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Wondering how to choose quality olive oil? What is the difference between extra virgin and regular olive oil? How do I decide which olive oil works best for cooking? I asked those questions until a trip to Greece sent me down an unexpected rabbit hole. What started as a visit to an olive grove turned into years of tasting oils from around the world and learning how olive varieties, harvest timing, and production methods completely change flavor. And most importantly, why it matters.

My Unexpected Olive Oil Deep Dive in Greece

My first thorough deep dive into olive oil happened on a trip to Greece when I spent the day at One and Olive, an olive grove and production facility in Greece owned by the Anagnostopoulos family in Messinia with a heritage dating back to 1896. It was here that I learned the details of how olive oil is made because the processing matters. It directly impacts the quality, freshness, flavor, and nutritional content of the olive oil.

What is Olive Oil and How is it Made?

Olive oil is made by harvesting fresh olives, crushing them into a paste, and then gently separating the oil from the water and solids

How Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Produced

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is separated from olive paste using only mechanical methods such as crushing, mixing, and spinning the paste in a centrifuge to naturally separate the oil from the water and solids. No chemicals are used which helps to preserve the olive’s natural flavor and naturally occurring compounds.

Extraction temperatures are kept low (under about 81°F/27°C) to preserve quality and flavor. This is where terms like “cold extracted” come from.

How Regular Olive Oil is Different

Regular or refined olive oil is often made using oils that undergo additional processing to remove defects and create a milder flavor profile. This process creates a more neutral tasting oil, but much of the character and flavor found in extra virgin olive oil is reduced.

In fact, as I learned, there are more than just two classifications of olive oil, and understanding what they mean can make a huge difference in your cooking.

Olive Oil Classifications Explained

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

This is the purest form of olive oil. It is minimally processed and must meet strict standards for flavor and acidity. Use this when you want to taste the olive oil.

Best uses:

• Salad dressings
• Drizzling over vegetables
• Warm focaccia
• Hummus
• Finishing soups
• Tomato dishes
• Light sautéing

Virgin Olive Oil

Still a good quality oil, but made with slightly higher acidity and less stringent standards. Use when olive oil adds flavor but is not the main focus of the dish.

Regular Olive Oil

This is a refined oil with a milder flavor profile that is used when you don’t want a strong olive oil flavor such as in baking, or you need to cook with higher temperatures.

Honestly, when I want an oil that I can use with high heat I use Corto’s La Padella oil which is a blend of oils including Virgin Olive Oil and Avocado Oil. A chef in one of our local restaurants told me they use this, so I purchased some and love it. It’s my go to when I need to fry with high heat since EVOO can smoke and burn at temperatures above 325 Fahrenheit.

Olive Oil is Like Wine: Why Oils Taste Different

The next year I traveled to Spain and was surprised to find that the olive oil there tasted very different from the olive oil I had experienced in Greece.

The Greek olive oil made from Koroneiki olives was peppery and bold. The olive oil I tasted in Spain was more nutty, smooth, and even fruity.

This is when I learned that, just like wine grapes, the variety of olives, climate, soil, and harvest timing all influence the final taste. Olive oils from different regions can taste grassy, peppery, buttery, fruity, or earthy.

I was intrigued and started to deep dive into olive oil and food pairings. I soon realized that, just like wine, pairing the right olive oil with the right food and cooking method made a huge impact on the meal.

I then traveled to Italy and of course had to do another olive oil deep dive. I found Italian olive oils to be mild, complex, earthy, and even slightly buttery.

How to Buy Quality Olive Oil

At home, I set to studying how to identify quality olive oil at the store so I could stock my pantry with oils I actually loved. I learned that A few basic pieces of knowledge go a long way.

Understand the Classifications

The first piece of knowledge is understanding olive oil classifications like EVOO versus regular olive oil.

But beyond these classifications, you may also notice labels that say “Early Harvest.” Initially I overlooked that label until a chef I was working with explained it.

Early harvest oils come from olives picked before they are fully ripe. Because younger olives contain less oil, producers get lower yields.

But the tradeoff is flavor.

Early harvest oils tend to be greener, more peppery, grassy, and intense. Later harvest oils can be softer, buttery, and more mild.

Like wine, it becomes a matter of preference and what you plan to cook.

What About First Cold Pressed?

Today, this is mostly just a marketing term.

Historically, olives were physically pressed with large stone wheels and mats. The first pressing produced the highest-quality oil.

