In the grocery store, where there shelves in the oil aisle are awash with oils of questionable origin, olive oil stands out as one of the best options — if I may be so bold, the best option — in terms of flavor, nutrition, and health benefits.
Indeed, for thousands upon thousands of years, olive oil from the sun-dappled olive groves of Spain and the rolling hills of Tuscany has been a staple of the Mediterranean dinner table, ameliorating salads, roast meats, and baked goods with its richness of aroma and flavor.
When it comes to olive oil, however, not all containers carry the same liquid. To get the best value for your money, it’s important to understand how to read the labels and what to look for on the shelves.
We’ve put together this guide to give you the lowdown.
What Is Olive Oil?
Olive oil, as denoted by its name, is a cooking oil made from olives — the fruit of the olive tree, which bears the botanical name of Olea europaea.
Depending on the olive variety, the climate, soil, altitude of the grove, and the ripeness of the olives at harvest time, olive oil can taste fruity, grassy, buttery, or peppery, and be yellow to golden to dark green in color.
How Olive Oil Is Made
Olives, the source of olive oil, grow on olive trees primarily found in the Mediterranean basin. Olive trees are not for the impatient — they take years to reach maturity and begin producing fruit.
Green olives, yielding a greener and grassier olive oil, are picked before ripening. Brown, purple, or black olives, which give oil with a more mellow and somewhat buttery flavor, are allowed to fully mature before harvesting.
After shaking off the branches and dirt, the olives are mashed into a paste. This mixture is then put through hydraulic presses to create extra virgin olive oil. Oil that does not meet the acidity-level and flavor-profile standards for extra virgin olive oil is labeled as virgin olive oil. By heating, light olive oil is extracted from the remaining pulp. Finally, olive pomace oil — which is not an olive oil — is obtained from the same pulp through the use of chemical solvents.
Single-origin oils are bottled and supplied to retailers for sale. Multi-origin oils are transported to another location before being mixed, bottled, and sent to market.
Types of Olive Oil
Not all olive oil is the same: Olive oil is classified by the method of extraction from the olives, as well as the acidity level and flavor profile of the final product.
Generally, gentler mechanical extraction methods produce higher quality oils than those using heat or chemical solvents. The more refined the oil, the lesser its quality and more inferior its characteristics.
Select either extra virgin or virgin olive oil, and steer clear of light olive oil or olive pomace oil.
Extra virgin olive oil (often abbreviated as EVOO) comes from the first pressing of the olives. It’s the purest olive oil — of the highest quality, the best flavor, and the most health benefits — because it is unrefined, hasn’t been heated, and was not derived using chemicals. For the same reasons, it’s also the most expensive.
Virgin olive oil, ranking below EVOO in quality, is also naturally extracted from olives without heat or chemicals, but it may have some defects. Compared to EVOO, virgin olive oil is more acidic and has a sharper, more bitter taste. Regardless, virgin olive oil is cheaper to stock your pantry with and retains the antioxidants inherently present in the olives.
Light olive oil is a refined oil — it’s the oil extracted with heat from the leftover pulp after extra virgin and virgin olive oil. Its name does not refer to the oil’s fat or calorie content, but rather to its light color and neutral flavor. Due to the heat-pressing, light olive oil has fewer nutrients compared to its pricier counterparts.
Olive pomace oil is a refined oil extracted with chemical solvents from the olive pulp left over from the production of olive oil. Contrary to popular belief, olive pomace oil is not an olive oil; it doesn’t meet the technical definition of olive oil of the International Olive Council, which states that olive oil must not be extracted from olives using chemical solvents.
Choosing the Best Olive Oil
When shopping, choose extra virgin olive oil. Although it can cost more than the rest, extra virgin olive oil provides the best quality and taste.
Select olive oil in dark-green glass bottles or undamaged tin cans. This type of packaging prevents the oil from being exposed to light, preserving its flavor and freshness.
If available and within your budget, opt for single-origin olive oil. Unlike multi-origin olive oil, which is a mix of olive oils from various parts of the world, single-origin olive oil is made from olives exclusively grown in one area (or a single farm).
Check the harvest date on the bottom of the bottle or can. For good olive oils, there will be a harvest date that reveals when the olives were picked and turned into oil. The newer the date, the fresher the oil.
