• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS

Dish up the simple joy of healthy, down-home foods your family will LOVE… tonight.

Join 12,000+ families served since 2010!

  • Join Now
  • About
    • About Wardee & TCS
    • Our Team
    • FAQs & Help
    • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Blog
    • Recipes
    • Archives
  • Podcast
    • #AskWardee
    • Know Your Food with Wardee (retired)
  • Shop
    • Bible-Based Cooking Program
    • Print Textbooks
    • eBooks & eCourses
    • Recommended Tools & Supplies
    • More Books We Love
    • Complete Idiot’s Guide To Fermenting Foods
      • Errata
  • Login
You are here: Home » Health & Nutrition » Healthy Living » How to Make (and Use) an Herbal Infusion

Make a healthy dinner in 30 minutes or less... while spending $0 extra! Click here to get the Eat God's Way “30-Minute Skillet Dishes” worksheet + videos FREE!

How to Make (and Use) an Herbal Infusion

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

How to Make (and Use) an Herbal Infusion | Herbal infusions are one of the most basic, yet effective, methods of using herbs. They can be infused in water, oil, or vinegar to produce healing remedies, or eaten in tasty dressings and condiments. Wonderful and simple! | TraditionalCookingSchool.com

Herbal infusions are one of the most basic, yet effective, methods of using herbs. They can be infused in water, oil, or vinegar to produce healing remedies, or eaten in tasty dressings and condiments. Wonderful and simple! 🙂

5 from 1 vote
Print

Herbal Infusion in Water

If you know how to make tea, then you know how to make a basic herbal infusion. Infusions are normally prepared from leaves, stems, and flowers. Decoctions, on the other hand, are made from roots, bark, and seeds.
Course Household & Health
Author Stacy Karen

Ingredients

  • herb *see notes for suggestions,
  • pure water

Instructions

  1. As a general rule, herbal infusions can be made using 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or 2 teaspoons of fresh herbs per 1 cup of water.
  2. There are many methods for preparing an herbal infusion. The most common is to measure the amount of herbs needed and place it into a heat-proof container (such as a canning jar or bowl).
  3. Boil water and pour it over the herbs.
  4. Cover the jar with a lid or plate and allow the infusion to steep for 10 to 15 minutes up to several hours.
  5. Drink herbal infusions throughout the day to enhance and aid the healing of various ailments.

Recipe Notes

French Press or Tea Ball Variation

 

You can also prepare the infusion by using a French press or tea ball. This is perfect for smaller quantities.

As a general rule, herbal infusions can be made using 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or 2 teaspoons of fresh herbs per 1 cup of water.

To make an infusion using a French press or tea ball, measure the necessary herbs into the French press or tea ball.

If using a French press, pour hot water over the herbs and place lid on the press, leaving the plunger up so the herbs can float in the water. If using a tea ball, pour water into a mug or small bowl and place the tea ball into the water.

Cover mug or bowl with a plate or turn a larger bowl upside down over the mug (this is helpful if using a tea ball with a long handle).

Allow to steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the tea ball. If using a French press, simply push the plunger down.

Drink herbal infusions throughout the day to enhance and aid the healing of various ailments.

 

Here are some herbs suitable for infusion:

 

Peppermint to soothe an upset stomach (where to buy)

Nettle as a tonic for the whole body (where to buy)

Nettle mint tea to relieve allergies

Holy basil to reduce stress (where to buy)

Red clover to boost the immune system (where to buy)

Chamomile to promote relaxation (where to buy)

Also, here's a list of 52 DIY Herbal Tea recipes to try.

5 from 1 vote
Print

Herbal Infusion in Oil

It is very easy to infuse oil with herbs, and once you've done it, the oil can be used in delicious salad dressings and cooking oils. Herb-infused oils are also the base of many natural body care products, such as healing salves, ointments, and balms.
Course Condiment, Household & Health
Author Stacy Karen

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup dried herbs
  • oil *to cover herbs plus 1 or 2 inches more

Instructions

  1. Place 1/3 cup of dried herbs into a quart-size jar.
  2. The jar, herbs, and utensils must be dry, because moisture could spoil the oil.
  3. Cover the herbs with oil, then add 1 to 2 inches more oil so the herbs have room to expand. The herbs will swell as they absorb the oil.
  4. Tightly close the jar with a lid, and label it so you don't forget what it is inside.
  5. Place the jar in a warm place and leave for at least two weeks.
  6. If possible, give the jar a good shake every day.
  7. Once the two (or more) weeks are over, strain out the herbs and pour the infused oil into a clean jar.

Recipe Notes

*If you are making body care products, oils such as olive or sweet almond are both excellent.

Olive oil is best if you plan to make a salad dressing.

 

Herb-Infused Oil, More Quickly

 

If you need to infuse an oil with herbs quickly, place the above amounts of herbs and oil in a small crockpot, or in a jar within a dehydrator.

