When you decide to start cooking healthier, you often choose food items that are tasty substitutes for your usual choices, right? Switching from butter or vegetable oil to olive oil is one of the simplest changes you can perform to make cooking healthier. Olive oil has a makeup of mostly monounsaturated fats which are the good fats we need in our diets. Even when you cook olive oil, it only produces one percent of less trans fat which is a much smaller amount than vegetable oils like corn oil.
Using olive oil is a great idea when you want to fry foods because it has a higher smoke point than most oils. Extra virgin olive oil does not begin to smoke until you reach temperatures higher than 350 to 400 degrees, where regular olive oil can withstand heat higher than 450 degrees. We think that you may find that regular olive oils are best for high heat meals like stir-fry dishes, and EVOO is better for finishing off meals, salads, marinades, and dips.
Choosing healthy options like olive oil can help people who want to lower cholesterol levels and reduce calorie intake. We feel that our Top Olive Oil for Cooking list provides a wide range of products to suit every style cooking as well as providing quality products and unique flavors.
Best Olive Oil for Cooking Comparison Table
| Product | Photo | Available volume | Organic | Packaging material | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filippo Berio Olive Oil |  | 8.4 - 101.4 oz | No | Plastic | Check Price |
| O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 750 ml | No | Glass | Check Price |
| Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 34 oz | No | Tin | Check Price |
| Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 500 ml | Yes | Tin | Check Price |
| Kasandrinos Organic Extra Virgin Greek Olive Oil |  | 500 ml | Yes | Glass | Check Price |
| PJ Kabos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 16.9 oz | Yes | Tin | Check Price |
| Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 67.6 oz | No | Plastic | Check Price |
| Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 67.6 oz | Yes | Plastic | Check Price |
| Sky Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 17 oz | Yes | Glass | Check Price |
| Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil |  | 750 ml | Yes | Tin | Check Price |
Best Olive Oil for Cooking – Reviews
Check out our reviews below, and see how many best olive oil for cooking picks you decide to buy the next time you go to the grocery store. We think you will like that we found several mild blends for everyday cooking along with bolder flavors that you can use for special meals and gourmet cooking.
Filippo Berio Olive Oil – Best Olive Oil for Everyday Cooking
Do you need a healthy oil that allows you to cook anything you want without the need to think about what you need to grease the pan? Some days, we just want to toss some oil in the pan and get our eggs done so we can get a headstart on reading emails or feeding the kids so that we can get out the door.
You may feel that the Filippo Berio brand oil is a great pantry staple because you never have to think about it. You could put some of the oil in the pan and fry up your eggs, pancakes, or mush without worrying about the calories or whether or not the oil is going to burn.
- 100 percent pure
- Excellent for high-heat use
- Cholesterol-free
- Gold label with bold black lettering makes the oil easy to find on grocery store shelves
- Works well as a salad dressing or dip, but it is not as good as some of our top EVOO picks for this application
O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Olive Oil for Dipping Recipe
Do you love to munch on fresh bread with a little drizzle of olive oil? We do too! The O-Live & Co. brand is one item that you will want to keep just to sprinkle on your salad, toss with some fresh spinach, or to liven up your arugula. We like that the olive press squeezes out this nectar within a few short hours of harvesting to keep it fresh and full of nutrients.
When you want to lose weight, lower bad cholesterol, or eat healthier, we think that the O-Live & Co. oil can help you achieve your goals when you combine it with other recommendations from your physician. You may like the bright flavor that enhances fresh foods. We recommend trying this oil on roasted peppers for a nice change.
- Less than 0.2 percent acidic level
- Made only in Colchagua Valley in Chile
- 2015 Los Angeles International EVOO Gold Medal Winner
- Non-organic
Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Pure Olive Oil for Cooking
Do purity and rich flavor sound like a combination you find appealing in olive oil brands? We feel the same way! The thing about Partanna EVOO that catches our eye, besides the bright red label, is the fact that it comes from a long line of family olive farmers in the Partanna region in Sicily, Italy.
The oil comes from the Noceralla del Belice olives that give the brand a distinct flavor. We think that the notes of artichoke along with the nutty taste will tempt your taste buds, and may give you all kinds of ideas to try.
- Large amount of oil
- Excellent for dips and finishing along with cooking
- Versatile for a variety of temperatures and cooking methods
- Comes in a tin that can make it a little difficult to pour even with the spout
Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil for Cooking
Are you a fan of leading Greek flavors? We sure are! Our top EVOO pick is organic olive oil that comes from the Iliada region in Greece. The area is protected helping keep the natural methods of farming alive as well as providing a flavor that is unique to the region and the brand of olive.
When you want a particular flavor for your spaghetti dinner, then Kalamata oil may be the one you want to have in your pantry. This cooking oil may be an excellent choice when you have a few friends coming over for an intimate steak dinner because it is light in texture and fully organic.
- Uses cold extraction to retain raw flavor
- Organic
- Unique flavor
- Some users find that the tin is a little messy to use when pouring
Kasandrinos Organic Extra Virgin Greek Olive Oil – Best Organic Olive Oil for Cooking
Are you the type of person that worries about what your family eats? Does the nutrient content in foods keep you up at night? Great! We have an olive oil option that we think may fit your needs the best. Kasandrinos EVOO has Paleo certification and comes from harvesting olives and pressing them with a cold process that retains the nutrient value and flavor.
- Olives come from a farm in Laconia, Greece
- Dark bottle to keep the oil fresh for longer
- Two-year shelf life
- Longer processing time than some brands on our list
PJ Kabos Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Quality Olive Oil for Cooking
If quality is high on your list when it comes to picking out groceries, then we think that you may add PJ Kabos EVOO to your pantry this weekend. The bold flavor of this olive oil has hints of fruitiness that you may not find in every pick on our list. You may like this flavor if you are a fan of light and refreshing oils versus the earthy, rich ones.