Don’t confuse the harvest date with the best-by date: The harvest date is the date when the olives were picked from the trees and crushed into an olive pulp. The best-by date, on the other hand, is the time by which the producer recommends that the oil should be consumed for best quality.
Look for seals from reputable third parties. The European Union’s Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) certification, with its red and yellow colors, confirms that the oil is from the area it claims it’s from. In the US, the North American Olive Oil Association (NOOA) and the California Olive Oil Council (COOC) conduct quality control for olive oil.
How to Use Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil, the most flavorful and aromatic of all olive oils, is ideal for low to medium-heat cooking.
Use it for light sautéing, baking, and even drizzling over salads and bread. When searing meats with it, mind the temperature and briefly lift the pan from the heat if you see smoke.
You’ll want to reach for olive oil when you’re looking to add a rich, fruity, sometimes peppery flavor to your dishes. It’s the star in dressings like vinaigrettes and is a classic base for pesto. While some may find its taste too strong for mayonnaise, it’s undeniably the heart of Mediterranean cuisine, enhancing the flavors of dishes from pasta to grilled vegetables.
Storing Olive Oil
Store olive oil away from heat and light. Keep your olive oil in the pantry, or in a cool, dry, and dark place, such as a kitchen cabinet or a cupboard.
Avoid spots like the windowsill, countertop, near the oven, or atop the fridge or dishwasher. These spots are typically exposed to heat and light — which, over time, can degrade the oil’s quality, flavor, and nutritional value.
If you’re pouring out the olive oil from a container, use a dark-colored glass bottle or a stainless-steel container for storage, and make sure the cap is screwed-on tightly. This shields the oil from exposure to light and oxygen, maintaining its integrity and taste.
Olive Oil’s Shelf Life
Olive oil is rich in polyphenols and other compounds that serve as antioxidants for the body. However, these compounds can break down and cause the oil to go bad over time, especially if exposed to heat, light, and oxygen.
An unopened container of olive oil, if stored correctly, generally has a shelf life of between 12 and 24 months. Olives harvested more recently will have a longer shelf life, which is, once again, why the harvest date of the oil is so crucial.
The reason for the wide range is that the oil may be a blend of oils from different origins, and the final product might have sat on the shelves of the grocery store for a while before you purchased it.
It’s important to note that olive oil starts to degrade as soon as you’ve opened the bottle. For the best quality and health benefits, the oil should be used up in 3 to 6 months once opened.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the smoke point of olive oil?
Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 410 °F, or 210 °C. If the oil produces heavy smoke, simply lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds to reduce the temperature.
Can you mix olive oil and vegetable oil for frying?
In a word, yes. You can mix olive oil and vegetable oil for frying. However, make sure the aromas and flavors of the two oils match, and remember that olive oil can only be reused a maximum of three to four times, whereas refined oils can be reused up to eight times.
Can you sear steak with olive oil?
Although olive oil can be used for searing steak, you should keep in mind that a bitter or peppery olive oil may alter the taste of the steak. Also, cooking the steak with high heat may burn off some of the volatile flavor compounds and heat-sensitive vitamins in the oil.
Is it okay to put olive oil on burgers?
Sure, you can coat your burger patties in olive oil to keep them from sticking to the skillet or grill while cooking. However, be aware that olive oil may give your burgers grassy and peppery aromas and flavors you may not necessarily be aiming for.
Does cooking with olive oil add calories to your dish?
Yes, cooking with olive oil does add calories to your dish. Olive oil contains 9 calories for each gram of fat, the same as any other cooking oil. One tablespoon holds approximately 13.5 millimeters of olive oil, which, in turn, adds 119 calories to your dish.
Do you count olive oil calories when cooking?
If you’re keeping track of your calorie intake, the simple answer is yes – you must include the calories from olive oil in your cooking. As all oils have the same number of calories per serving, the only way to reduce this figure is to use less oil.
Does olive oil lose calories when cooked?
Heat does not change the fat composition of olive oil, which means that olive oil retains the same number of calories when cooked. Or, to put it simply, the number of calories indicated on the nutrition label is the amount added to your dish.