Taste Test: Cheap But Good Olive Oils
[Photographs: Robyn Lee]
A reader emailed us recently with a million-dollar question. Does good-quality, cheapish olive oil exist? She writes:
I was cooking something out of an Ina Garten cookbook and she always calls for 'good quality olive oil.' Since I'm on a college student budget, it's not really practical for me to splurge at a luxury store. I was standing at the supermarket, looking at a whole row of olive oil, wishing someone would tell me what brand to buy.
And so, our olive oil taste-test was born. We tried nine olive oils—nothing over $20 per liter, with most bottles hugging the $10 price point. Some of us chose the bread-dipping technique; others believed a spoon was more official. Potentially, there were some olive oil shots taken. But defining "good" was tough.
On one end of the spectrum you have Ed, who willingly admits to being an olive oil wuss. He likes them buttery and calm, while just about everyone else in the office craved the peppery, cough-inspiring, sharper flavors. So we'll refrain from judging Ed and just say, good olive oil is relative. Which oils were mellow? More intense and spicy? The most like water? The results, after the jump.
Best Mellow Oil
Fairway ($8.99 for 1 liter): The New York mini-chain of markets sells this as their in-house brand of straight-forward olive oil both online and in stores. It's smooth, soft, and pretty neutral. If you're in the Ed camp and can't handle the throat-grabbing intensity of peppery oils, this one will make you feel safe. Good for cooking.
Best Bitter, But Not Crazy Bitter Oil
Goya ($3.99 for 250 mL): For those in favor of buttery olive oils (aka Team Ed) but are ready to branch out into the crazier world of bitter, more dramatic flavors, this would be a good place to start. It's not too spicy but still has a grassiness that gets your attention. At first sharp, it eventually mellows out. Good for bread dipping.
Best Bang for Buck
Trader Joe's Spanish ($7.49 for 1 liter): Spanish olive oils are usually a better value since the touted Italian olives can be marketed for more. One of the cheapest oils we tasted, this Trader Joe's Spanish EVOO—they sell a variety but admittedly, we fell for this pretty tree artwork—had a well-rounded flavor. Earthy but not too bitter, it'll leave your mouth slightly puckered—nothing too uncomfortable. Good for salads. Note: it was better than the Whole Foods 365 counterpart of Spanish EVOO.
Most Expensive And Just So-So
Colavita ($5.29 for 250 mL): Buying the adorable mini bottle made this same like a decent bargain, but it was actually the priciest one per-mL we tried. Though it had a nice, olive-rich taste (always a good thing when you're talking olive oils) it wasn't that exciting. Nothing harsh to say here, it's just not the best value.
Best Color
Target Brand Archer Farms ($8.99 for 500 mL): Because you also eat with your eyes, this one wins for best shade of yellowish-green. The less filtered quality makes it darker, hence more intriguing-looking than the other just yellowish oil-colored ones.
Best All-Around
Whole Foods 365 Organic ($6.99 for 500 mL): We all came together in support of this guy. It has a nice sharpness up front with hints of bell pepper, but won't choke you with bitterness. Dunk bread into this and go to town drizzling it over salads—this is a winner.
Least Memorable
Bertolli ($8.99 for 500 mL): As I type this, wait there is nothing to type. Because it was that life-changing! For all the fat in olive oil, you should at least walk away with a memory. Maybe it's fine for cooking, but bread-dipping? Eh. Be skeptical of the actor dude's Italian accent on those Bertolli commercials.
Most Like Water
Filippo Berio Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil ($4.29 for 250 mL): In all fairness, they warned us about the "extra light" part. But why does it have to look so much like water? A pale yellow, slightly contaminated-looking water, but still. Do you really contain olives? Really? C'mon, are you just corn oil playing a little game of pretend? The "tasting" part sounded good, but as one person noted, "it tastes like invisible."
Um, So Nine Bottles of Leftover Olive Oil?
What if, hypothetically speaking, there were still nine bottles of olive oil sitting in the SE headquarters kitchen? We could always go the boring route and stir-fry a boatload of vegetables, but that doesn't sound that exciting. A BYO Something to Deep-Fry party? Olive oil cakes? (This recipe looks mighty delicious.) Holler if you have any other suggestions.
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50 Comments:
Sweet Basil and Olive Oil cupcakes! I posted the recipe last week on this site but I can't find it when I search. This site has been all wonky lately.
Martini Me at 4:00PM on 09/30/09
this was a great idea!
i was watching barefoot contessa the other day & she was asked how she chose her chicken sausage. she replied that she bought up every variety at once, then proceeded to cook and taste each, until she figured out her favorite. now that's her 'go-to' chicken sausage. i was thinking, 'must be freaking nice'. so, i definitely appreciate the effort on your behalves to do the expensive tasting of all these for me!
as for what to do with the extra? ship them to my place! ;)
gastronomeg at 4:09PM on 09/30/09
I think there's a recipe out there somewhere for a Mario Batali Olive Oil gelato.
You could make some infused oils. The light one that tastes like water could be dosed with a whole bunch of Madras curry powder (4 parts oil to 1 part curry powder). Heat the curry powder and oil gently together for about 5 minutes and then let it cool for an hour or so. I've even left it to sit overnight. Then strain the oil off the now well settled solids into its own container. It should last for at least a month in the fridge. Use for cooking, dressings or to finish a dish.