Modern production generally uses centrifuges rather than repeated pressing. There really is no “first pressed” oil in modern production processes.

Product Of vs Made In

The second piece of information I look for is “Product of” versus “Made in.”

“Made in” simply means the oil was processed in that location. The olives themselves may have come from several places around the world.

“Product of” means both the olives and processing came from that location. If you want oil specifically from Greece, Italy, Spain, or California, this matters.

Also, if you are buying olive oil imported from Europe, look for the European Union Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label. Products with PDO certification must:

• Be produced in a specific region
• Follow traditional methods
• Be processed entirely within that region

Harvest Date

This can be difficult to find. The “Best By” date only tells you what the manufacturer estimates. Harvest dates are far more useful.

Generally, extra virgin olive oil tastes best within about 12–18 months of harvest.

If you find a bottle with an actual harvest date, count yourself lucky.

Feeling overwhelmed by all the olive oil choices? I created a free Olive Oil Shopping, Storing & Tasting Guide that walks you through what to buy, how to store it, and simple ways to taste olive oil at home.

Why Proper Olive Oil Storage Matters

Buying a good bottle is only part of the story. Olive oil is made from fresh fruit and, like other fresh foods, time and storage conditions affect quality.

Light, heat, and oxygen slowly break down the flavors and aromas that make extra virgin olive oil vibrant.

Keep olive oil:

• Away from light
• Away from heat
• In a cool cabinet
• Tightly sealed
• In dark bottles or tins when possible

Use opened bottles within about 2–3 months for peak flavor.

How to Use Olive Oil in Everyday Cooking

One of the things I love about olive oil is that it doesn’t need to be complicated.

You do not save it for special occasions.

A good olive oil can become one of the easiest ways to add flavor to everyday meals.

Use it:

• In salad dressings
• Drizzled over vegetables
• Finished over grilled meats
• Swirled into soups
• Mixed into hummus
• Tossed with pasta
• Poured over tomatoes with flaky salt
• Dipped with warm bread

Once you start using olive oil as an ingredient rather than simply a cooking oil, you begin noticing how much flavor it contributes.

Oils I Recommend

Meraki Olive Oil (Greece). Made from Koroneiki olives. This oil comes a small producer on the island of Crete which I visited during my travels in Greece. Their focus is on small-batch, fresh olive oil made using traditional methods rather than mass production.

La Civetta (Italy). This oil is made from Italian grown olives sourced from either Sicily or Puglia depending on the bottling. It is a nice “middle zone” olive oil; not too grassy, but also not too mild. I actually think it has a somewhat buttery finish and it’s one I regularly use to drizzle on salads or warm Focaccia.

California Ranch EVOO. They use three Mediterranean olives as a blend in their oil

• Arbequina (Spain): mild and fruity
• Koroneiki (Greece): peppery and bold
• Arbosana (Spain): floral and herbaceous

This creates a nice balance. It is grassy and herbal but not bitter.

Kirkland 100% Spanish EVOO. Right now I’m really loving this blend through Costco. Like the California Ranch brand above, it uses three different olives to provide the best of all worlds.

• Picual → structure, bitterness, pepper, green tomato leaf
• Hojiblanca → herbs, slight nuttiness, grassy notes
• Arbequina → softer fruit and a smoother finish

Think of it like a red wine blend. Cabernet brings structure, Merlot softens edges, and Syrah adds personality. Olive oil producers do the same thing with olive varieties.

I love this oil when I want to add a bit of zest to a dish, but not have it be overpowering. This is one I regularly use mixed with butter for scrambled eggs, drizzled on Focaccia when I want a more savory topping rather than a soft buttery profile, and on tomatoes.

Olive Oil FAQ

What is the difference between extra virgin and regular olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is minimally processed and retains more flavor and naturally occurring compounds. Regular olive oil is refined, often using chemicals and heat. It will have a milder taste.

Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil works well for sautéing, roasting, and many everyday cooking applications.

How long does olive oil last?

For best flavor, use olive oil within 12–18 months of harvest and ideally within a few months after opening.

Should olive oil be refrigerated?

Usually no. A cool dark cabinet is generally preferred.

Final Thoughts

Learning olive oil has reminded me a lot of learning wine. Once you understand a few basic ideas like where it came from, how it was made, and how flavor changes, then you stop grabbing random bottles and start choosing intentionally.

You do not need to become an expert. Small changes in your pantry can completely change the meals you cook at home.