Paprika infused olive oil is a great condiment to drizzle over soups or steaks or into salads. Brush it onto vegetables when you roast or grill them. Use in your skillet when you’re sauteing. Really, it’s wonderful anywhere you want a hit of smokey, intense paprika flavor!
If you are anything like me, you have spent time looking at fancy condiments and infused oils and other specialty foods when you’ve been out shopping. Maybe you’ve even picked up a flavored oil or two when you’ve been in the mood.
I certainly have!
However, it turns out that making infused oils is easy, quick, and cheap. Instead of paying extra for packaging and labels, you can use your favorite olive oil, get it nice and warm, mix it with the spice you want – smokey paprika in this recipe – and…DONE. You have infused oil! 🙂 Told you it was easy. The only tough part of making infused olive oil is waiting for that lovely paprika flavor to fully develop before you decant the clear oil off the top.
The first recipe I made this oil for, and still my favorite way to use paprika infused olive oil, is in Creamy Spanish Garbanzo Bean Soup. I love the smokey paprika flavor against the mild garbanzo beans! It’s really a great match.
However, don’t stop there. Baste roasted vegetables or grilled vegetables with the oil. Brush it on roasted chicken. Have it on bruschetta. Use it in a stir fry. And don’t worry about paying lots of money or finding it in the store, because you can make it in 30 minutes with whatever oil makes you happy.
– Happy Infusing, Annemarie
Paprika Infused Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Once the oil is quite warm, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the paprika. Let the oil steep for 30-40 minutes. Either spoon off the clear oil from the top into a bowl or strain the paprika oil through a coffee filter.
- Paprika oil can be refrigerated for up to one week.
Notes
Matt McCarty says
I’m curious. Why would the oil need be refrigerated, and why would it only last one week?
justalittlebitofbacon says
Oil + plant matter (ground paprika in this case) equals risk of botulism so to be safe it’s best not to store for too long.