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11 Best Olive Oils for Cooking

With organic picks as well as budget buys, these are the best olive oils for cooking, health, dipping and more.

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We updated this article in April 2022 to add more information about each featured product. We replaced some of our original top-rated picks — selected by the Good Housekeeping Institute Test Kitchen, Kitchen Appliances Lab and Nutrition Lab — to reflect new olive oils we tasted and recommend, including Corto, Colavita, Kyoord, Brightland and Costerina.


Olive oil is like wine: Its taste is affected by where the olives are grown, when they’re picked and how they’re processed — and some olive oils taste better in some dishes than others. Lighter tasting olive oils are ideal for cooking with, while more flavorful olive oils are great for dressings. The strongest or most complex olive oils are great for drizzling or dipping.

In the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab and Nutrition Lab, we use extra virgin olive oil, which is made from pure olives, for just about everything. It has numerous health benefits and proves to be versatile whether we’re making eggs or finishing a dip like hummus. Here are the best olive oils you can buy based on the ones we reach for most in our test kitchens, labs and homes.

Best Overall Olive Oil

California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Overall Olive Oil

California Olive Ranch 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil

$69 at Amazon
Credit: California Olive Ranch

Out of all of the olive oil brands available in your local supermarket, our test kitchen experts say they use this one the most. "Its balanced and mild flavor makes it an easy choice for nearly anything we are planning to cook, regardless of the method," says Kate Merker, Good Housekeeping's Chief Food Director. Our food editors like it most for topping crostini, swirling into spaghetti and mixing with salad greens.

Its larger, bag-in-box size won a Good Housekeeping 2021 Sustainable Innovation Award for its innovative packaging that helps keep oil fresher for longer.

Tasting notes: Balanced, mild and smooth
Best for: Cooking, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Value Olive Oil

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Value Olive Oil

Kirkland Signature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Kirkland

"If you're an EVOO lover and find yourself using it in many dishes throughout the day, Costco's bulk buy might save you some dough," says editorial assistant Samantha MacAvoy. This extra-large bottle is ideal for kitchens that use olive oil often. “It’s mild and buttery, so it’s super versatile,” she says. “You can use it in dressings and marinades or as a cooking oil.”

Tasting notes: Mild and buttery
Best for: Cooking

Best Olive Oil for Sautéing

O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Sautéing

O-Live & Co. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

O-Live uses Chilean olives that have a fresh, fruity and slightly sweet flavor. O-Live's blend won't overwhelm other flavor profiles in a dish, and Merker says it can be used for sautéing veggies, grilling seafood or as the base for a warm pasta dish.

Tasting notes: Fresh and slightly sweet
Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish

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Best All-Purpose Olive Oil

Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Oil Olive

Organic Extra Virgin Oil Olive
Best All-Purpose Olive Oil

Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Oil Olive

Now 10% Off
Credit: Zoe

Olive oil stays fresh longer when it's stored in a cool place and also when it's not exposed to light, which is why this organic blend is stored in a can. Merker says it's best for home cooks searching for an all-purpose oil to use in a variety of ways, especially for sautéing on the stovetop or baking in the oven.

Tasting notes: Smooth with a peppery finish
Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish

Best Mild-Tasting Olive Oil

CORTO 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Mild-Tasting Olive Oil

CORTO 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Corto harvests their olives when they're young and antioxidants are at their peak (compared to many other olive oil brands that harvest them when they're overripe), which delivers a more mild and fresh taste than you're likely used to. When we tasted it for the first time, we were surprised that it didn't linger on our tongues or make our mouths feel oily for long. It dissipated instead — the mark of young olives. This extra virgin olive oil is smooth with a slightly peppery kick, which makes it quite versatile. We like using it for cooking and in dressings.

Tasting notes: Smooth, slightly peppery
Best for: Cooking, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Olive Oil for Cooking

COLAVITA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed

Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed
Best Olive Oil for Cooking

COLAVITA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, First Cold Pressed

Credit: Colavita

This extra virgin olive oil boasts a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Reviewers love it for the same reasons we do: It's flavorful, but not overpowering and can be used to liven an array of dishes. We like using it for cooking or stirring into sauces.

Tasting notes: Rounded flavor, smooth, pleasant aftertaste
Best for: Cooking, finishing a dish, salads

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Best Olive Oil for Health

kyoord High-Phenolic Olive Oil

High-Phenolic Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Health

kyoord High-Phenolic Olive Oil

Credit: Kyoord

This pungent olive oil contains potent polyphenol counts, confirmed by a certificate of analysis that the brand makes publicly available. According to the Good Housekeeping Institute's Registered Dietitian Stefani Sassos, polyphenols are a class of compounds found in a variety of plant foods, many of which work as antioxidants in the body. She says that research suggests that polyphenol-rich diets may offer protection against a variety of chronic diseases including certain cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Try this olive oil on its own (some people drink it straight off a spoon!), with bread or in a dish where it's the star, like drizzled over whipped feta or ricotta.

Tasting notes: Smooth and peppery with a slight kick
Best for: Dipping, drizzling

Best Olive Oil for Drizzling

Brightland Alive 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Alive 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Drizzling

Brightland Alive 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Brightland

This beautiful opaque bottle contains extra virgin olive oil that delivers on taste and helps preserve its flavor by blocking out light. It's flavorful but not too potent without any spicy or bitter notes. It accentuates leafy salads and veggies nicely.

