Infuse Your Olive Oil With Cheese Rinds For A Savory Twist

Although olive oil was first used in cooking thousands of years ago, today, you can find a plethora of different versions of the versatile oil. The highest quality olive oil, according to Healthify Me, is extra virgin, which is processed cold and has the least amount of acid. Other varieties include virgin (which has a slightly higher acid content), pure (which is a mix of different types), and refined olive oil (which should be used only for cooking). While the lower-quality filtered oils can be subjected to higher temperatures, extra virgin is best for salad dressings and dips (via Brightland).

According to OliveOil.com, there are regulations dictating that extra virgin olive oil can't contain any added flavorings. But other oils, which are subject to no such rules, can be infused with a wide variety of ingredients — think fruits like blood orange and lemon, herbs like basil and cilantro, and other fun flavorings like butter, chipotle, and wild mushroom (via The Naked Olive). Infused olive oils can be used for anything you'd like, from meat to vegetables to dips — just make sure to consider how its flavor will pair with the ones in your dish. And if you'd like to bring a salty, cheesy flavor to your food, try this delicious type of infused olive oil.

Not sure what to do with your extra cheese rind? Why not try infusing it into your olive oil? According to Food 52, you can plunk a pecorino Romano cheese rind into a container of EVOO, and after a few days, the oil will soak up that cheesy flavor. You can add some garlic cloves for a savory twist, Treehugger notes, but be sure to refrigerate the oil if you do. Once the flavor has been effectively imparted, remove the rind and you'll be left with the perfect pairing to a slice of crusty bread.

But there's a plethora of other ways you can use the cheesy oil — Life Hacker suggests adding it to salad dressing, using it on popcorn, or combining it with pasta water to make a sauce. You can even drizzle it on top of pizza, or use it when cooking meat or veggies for a rich flavor boost, Respect Food shares.

If you have more rind than oil, don't throw them out, as there are actually a ton of creative ways to recycle them. Treehugger advises tossing them in a pot of tomato sauce, soup, stock, or rice, or even grilling them until the rinds become soft and edible.