Warm on a very low heat (no more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit) for 1 to 3 hours.

This method is somewhat inferior to the technique mentioned above, because the heat diminishes the quality of the herbs.

 

Herbal Salves

 

Use your herb-infused oil to prepare salves to treat various skin conditions.

Place 4 ounces of infused oil and 1 ounce of beeswax in a double boiler.

Warm over low heat until the beeswax melts.

Pour into tins or a heat-safe jar, such as a small canning jar.

Some of my favorite herbal salves are calendula, plantain, and lavender.

 

Herbs in the Kitchen

 

If you want to infuse oil for cooking or a salad dressing, try herbs like basil, oregano, or thyme.

Olive oil is wonderful if you plan to make salad dressing.

Here is a great tutorial showing how to use fresh herbs to create culinary oils.

5 from 1 vote
Print

Herbal Infusion in Vinegar

Here is another recipe for making an herbal infusion in vinegar.
Course Condiment, Household & Health
Author Stacy Karen

Ingredients

  • 2 cups vinegar
  • 1 cup fresh herbs or 1/2 cup dried herbs

Instructions

  1. Combine vinegar with fresh or dried herbs.

  2. Loosely pack the herbs and vinegar in a jar and leave it to infuse for about three weeks.

Recipe Notes

You can use herb-infused vinegar in salad dressings and also as a skin-care treatment.

 

Do you make herbal infusions? If so, what is your favorite method? If not, which method would you like to try?

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Posted in: Health & Nutrition Healthy Living Superfoods & Supplements

About Stacy Karen

Stacy is a Holistic Health Practitioner on a mission to simplify health and wellness. She used real food to overcome autoimmune disease and believes food has the power to energize, heal, and soothe. Born and raised in Australia, Stacy now calls Missouri home (where she lives with her husband and three children). Interested in all areas of natural living, Stacy loves creating home remedies and natural body care products. She is the founder of the Natural Body Care Club, a fun community focused on learning how to make natural products. Find her blogging at No Fuss Natural and sharing quick and easy DIYs on Instagram.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kesha Faison says

    April 16, 2014 at 12:35 am

    I infuse my own herbal blend and add it to my whipped Shea butter and lotions. I love the benefits that herbs have on skin.

    Reply
  2. Lori says

    January 20, 2019 at 9:20 am

    how does an infusion compare to an extract as far as potency …I want to use in body care (such as a lotion) although I suppose either method of creating an extract would be suitable – especially the glycerin method …but an infusion would be quiet easy as I already have what I need! TY

    Reply
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hi and Welcome!

I’m Wardee Harmon and I help Christian families who know they should eat healthy but are tired of complicated, time-consuming, weird-tasting, and unsustainable “healthy” diets…

…who want to look and feel better, save time and money, and have more energy for enjoying family life and serving Him fully!… like I was. Click here for more…

Recently on the Blog

  • Fizzy Apple Cider Switchel (VAD)
  • VitaClay Review & Buyer’s Guide
  • How to Make Healthy Cookies #AskWardee 006
  • Bean and Barley Soup (Instant Pot, Stove Top)
  • Soaked Spelt Banana Bread (VAD)
  • Ancient Grains 101
  • How to Heal Digestive Issues Naturally (Leaky Gut, SIBO, IBS, Celiac & more)
  • How To Meal Plan In 4 Easy Steps (KYF103)
  • Debunking 4 Sourdough Myths (& How To Overcome Them)
  • How To Use A Pressure Cooker 101

Recently Commented

  • Anonymous on Middle Eastern Kefir Cheese Balls {with free video!}
  • Genelle Johnson on Sourdough Einkorn Rosemary Focaccia
  • SUE mom divorced on 5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself During Your Period
  • YTmp3 on How To Make Healthy Mild-Tasting Mayonnaise #AskWardee 128
  • Debbie on 45 Real Food Copycat Recipes (Olive Garden, Chipotle & more!)
  • YTmp3 on Homemade Sauerkraut In A Stoneware Crock
  • AJ on Homemade Dog Food In The Instant Pot

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Before Footer

g-NOWF-glinz

…are what we eat! God’s Natural, Organic, Whole Foods, Grown Locally, In Season.

We love working with other Christian families who love good food and want to eat according to God’s design…

Not only because we believe it’s the healthiest way, but because we want to give Him glory for creating good food as the best medicine!

Learn more about GNOWFGLINS here…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOcH27DM1dI

Eat God’s Way Cooking Program

Our Eat God’s Way cooking program is for Christian families who know they should eat healthy but are tired of complicated, time-consuming, weird-tasting, and unsustainable “healthy” diets…

…who want to look and feel better, save time and money, and have more energy for enjoying family life and serving Him fully!

Join 12,000+ families served since 2010! Learn more here…

Copyright © 2025 Traditional Cooking School by GNOWFGLINS • About • Help • Privacy • Partners

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.