Tasting notes: Flavorful, but not peppery or bitter
Best for: Drizzling, dipping

Best Olive Oil for Added Flavor

Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Added Flavor

Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Kosterina

This peppery extra virgin olive oil is one of Sassos' favorites; she loves its deep and bright flavor, as well as its rich polyphenol count. She says it adds character to salads and roasted veggies. For a milder flavor, the brand offers an everyday version that is still polyphenol rich and has a smoke point over 400ºF, making it great for cooking at higher temps.

Tasting notes: Deep and bright
Best for: Salads, drizzling, finishing a dish

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Best Olive Oil for Salads

Gaea Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Salads

Gaea Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Courtesy of Amazon

Olive oil that's been "hand pressed" might not be impressive upon first glance, but every bottle of Gaea's EVOO contains the juice of approximately 2,300 early harvest Koroneiki- and Athinoelia-variety Greek olives, according to the brand. It's these regions that produce oil with a deliciously spicy and fruity flavor. This blend is perfect for creating a one-of-a-kind homemade dressings for fresh, colorful salads.

Tasting notes: Big olive flavor, peppery
Best for: Salads, dipping, drizzling, finishing a dish

Best Olive Oil for Dipping

Barbera Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Best Olive Oil for Dipping

Barbera Frantoia Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Credit: Frantoia

Former Senior Food Editor Catherine Lo admits that Barbera's Frantoia blend is a splurge for most home cooks. But it's worth its weight in gold, she says: "This rich gold-green oil is a bit pricey, but we love the fruity flavor and slightly spicy aroma, which finishes with a kick."

Tasting notes: Deep flavor; fruity and slightly spicy
Best for: Drizzling, dipping, salads

How we chose the best olive oils

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The pros in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab and Nutrition Lab teamed up to create this list of best olive oils based on their experiences cooking with and tasting many olive oils. Each expert has been trained in how to taste olive oil and what to look for in a good olive oil.

The most important factors they consider when choosing the best olive oil are quality and versatility. All of the oils on this list are extra-virgin olive oils, which means they're made purely from olives with no additives or refinements. They also each have a distinctive taste that can be used in array of dishes from cooking to salads.

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What to look for when buying the best olive oil

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✔️ Type: Olive oil falls into different types, also known as grades, that are based on how the oil is processed. Here are the most common you’ll find in American supermarkets:

  • Extra virgin: All of the picks on our list are extra virgin; it’s flavorful and versatile. It's the least processed and made solely of the juice from olives that are crushed without the use of heat or chemicals. It’s typically low in acid and high in antioxidants. Very technically, according to the USDA, it has an “excellent flavor” and “a free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams.” It’s an all-around smart choice for cooking, making dressings and sauces and finishing dishes.
  • Virgin olive oil: This grade also refers to oil processed without heat or chemicals; it just doesn’t meet the high standards for extra virgin. Its oleic acid level cannot exceed 2.0 grams per 100 grams of oil. It’s a good choice for cooking or dressings.
  • Pure olive oil: This might also be labeled as light olive oil or just olive oil. It is usually a blend of virgin and refined olive oils (refined meaning it undergoes heat or chemical treatment to remove flaws). It has little flavor but is suitable for cooking. It's less expensive than virgin olive oil and extra virgin olive oil.

    ✔️ Flavor and aroma: Some olive oils are robust and peppery; some are bright and fruity; some are mild and buttery. They also have different levels of bitterness or astringency. Experiment to find what works for you and the foods you like to cook most. And the aroma should be of olives or fresh, verdant notes; never use if it smells rancid or off in some way.

    ✔️ Packaging: Exposure to sunlight can damage olive oil, which can make it taste rancid. You can, of course, store any bottle of oil out of sunlight, but our experts like packaging that gives you freedom when it comes to storage. Oils sold in tinted or opaque bottles, in cans or bag-in-box protect the oil from all light, helping your oil stay fresher longer. You also want a good seal on the container, as exposure to oxygen can also affect the flavor. Once you select helpful packaging, be sure to store the oil in a cool place; research has shown that shelf life is improved when olive oil is stored below 72˚F (22˚C) and generally above 54˚F (12˚C).

    Why trust Good Housekeeping?

    This is an image

    Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Culinary Innovation Lab, where she's constantly testing new kitchen products and food items that come her way. She's a trained cook and published recipe developer and grew up using olive oil almost exclusively in her Greek and Italian family. She has a grand diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education.

    Zee Krstic is a health editor for the Hearst Lifestyle Group where he writes about food, nutrition, diet and fitness. He fostered a strong background in holistic nutrition early in his career through previous work with a team of registered dietitians at Cooking Light.

    Headshot of Nicole Papantoniou
    Nicole Papantoniou
    Kitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Director

    Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.

    Headshot of Zee Krstic
    Zee Krstic
    Content Strategy Manager, Hearst Magazines

    Zee Krstic is a content strategy manager for Hearst Magazines, focusing on SEO optimization and other editorial strategies for four brands, including Country Living, House Beautiful, ELLE Decor and VERANDA. He previously served as Health Editor for Good Housekeeping between 2019 and 2023, covering health news, diet and fitness trends as well as executing wellness product reviews in conjunction with the Good Housekeeping Institute. Prior to joining Hearst, Zee fostered a strong background in women's lifestyle media with eight plus years of editorial experience, including as a site-wide editor at Martha Stewart Living after developing a nutrition background as an assistant editor at Cooking Light. Zee produces service-based health coverage, as well as design and travel content, for Hearst brands on a contributor basis; he has written about food and dining for Time, among other publications.

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