Olive oil is a staple ingredient in all households. Most chefs and experts recommend choosing bottles with one particular characteristic
When choosing olive oil, it’s best to go for one in a dark green bottle or a tin(Image: Getty)
Olive oil is used by most households daily for cooking, dressings, dips, sauces, and marinades. It’s a flexible ingredient that brings moisture, flavour, and texture to countless dishes.
One of my preferred ways to enjoy olive oil is spread generously on a slice of high-quality bread with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Over recent years, I’ve discovered that not all olive oil is created equal.
Extra virgin olive oil, also referred to as EVOO, is typically superior quality compared to standard olive oil, remains unrefined, cold-pressed and isn’t subjected to chemical or heat processing. Standard olive oil is generally a mixture of cold-pressed and refined oils, possesses a gentler flavour, a higher smoke point and is commonly much more affordable.
Regarding purchasing olive oil and EVOO, I’m almost always influenced by the cost, but Mazen Assaf, an olive oil sommelier and founder of The Olive Oil Guy, explained that there’s more to selecting olive oil than simply the price, reports the Express.
Olive oil is used by most households every day of the week(Image: Getty)
He told Express.co.uk: “When picking olive oil, go for bottles in tin or dark glass-heat, oxygen, and light destroy flavour and health benefits.
“Choose single-origin, ideally from a specific region like Sparta, Greece, and avoid vague ‘EU and Non-EU blends.’ Look for the olive variety on the label-there are 1,600 worldwide, each with a unique flavour. For example, think about all the table olives you eat: each variety tastes different. If the olive variety is stated on the bottle, it’s a step further to recognising its authenticity.”
With this in mind, I decided to consult chefs, culinary specialists, and olive oil aficionados about which olive oil is the best.
Whilst numerous brands earned their endorsement, one trait remained consistent across their recommendations: the country of origin.
I anticipated that most olive oils on the list would hail from Greece, yet the majority of culinary professionals and specialists championed olive oil from Italy.
Good-quality EVOOs should have a protected designation of origin (PDO)(Image: Getty)Italian olive oils
Connor Robson, head chef at contemporary Italian eatery Bar Gigi, endorsed Frantoio Muraglia, an olive oil crafted from cold-pressed Coratina olives, which are indigenous to Italy’s Apulia region.
Priced at £41 through John Lewis, it’s certainly not budget-friendly, yet it comes in an exquisite terracotta bottle featuring hand-painted artwork, making it an ideal present for any food enthusiast.
Mr Robson added: “It is a splurge, but every drop is worth it. Home cooks can easily elevate their food by choosing good quality, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. If the bottle just says ‘olive oil’ on the label, chances are it’s been blended with cheaper seed oils, which you want to avoid.”
Even if you’re reluctant to invest such an amount in olive oil, you can readily discover premium, reasonably-priced EVOO by examining the packaging.
High-quality EVOOs should display a protected designation of origin (PDO), which serves as verification that the oil has been manufactured within a designated area and processed using conventional techniques. The chef said: “This guarantees that the quality is there and that the oil has not been treated in any way.”
Frantoio Muraglia comes in an exquisite terracotta bottle featuring hand-painted artwork(Image: The Washington Post, The Washington Post via Getty Images)
Jonathan Kleeman, a UK-based Group Beverage Manager, wine buyer, and hospitality consultant, also recommended an Italian olive oil: Manni olive oil which hails from Tuscany.
Mr Kleeman said he first came across this olive oil whilst working at a two-Michelin-star kitchen, where it featured in numerous dishes.
The olive oil is the creation of Armando Manni, an enthusiastic gourmet and wine collector, who collaborated with the University of Florence and the National Research Council of Italy to devise an entirely new method called “live oil”.
The expert explained: “What that means in practice is that the extra virgin quality, the elements that earn it that title, lasts for up to two years. In most commercial extra virgin olive oils, you’re lucky if that quality lasts three months.”
Another specialist who endorsed a Tuscan olive oil is Giulia Crouch, food writer and author of The Happiest Diet in the World.
She said her preferred olive oil comes from a small, organic, family-operated farm in the region called Fattoria La Vialla.
This olive oil is purchased directly from the producer, and the harvest year and date it was bottled are prominently shown on the label, so you know exactly what you’re getting. Priced at £35.10 for two 750ml bottles or £15.15 for one 500ml bottle, it’s reasonably priced and boasts a “clean, buttery and bitter” flavour.
This is one of my favourite ways to enjoy good quality olive oil(Image: Getty)
Ms Crouch recommends this olive oil to everyone and uses it for all of her cooking, including “salads, drizzled on bread with a sprinkling of crunchy sea salt and even on vanilla or chocolate ice cream for a surprisingly amazing dessert”.
She added: “Because it’s so fresh, it also retains a lot of beneficial compounds—known as polyphenols—which have been shown to feed the good bacteria in our gut microbiome, so it does you good as well as tasting delicious.”
If you’re seeking something more budget-friendly and familiar, Which? magazine named Filippo Berio a “Best Buy” following a blind taste test that evaluated three extra virgin olive oil blends from Filippo Berio, Napolina, and Tesco.
Costing just £7.50 for 500ml from Tesco and Ocado and £8 from Sainsbury’s, it’s a more economical choice for those wanting to grab a bottle from their neighbourhood supermarket.
The panel of olive oil specialists were impressed with Filippo Berio’s dark glass bottle, which prevents UV rays, which can affect the quality and taste of the oil.
Other olive oils
Some non-Italian olive oils secured places on the list, including Belazu, which can be purchased at Waitrose and on Ocado. Mr Assaf, who stocks his own olive oil brand in Harrods and Selfridges, said they provide an outstanding range of olive oils across various price brackets.
You can use extra virgin olive oil for cooking(Image: Getty)
Ocado is presently retailing 500ml of Belazu’s Single Origin Extra Virgin Olive Oil for merely £7.
The olive oil specialist continued: “Their oils are single-origin, packed in tins, and monovarietal. Their range of infused olive oils is also impressive.”
Head chef Benjamin Ferra Y Castell from the Michelin-starred establishment, Pavyllon London, suggested two olive oils: Kalios olive oil from Greece and Château d’Estoublon olive oil from France.
Kalios olive oil boasts a fruity taste and is crafted from hand-picked Koroneiki olives and cold-pressed.
Château d’Estoublon olive oil is manufactured organically, using a swift cold-pressing method to maintain its freshness. Priced at £49.99 from Selfridges, it’s undoubtedly an indulgence but would make a wonderful present for any dedicated food enthusiast.
Dining and Cooking