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Oils & fats · Cooking oils

Olive oil

Oil pressed from olives; extra virgin is green-gold and peppery, refined or light olive oil is milder.

Also called: extra virgin olive oil, evoo, zeytinyağı, aceite de oliva

A kind of cooking oil

296 recipes with it

What it is

Olive oil is pressed from ripe olives. Extra virgin olive oil is cold-extracted and unrefined, with a grassy, fruity, sometimes peppery taste; plain or light olive oil is refined and blended, so it is paler and more neutral (light refers to flavour, not fat). It is the everyday fat of Mediterranean cooking.

Olea europaea

How it’s used

  • Dressings and drizzling over finished dishes
  • Gentle sautéing and soffritto
  • Roasting vegetables
  • Confit and slow-cooked beans
  • Marinades for fish and meat

Characteristics

Taste
Fruity, grassy to peppery (extra virgin); mild (refined).
Appearance
Green to golden yellow liquid; may cloud in the fridge.
When cooked
Extra virgin is fine for everyday sautéing and roasting; save the best bottles for raw use where the flavour shows.
Sold as
liquid
Cooking uses
Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked, Suitable for frying

Varieties

  • Extra virgin
  • Virgin
  • Pure / classic (refined blend)
  • Light (refined)
  • Pomace

Storage

Cool, dry and dark. Keep in a dark bottle or tin, capped, away from heat. Flavour fades with time, so use within months of opening.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
884 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
100 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Oil, olive, salad or cooking.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with olive oil

See all 296

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