Here's everything worth knowing about olive oil and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 6,038 recipes to cook tonight.
Key Points
Olive oil is pressed from whole olives, not chemically refined.
Use extra virgin olive oil raw — for drizzling, dressings, and finishing.
Use refined olive oil for high-heat cooking like sautéing and roasting.
Store in a cool, dark place. Use within 12–18 months of harvest.
Avoid clear bottles and plastic containers. Look for harvest dates.
What is olive oil?
Olive oil is pressed from whole olives. It is not a refined vegetable oil. Its flavor is shaped by harvest, region, and processing. Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade. It is cold-pressed, unfiltered, and unrefined. It retains antioxidants, polyphenols, and natural fruitiness.
How to Use It
Use extra virgin olive oil raw. Drizzle it over finished soups, grilled vegetables, or pasta. Add it to salad dressings. Mix it with vinegar, lemon juice, or herbs. It enhances flavor without cooking.
Never heat extra virgin olive oil to its smoke point. It breaks down and loses flavor. Use it for finishing, not frying.
Use it on bread. Dip crusty bread in olive oil with a pinch of salt or herbs. It is simple, satisfying, and traditional.
Cooking & Pairing
Use refined olive oil for high heat cooking. It has a higher smoke point and neutral flavor. Saute onions, garlic, or mushrooms in it. Roast vegetables with it. It holds up to heat better than extra virgin.
Extra virgin olive oil pairs with tomatoes, garlic, basil, and cheese. It complements grilled fish and chicken. It balances the richness of lamb and beef.
It is the classic partner for balsamic vinegar. It is the base of pesto and aioli. It is used in marinades for meats and vegetables.
In Italian cooking, it is drizzled over minestrone and risotto. In Spanish cooking, it is used in gazpacho and patatas bravas. In Greek cooking, it is poured over grilled octopus and feta.
Substitutes
If you need a neutral oil for frying, use canola, sunflower, or grapeseed oil. They have higher smoke points and no flavor.
If you need olive flavor without the cost, use a blend of refined olive oil and a small amount of extra virgin.
Avoid coconut oil or butter as substitutes. They change the flavor too much.
Do not use vegetable oil. It is highly processed and lacks character.
Buying & Storage
Buy olive oil in dark glass bottles. Avoid clear plastic. Light and heat degrade it.
Look for a harvest date. Fresh oil has better flavor. Use it within twelve to eighteen months of the harvest date.
Store it in a cool, dark cupboard. Do not store near the stove or in the fridge. Cold makes it cloudy. It returns to clear at room temperature.
Check the label. "Extra virgin" means it passed taste and chemical tests. "Pure" or "light" means it is refined and lower quality.
Avoid bottles without a harvest date or origin. They are often blends or low quality.
Types of olive oil
Specific kinds of olive oil and the recipes that use them.
Extra-virgin olive oil is the top grade of olive oil, made from the first cold pressing of fresh olives with no heat and no chemicals. That first press is where the flavor lives, and it is what separates extra-virgin from the cheaper refined grades.
Good extra-virgin oil tastes like something. Depending on the olives and where they grew, it can be grassy, fruity, buttery, or sharply peppery, with a catch at the back of the throat that tells you it is fresh.
Refined olive oil, by contrast, is processed until it is mild and bland. Extra-virgin also has to meet a chemical standard: free acidity below 0.8% and no defects in a taste panel. Low acidity is a sign the olives were healthy and pressed quickly.
Vegetarian burgers built from Harvest Burger mix and bulgur wheat, bound with tomato paste and parsley, then topped with balsamic-glazed caramelized onions. A satisfying meatless burger with serious chew and sweet-tangy crown.
Have some thyme to roast potatoes but are short on time. Using your air-fryer, you can roast potatoes in a flash. Crispy classic Thyme Roasted Potatoes with a modern twist.
Warm up with this hearty yet thrifty sausage and broccoli minestrone soup. An easy comforting twist on the classic Italian dish, perfect for chilly days.
Grilled pork chops marinated 6 hours in olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, and dry mustard. A simple Mediterranean-style marinade for thick-cut chops.
Fish-shaped salmon pastries: buttery shortcrust hand pies cut into fish, filled with smoked salmon, potato, and onion, then decorated with pastry scales and baked golden. A playful, savory party appetizer kids love.
Caramelized Brussels sprouts roasted with toasted hazelnuts in nutty brown butter. Quick high-heat side dish with crispy edges and tender centers in under 25 minutes.
Hummus bi tahini blends chickpeas with tahini, garlic, and lemon for the silkiest Lebanese-style dip. A baking soda boil softens the chickpeas, and toasted pine nuts crown the bowl.
Birthday are always happening year round.There are many items that you can give as gifts.But homemade gift is very special.It is tasty and nutritious gift for a kids party.
Classic gazpacho, the chilled Spanish salad soup, with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, olive oil and white wine vinegar. No cooking required, just blend and chill.
Black olive and sea salt focaccia is a classic Italian flatbread brushed generously with olive oil, scattered with chopped olives, and finished with coarse sea salt for that signature crunch.
