphoretic, carminative, antibacterial, antispasmodic, antiviral, nervine.

Basil after wilting for one day. It is not a big difference but enough to spoil your oil if the water gets in the oil.

It can also be used as a preventative, “Eating more basil in the late summer and early fall helps fend off sinus and bronchial congestion during the winter. If you suffer from any sickness that is exasperated by phlegm, eat more basil!” (McBride, 2019)

Brittany Wood Nickerson is another great herbalist who specializes in culinary herbs (her book is Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen. She adds some unusual uses for basil, “Basil-infused oil can be applied externally to the back and chest to support the lungs during times of congestion, infection, spasms, and stress or panic-induced shortness of breath. A strong tea can be used as a disinfectant wash or added to the bath to relieve muscle tension and cramping and promote relaxation and spiritual clarity.” (Nickerson, 2018)

Emotional and Spiritual Benefits of Basil

Basil is also an amazing mood brightener. I tend to gravity towards the emotional and spiritual elements of herbs, and basil is one of my favorites to bringing on a mood of brightness and clarity.

Nickerson also adds more thoughts to this.

“Basil is an important and often overlooked rejuvenating tonic that supports the mind, body, and spirit. It helps relieve fatigue and exhaustion and restore energy in cases of deep depletion. Basil seems to first stimulate and then relax the nervous system, making it a great herb for promoting mental clarity and cognitive function while helping you to stay focused, grounded and calm. Long revered as an antidepressant, basil lifts the spirits and lightens the load on the heart. Simply smelling fresh basil can bring a sense of calm and peace. A cup of basil tea or a few drops of tincture can trigger the same sunny effect.”
Brittany Wood Nickerson

Basil Oil after it has cooled and is ready to strain.

How to make Basil Oil

Harvest lots of basil.
Select a canning jar that fits the amount of basil you harvested. I would recommend at least a pint jar. But you want to be able to really stuff the jar with basil. For this example I used a quart jar.
Select your oil. You want to use an edible oil. For this example I used Olive oil.
Allow your harvested basil to wilt for a day before adding to the jar. This removes some of the excess water. A cookie cooling rack works well for this.
Fill the jar with your harvested basil.
Pour the oil over the basil until it is completely covered.
I then made a makeshift double boiler. I put a lid tightly on the canning jar and placed it in a pot filled with water. Then turned the burner on low (we do not want it to boil only simmer) and leave it on the heat for 4 hours. Then I turned off the burner and allowed it to cool
Strain using a cheesecloth and put in a decorative bottle. Use regularly.