Which Olive Oil Is Right for You?
Which Olive Oil Is Right for You?
Most kitchens are better off with two olive oils than one: a workhorse for cooking and a nicer bottle for finishing. The cooking oil goes in the pan and the salad dressing without a second thought. The finishing oil gets drizzled raw over soup, bread, or grilled vegetables, where its flavor actually comes through. Add an infused oil and you have a third tool for fast flavor. This guide sorts real bottles by how you will use them.
The short answer: for everyday cooking, choose a smooth, mild extra virgin olive oil and do not overthink it. For finishing, pick a bold, high-polyphenol or single-variety oil with peppery character, and use it raw. For quick flavor on fish, bread, or vegetables, an infused oil does the work for you. Every oil below is in stock at Madeline's.
If you want an everyday cooking oil
Smooth Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A high-polyphenol, early-harvest, cold-pressed organic EVOO from Evie Olive Oil with a smooth, grassy flavor. It is mild enough to use every day for sauteing, roasting, and dressings without overpowering food. The reliable kitchen default. $29.99.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
An intense, fragrant Tunisian olive oil from Texas Salt Co, cold-pressed and offered in small and large sizes. It is the budget-friendly everyday bottle for cooking and adding depth to simple dishes. From $10.
If you want a bold oil for finishing
Bold Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The same organic, early-harvest, cold-pressed approach as the Smooth, but bold and robust with a peppery finish and high polyphenols. Use it raw: drizzle over soup, grilled vegetables, or fresh bread where its character shows. The pick when you want the oil to be noticeable. $29.99.
Coratina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A bold, robust Italian EVOO from Seasons, pressed from 100% Coratina olives from a recent harvest, with high polyphenols. Coratina is known for being peppery and assertive, so this is a finishing oil for people who like that bite. $21.95.
D.O.P. Canino Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A D.O.P.-certified, single-region Italian oil from Taycte, cold-pressed from Leccino and Frantoio olives grown in volcanic hills. This is the special-occasion and gift bottle, with provenance you can taste. Finish with it rather than cook with it. $30.
If you want quick flavor from an infused oil
Meyer Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Made by crushing whole lemons together with olives, so the citrus is pressed right into the oil. It is built for finishing fish and seafood, dressing salads, and brightening vegetables. The freshest-tasting infused option here. From $8.
Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Premium extra virgin olive oil flavored with savory roasted garlic, so you get garlic depth without chopping a clove. It is a savory everyday oil for pasta, roasted vegetables, and dipping. From $8.
Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil
A customer favorite infused with basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. It is the bread-dipping oil, and it doubles as an instant marinade or finish for roasted vegetables. From $8.
Calabrian Infused Olive Oil
Olive oil crushed together with Calabrian chili peppers and fresh garlic, for a spicy finishing oil. Drizzle it over pizza, pasta, or eggs when you want heat and flavor in one pour. From $8.
At a glance
- Everyday cooking, smooth: Smooth Organic EVOO
- Everyday cooking, budget: Texas Salt Co EVOO
- Bold finishing oil: Bold Organic EVOO or Coratina EVOO
- Special-occasion single-variety: D.O.P. Canino EVOO
- Citrus finishing for fish and salads: Meyer Lemon Infused
- Savory everyday flavor: Garlic Infused
- Bread dipping: Tuscan Herb Infused
- Spicy finishing: Calabrian Infused
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cooking olive oil and a finishing olive oil?
The difference is mostly how you use them, not a separate grade. A cooking oil is usually milder and more affordable, so you can use it freely in the pan and in dressings. A finishing oil is a bolder, more flavorful extra virgin olive oil that you add raw at the end, where its peppery, grassy character can be tasted. Many people keep one of each.
Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?
Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is suitable for most home cooking, including sauteing and roasting, and its smoke point comfortably covers normal pan temperatures. For very high-heat frying, a more neutral oil is sometimes preferred, but for everyday cooking a smooth EVOO works well. Save your most expensive finishing oils for raw use, since heat dulls their best flavors.
What does high polyphenol mean?
Polyphenols are natural compounds in olives that contribute to an oil's peppery, slightly bitter taste and to its antioxidant content. Early-harvest, freshly pressed oils tend to be higher in polyphenols, which is why bold finishing oils often taste more peppery. A peppery catch at the back of the throat is a normal sign of a fresh, high-polyphenol oil.
How should I store olive oil so it stays fresh?
Keep olive oil tightly capped in a cool, dark cupboard, away from heat and light, both of which speed up rancidity. Use it within a few months of opening for the best flavor, and buy a size you will finish in that window. A dark glass or tin bottle protects the oil better than clear glass.
Are infused olive oils real olive oil?
The infused oils here are made by crushing the flavoring, such as whole lemons, garlic, or herbs, together with the olives, or by blending into extra virgin olive oil. They are real olive oil carrying an added flavor, which makes them a fast way to season a dish. Use them where the added flavor fits, and keep a plain EVOO for neutral cooking.
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