- Award winner for 2015, 2016, and 2017 at the New York International Olive Oil Competition
- Hand harvesting keeps bruising at a minimum
- Farming occurs in the Peloponnese region in Greece
- The spout on the container can make the oil easier to spill
Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Olive Oil for High Heat Cooking
Do you like to fry foods, but you need a healthy alternative that can stand up to the heat? We like to use the Bertolli EVOO for our stir-fry dishes and Sunday hash browns. Why, you might ask? We think that this brand has a mild taste that we can use in almost any recipe. It is so easy to use Bertolli, that we find new ideas for it almost every day.
- Filtering provides a very mellow taste allowing you to pair this oil with any dish
- Excellent for high heat up to 400 degrees
- Certification of quality from the North American Olive Association
- Light coloring for the bottle does not protect the oil from light breakdown as well as darker containers
Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Olive Oil for Cooking and Frying
We love to fry our favorite foods like hash browns and omelets, but keeping the flavor in the dish and making it healthy was not always easy until we found this top pick for our olive oil list. Kirkland Signature has USDA certification, so you may feel more comfortable knowing that it is high-quality oil.
Using the first cold pressing gives this brand an excellent flavor that is not present in oil collections on the third or fourth pressing. Cooking this oil on high heat does not take out the flavor as much as it does in other olive oils because of the robust flavor profile it has fresh.
- Superior quality
- Large size bottle
- Certification from the USDA
- Plastic packaging may be less desirable than glass for some
Sky Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Virgin Olive Oil for Cooking
Do you prefer to use products with organic and pure certifications? So do we! The Greek Sky Organics EVOO is our top pick for virgin olive oils because it does not go through a filtering process. The oil collection method uses cold pressing to retain the pure flavor of the olives.
By using only a pressing method to get the olive oil, Sky Organics olive oil keeps the nutritional content of the oil the same as if you were eating the olive itself. You can even use this product to treat your hair and skin to a deep moisturizing session.
- No filtering
- High nutrient values
- Blue cap for easy recognizing when shopping
- Award winner several times over
- Plastic bottle instead of glass or tin
Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Best Tasting Olive Oil for Cooking
In this case, we think you may feel we put the best olive oil last because the Zoe Organic EVOO uses three Spanish olive varieties to get a unique yet robust flavor. You may feel that our top pick becomes a prize object in your kitchen too since it has the North American Olive Oil Association quality seal.
No matter what dish needs some jazzing up, the notes of basil, almond, and artichoke may be welcome flavors that tempt your palate. You might feel that adding this healthy oil to your diet gives you the bright flavors you want from “diet” food. We think you may even use it to lose a little weight or bring your cholesterol down without sacrificing the flavor you deserve.
- USDA organic certification
- Award winner
- Bright, recognizable packaging
- Tin makes pouring a little trickier than bottles
Best Olive Oil For Cooking – Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the right olive oil may mean that you want to add a couple of bottles to your shopping list. We think that you should pick a favorite brand for cooking most dishes, and then pick up another one for sides like sauces, salads, and dips. Usually, the lighter olive oils work best for fresh meals where regular olive oil is helpful when cooking. Several of our top picks might end up in your new recipes because they have unique flavor profiles that you may want to experiment with and mix and match.
Versatility
We recommend our top choice, the Filippo Berio Olive Oil as a pantry staple. This oil will work with just about any recipe and cooking method. It does not make the best salad dressing, but it may work if you forget to pick up your favorite EVOO on our list.
Flavor
When you want an olive oil that enhances the meal with deep undertones of natural flavors like artichokes, then the Partanna EVOO may be just what you are looking to add the next time you shop. The oil is made from a pure species grown in Sicily that only sees production in October. Our top olive oil pick, Zoe Organic EVOO has spicy and nutty hints that may enhance the herb choices you use when cooking.
Accessibility
If your goal is to keep an oil in your cabinet that you know that you can easily pick up at the grocery store, then the California Olive Ranch brand might be the oil you want to select. This product is easy to find, comes with great praise, and is a versatile oil that you can use for cooking, finishing foods, and serving as a dip.
Organic
If using organic products is a big deal for you, then you may want to select an option like the Kasandrinos EVOO. It is a 100 percent organic product, so you always know the quality and flavor will be consistent. The oil has Paleo certification too.
Quality
Choosing an olive oil like the Kalamata EVOO is an excellent choice for a healthy diet. You may feel comfort knowing what region your olives grow in, and that makes this olive oil an excellent option for people who only use top-grade products when cooking. The PJ Kabos brand is our favorite top-quality brand because it wins leading awards year after year, and it has a taste that is very distinct.
Healthy diet
If you are looking for the leanest oil on our list, then we would have to say that The Governor EVOO is our pick for nutritional value. The higher level of antioxidants in this product is due to the low acidity of the brand making it very healthy to use when cooking. The tin will ensure that this product stays fresh too.
We recommend that you select a few of the best sounding olive oils from our list, and give them a try. Most of our choices are readily available and affordable, so you might find it easy to stock up on cooking oil. Surprise your friends and family by pairing your olive oils with a favorite wine or meal selection to see if they like the combination as much as you do. The options are endless with the amount of choices we give you. Keeping in mind how long you want to store the oil, what packaging you prefer, and the rarity of the product may help you choose the best olive oils for your home.
Conclusion
Although our extensive list of olive oils is long, we feel that you may be ready to try a few of our favorites because you could use a healthy yet flavorful addition to your cooking regimen. We think you might find a use for several of our top olive oils because they are so versatile that you can use many of them in desserts. Who knew that eating healthy could be so beneficial and tasty?
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