Rosemary Olive Oil: Best Uses and 3 Easy Kitchen Ideas

Rosemary olive oil is at its best on starchy, golden, salty food: roasted potatoes, white beans, warm flatbread and anything off a roasting pan. It spreads the resinous, piney flavor of rosemary evenly through a dish, so there are no stiff needles to pick out of your teeth. Below are three easy ideas with amounts and timing, plus a rosemary chicken marinade and advice on choosing the right herb oil for the meal.

What Rosemary Olive Oil Tastes Like

Ours is an infused oil: a fresh, fruity extra virgin olive oil base with a dash of rosemary oil. The rosemary starts soft and finishes with an earthy, aromatic kick, and that arc is useful in the kitchen. The first impression is olive and fruit, so it does not shout, and the rosemary arrives on the finish, which is exactly when you want it with a rich roast or a piece of bread.

Roasted meats, homemade bread and Mediterranean cooking are its natural homes, and it pairs well with Sicilian Lemon white balsamic or pomegranate balsamic in dressings and marinades. The three ideas below put it to work.

Three Easy Ways to Use Rosemary Olive Oil

1. Crisp Roasted Potatoes with a Rosemary Finish

Potatoes and rosemary are an old pairing for a reason. Starch soaks up the oil, salt sharpens the herb, and the browned edges carry the aroma. This serves four and takes about 10 minutes of work plus 35 to 45 minutes in the oven.

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
• 2 tablespoons plain extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon rosemary olive oil, for finishing
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
2. Boil the wedges in salted water for 5 minutes, drain, and let them steam dry for 2 minutes. The rough surface is what turns crunchy.
3. Toss with the plain oil, salt and pepper, and spread in one layer on a rimmed sheet pan.
4. Roast 35 to 45 minutes, flipping once, until deep golden.
5. Toss with the rosemary oil while still hot and serve right away.

Cooking in the plain oil and finishing with the rosemary one is the habit that makes the most of a flavored bottle. The heat of the oven does the browning, and the drizzle supplies the aroma that the oven would have softened.

2. Warm White Beans on Toast

This is the fastest of the three, and the one most people end up repeating. Warm a drained can of cannellini beans in a small pan with 1 tablespoon of rosemary olive oil, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mash about a third of the beans with a fork so the rest sit in a creamy base. Spoon the mixture over thick toasted bread, add a squeeze of lemon, and finish with a teaspoon of rosemary oil. The same beans stirred into a pot of soup with a swirl on top are a good cold-weather lunch.

Creamy polenta is another natural home. A spoonful in the middle of a warm bowl, with cracked pepper, is all it needs.

3. Rosemary Flatbread, Pita or Focaccia

For quick flatbread, brush pita or a split baguette with rosemary oil, season with flaky salt, and toast it in a hot skillet or the oven until it crackles at the edges. For focaccia, swap the rosemary oil in for some of the plain oil in your recipe, then brush a last tablespoon over the top the second the bread leaves the oven. The warm crumb takes it up, and the kitchen smells like a bakery.

Where Else It Works

Rub it with minced garlic over pork, lamb or beef before roasting. Use it to roast cashews and almonds, or to dress sliced tomatoes for bruschetta. For vinaigrettes, whisk 3 parts rosemary oil to 1 part white balsamic or lemon juice, and it will carry grains and roasted vegetables. If you want a more complete herb profile, our herbs de Provence oil guide covers the thyme and lavender side of the shelf.

If you are shopping for a bottle for these dishes, our rosemary olive oil is an easy one to start with. We make it with roasts and bread in mind, and it works as well as a finishing oil as it does in the pan.

Choosing the Right Herb Oil for the Meal

Choose a single-herb oil like rosemary when that one flavor is the point of the dish. Choose a blend when several things are happening on the plate and you want the herbs to work as a group. You can see the full range in our herb-flavored olive oils and balsamics. For more ideas on how to match flavors to dinner, our flavored olive oil ideas post has a handy flavor-by-dish table.

A Rosemary Marinade for Chicken Thighs

Rosemary oil also earns its place before the oven. Whisk 3 tablespoons with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and plenty of black pepper, and coat 2 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 8 hours. Roast skin side up at 425°F for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is crisp and a thermometer in the thickest part reads at least 175°F (165°F is the safe minimum, but thighs are more tender a little past it). Spoon the pan juices over the top with a final teaspoon of rosemary oil. Leftover thighs are excellent cold: pull the meat off the bone and fold it into the white beans from idea 2 for a quick lunch salad, with a squeeze of lemon and another small drizzle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook with rosemary olive oil?

Yes, moderate heat is fine in the oven or on the stove. Expect the aroma to be softer than when you add it at the end.

How much do I use?

A tablespoon for every 2 pounds of potatoes or vegetables is a good start. Taste and adjust, since the oil is a seasoning as much as a fat.

What size bottle should I buy?

Our rosemary oil comes in 375ml and 750ml bottles. If roasts and bread are a weekly habit, the larger one saves a reorder. Otherwise start small, since the finishing aroma is at its best while the bottle is fresh.

A Second Bottle for the Herb Shelf

Once rosemary is a habit, a blend rounds out the set. Our Tuscan herb olive oil is made with natural herb extracts and a hint of fresh garlic, with top notes of basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, rosemary and crushed red pepper. It is especially good on grilled vegetables, pizza and pasta, so it covers the nights when you want more than one herb.