Chilled Spanish tomato gazpacho blended from ripe tomatoes, garlic, onion, green pepper, and olive oil, sharpened with vinegar and a hit of paprika. No-cook summer soup served with crunchy garnishes.
Octopus and celery salad, a light Venetian classic of tender boiled octopus tossed with crisp raw celery, fruity olive oil, and bright lemon. A clean, low-fat seafood salad to serve with fresh bread.
Tabouli salad with bulgur wheat, juicy tomatoes, fresh parsley, lemon, and olive oil. The classic Middle Eastern parsley salad served at room temperature with optional black olives and mint.
Fresh vegetable gazpacho with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and bell peppers. Quick cold Spanish soup ready in 10 minutes, perfect for summer lunches.
A savory breakfast tart: buttery shortcrust pressed into a heart shape and filled with salmon, mashed potato, and onion bound in egg, half-topped with pastry and baked golden. A hearty, handsome morning bake.
Kettle River gazpacho with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, and chili sauce. A hot-and-spicy chunky version of the Spanish classic that works chilled, room temperature, or gently warmed.
Olive oil brownies with coconut, made dairy-free with fruity olive oil instead of butter, deeply chocolatey from cocoa and two chocolates, with a layer of shredded coconut baked right through the middle and on top.
A hearty, layered casserole combining tender macaroni, savory tomato sauce, creamy spinach-cheese filling, and melted cheddar. Perfect for family dinners or meal prep. Much easier than a lasagna with just as much punch.
Velvety broccoli soup made from scratch with fresh broccoli florets and stems, potatoes for body, and evaporated milk for richness without heavy cream.
Tex-Mex rice toasted in olive oil with garlic and onion, simmered in broth with cumin, and finished with diced red bell pepper. A flavorful Mexican-style side dish from scratch.
A savory Finnish classic featuring a yeast bread-like crust filled with caramelized Vidalia onions, ham or bacon, and a creamy egg and sour cream mixture, flavored with (optional) caraway seeds.
Lebanese tabbouleh herb salad heavy on fresh parsley and mint, fine bulgur, lemon and olive oil. Served on romaine leaves, the proper Middle Eastern way.
Lovely mingle of flavours. I toasted the walnets. Used dried tarragon but soaked in the oils w/orgainc cider vinegar in advance. Oh yeah and added 1 clove of finely minced garlic. A big hit with or without the garlic. High class side dish using the fresh beans from my local country road farmer.
Juicy turkey cheddar burgers seasoned with sage, thyme, lemon zest, and sauteed garlic onions, with melted cheese stuffed right inside the patty. Grill or broil in 40 minutes for a lighter burger that still oozes with flavor.
Juicy turkey cheddar burgers seasoned with sage, thyme, lemon zest, and sauteed garlic onions, with melted cheese stuffed right inside the patty. Grill or broil in 40 minutes for a lighter burger that still oozes with flavor.
This Nicoise Salad is a beautiful play off its French counterpart. It keeps the traditional string beans, potatoes, boiled eggs and tuna, but it adds an Asian inspired dressing that elevates this salad to the next level. By changing the usual white potatoes to sweet potatoes, it becomes a healthier version of the recipe. Sweet potatoes provide more vitamins and minerals than regular potatoes and they have fewer calories. Add in the Omega-3 benefits in the tuna, the protein of the eggs, and fibre-packed beans, and you have got a power packed lunch that tastes like a million dollars. This recipe will certainly be singing to your taste buds tuna.
Pressure-cooked chickpea chili swaps beef for nutty garbanzos, building heat from toasted cumin seeds, chili powder, and a generous handful of fresh cilantro. A meatless one-pot weeknight chili.
Who doesn't like grilled cheese? Probably nobody, as far as I know everybody I know absolutely loves it. Quick, easy and delicious. Made this Mexican pizza grilled cheese for lunch, and needless to say, I was totally happy and satisfied. Here the recipe is.
These rustic pie like galettes were so delicious. Buttery crust and a delicious filling made with roasted leek and onion, and creamy navy beans. It didn't last long. Yum.
Paleo honey Dijon chicken thighs with serrano peppers and rosemary. Marinate overnight, bake 45 minutes for tender, sweet-spicy results that are naturally gluten-free.
Simple gazpacho with fresh garden vegetables in tomato or V8 juice. Classic cold soup that's vegan, gluten-free, and ready in 20 minutes with no cooking required.
Savory white bread for ABM (bread machine): customizable white loaf with dried onion, garlic, sun-dried tomato, or herbs. Set-and-forget yeast bread that adapts to your pantry.
Sweets don't have to be always connected with high sugar, high fat and unhealthy. A few healthy twists, now you can enjoy these delicious cookies without feeling guilty at all.
Hummus guacamole: a Mediterranean-Mexican mash-up dip with avocado, hummus, tomato, scallion, and green chiles. Vegan, high-fiber, ready in 15 minutes. Serve with pita wedges.
Spanish-style garlic gazpacho blends fresh tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and raw garlic into a chilled, no-cook summer soup. Vegan, gluten-free, and lemon-bright.
