If you’ve ever grown parsley, you’ll know there are only two outcomes. You either have a few precious sprigs that you carefully snip when needed, or you have a jungle of the stuff taking over a corner of the garden.
Today I decided to put some of my parsley to work by making parsley oil in two different ways – the ‘home cook’ method vs a ‘restaurant’ style preparation.
One is the quick home-cook method. The other is a more restaurant-style technique that involves blanching, cooling, heating and a few extra steps. I wanted to see whether all that extra effort actually makes a noticeable difference in colour, flavour, or usability.
Spoiler alert: the results were closer than I expected.
Why Make Parsley Oil?
Parsley oil is a fantastic way to capture the fresh flavour of parsley in a concentrated form. A drizzle can transform a plate of food. Try it on eggs, roast vegetables, fish, grilled meats, in soups, mashed potatoes or in salad dressings. It also adds a splash of vibrant green colour that makes even simple meals look a bit more special.
The same basic technique can be used with many other soft herbs from the garden too.
Choosing Your Parsley
I used flat-leaf Italian parsley from the garden. For a stronger flavour, I’ve used: 2 cups loosely packed parsley leaves and fine stems and 1 cup oil. For a milder oil, perhaps use: 1 cup parsley and 1 cup oil
The leaves and thinner stems are perfectly fine to use. The thicker woody stalks are best left out.
Choosing an Oil
Most people use a neutral oil because the parsley is intended to be the star. Suitable neutral oils include: Sunflower, Grapeseed, Canola, Soybean, Rice bran… and you can also use extra virgin olive oil, although its flavour will definitely come through in the finished oil.
Should You Season It?
You can season parsley oil if you like. A little salt, pepper, chilli flakes or even lemon zest can work well. However, professional chefs may leave herb oils unseasoned. Keeping the oil plain makes it more versatile and allows the seasoning to be controlled elsewhere in the dish.
For this experiment, I kept both batches completely unseasoned.
Method One: The Quick Home-Cook Version
This is about as easy as it gets.
- Simply combine: 2 cups parsley with 1 cup oil
- Blend until completely smooth. A blender, food processor, or stick blender will all do the job.
- Once smooth, strain through a fine sieve, muslin cloth, or cheesecloth.
That’s it.
You now have parsley oil.
Pros: Fast, minimal equipment, very little washing up, great flavour.
Cons: Contains fresh plant material which means a shorter shelf life, best stored in the fridge and used within a few days
Method Two: The Restaurant-Style Version
This method adds a few extra steps designed to preserve colour and improve stability.
- First, blanch the parsley in boiling water for around 10 to 20 seconds.
- Immediately transfer it into iced water to stop the cooking process. The parsley isn’t really being cooked. The brief blanching helps lock in that vivid green colour while the ice bath prevents further heat damage.
- Strain then remove as much moisture as possible. Spin it dry, pat it with paper towels, or do both.
- Once dry, blend the parsley with the oil exactly as before.
- Instead of straining immediately, gently heat the mixture. The goal isn’t to fry the parsley. It’s simply to warm the oil enough that any remaining moisture evaporates.
- Once heated, strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth.
Pros: Potentially brighter colour, better stability, may have a slightly longer shelf life
Cons: More steps, more dishes, more time, more energy.
The Results?
This is where things got interesting. After straining both oils through a sieve and then again through cheesecloth, I lined them up side by side.
The restaurant-style version was slightly more emerald green. Slightly. But only slightly.
Considering the blanching, ice bath, drying, reheating, and additional washing up involved, I wasn’t convinced the difference justified the effort.
The simple version looked fantastic. It tasted great and it took a fraction of the time. If I were making parsley oil for everyday cooking, I’d happily use the quick method every time.
Don’t Waste the Leftovers
After straining, you’ll be left with a parsley-rich pulp. Don’t throw it away. I packed mine into ice cube trays and froze it.
Those cubes will be brilliant later for:
- Soups
- Stir fries
- Sauces
- Mashed potatoes
- Rice dishes
It’s packed with flavour and deserves a second life.
Sometimes the fancy method wins. Sometimes it doesn’t. In this case, the restaurant-style technique did produce a slightly greener oil, but not enough to convince me it was worth all the extra work.
The quick home-cook version delivered excellent flavour, lovely colour, and was ready in minutes. For everyday cooking, I think simplicity is hard to beat. And if you’ve got a garden full of parsley threatening to take over, it’s a delicious way to put some of it to good use.