Amandarama at 4:11PM on 09/30/09
Just out of curiosity, why did you guys taste the Berio Extra Light Tasting rather than their Extra Virgin?
LauraII at 4:24PM on 09/30/09
See http://www.101cookbooks.com/ingredient/olive%20oil to get you started. I'm thinking lots of pesto, and maybe the kale and olive oil mashed potatoes. You might also want to poach some salmon in it.
wilma at 4:32PM on 09/30/09
The Whole Foods and Colavata are my usual choices, depending on where I happen to be shopping. I'll have to try the Trader Joe's.
How about a bruschetta party. Between grilling the bread and making the toppings, you can use up a lot of Olive Oil.
BostonZest at 4:33PM on 09/30/09
This was a great idea, but I think the Filippo Berio Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil may have gotten a bad rap unfairly.
Extra light olive oil is olive oil that has been heavily refined, resulting in a pale color and minimal flavor. The extra light label is misleading as this type of olive oil actually contains the same fat content as regular or extra virgin olive oil. It's great for use in frying as it has a very high smoke point. However, the neutral flavor makes it a poor variety of olive oil for which the taste of olive oil is desired. Of course, the label of the Filippo Berio Extra Light "Tasting" Olive Oil probably adds to the confusion!
To make a fair comparison to the other brands, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil would have to be tried. Not to say that it would be great, but I'm sure it would be much better received than the extra light version.
ultrasel at 4:41PM on 09/30/09
thanks, this is really helpful, I always have the same question when it's time to re-stock the olive oil.
I would make a lot of pesto and the olive oil granola that was in the Times recently.
You could also make marinated goat cheese (marinated in oil and seasonings) or flavored olive oils, infused with different ingredients, for dipping bread into.
laurelie at 4:46PM on 09/30/09
I've been quite happy with the Paul Newman brand, and lucky for me, it's been on sale at WF the last 2/3 times I've gone to buy some.
anysuchname at 4:52PM on 09/30/09
I would definitely make a bunch of different kinds of salad dressing, marinade, and dipping oils. Another idea...I went to a party recently where they had olive oil tastings...but hid the brand until we all voted on our favorite. Ironically, the drugstore brand won...lol. It might be fun to try that with your friends.
AnnieM at 4:56PM on 09/30/09
Sorry, I meant to say "grocery store brand" not drugstore.
AnnieM at 4:57PM on 09/30/09
I'm not sure if your bottle of Colavita was so expensive b/c you got it in NYC, but I get it at my grocery store for $7.50 for 750 ml - it's my go to "cheapish" olive oil right now.
mrsbao at 5:08PM on 09/30/09
Erin Zimmer: Thanks for the shout out to my olive oil cake!
I once did a Spanish olive oil tasting a few years ago that blew me away. It was like tasting wine and proved as equally varied in so many ways. Really amazing.
Great post to read as there's nothing more frustrating than spending money on a bottle of olive oil that doesn't taste good, whether its 7 bucks or 30 bucks. Very insightful.
OuiChefCook at 5:11PM on 09/30/09
I like the Spanish oils, so I go for Pompeian. Here's a nutty question: the market near my house used to carry a spanish brand that came in a little glass carafe (about 8 0z) with a cork stopper with red wax on the top. It had a name like "marquis de Pres". It was the best oil I've ever had. Of course they stopped carrying it, and I had washed the label off the bottle I'd just used up (they were to cute to throw out). I've looked all over the internet for the brand, to see if I can order it. Nada. Does anyone recognize this description and know the brand name? I'd love to get it again.
tb404 at 5:23PM on 09/30/09
Make the olive oil cake from http://goodstuffnw.blogspot.com/2009/05/regrets-ive-had-few.html - I've made it several times now, it is amazing and calls for ridiculous amounts of olive oil.
The 365 organic is our house go-to brand and when I can't find it I use Zoe, which is similarly priced
Figlet at 5:28PM on 09/30/09
I thought most cheap olive oils were fakes. Not so?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12571726
TeriinTokyo at 5:36PM on 09/30/09
olive oil pudding
cookandeatwithryan at 5:37PM on 09/30/09
olive oil pudding
cookandeatwithryan at 5:39PM on 09/30/09
I buy a 5 liter jug (tank?) of olive oil. It comes in a metal can (looks like you use it to hold gas). It's much more cost effective. I refill a used olive oil bottle so it's easier to use daily.
I think you can get it online or at restaurant supply stores. I get mine at the Berkeley Bowl in Berkeley, CA. I buy the De Cecco brand, and so far it's the best olive oil I've had.
quitecurious at 5:39PM on 09/30/09
This was helpful in letting me know what to avoid. Despite my earnest desire to, I don't like olives, so recommendations for nice fruity or peppery olive oils don't work for me. I need to know what's mellow (I actually do like Berio). What would be most useful would be to know whether the mellow oils still are legitimate olive oils. The New Yorker did an article a couple of years ago about the adulteration of olive oil with other oils, and it seems like a crap shoot to know whether you're really getting 100% olive oil no matter what you buy..
lemonfair at 6:03PM on 09/30/09
I used to buy Frantoia, but the way I use olive oil, it was becoming cost prohibitive, and the taste is too strong for olive oil cakes (that use 1 cup of oil!).
I switched to Colavita, which always seems to be on sale in my supermarket in NJ.
It happens to be very good for everday use.
If it's good enough for Lidia, it's good enough for me.
Stacey Snacks at 8:34PM on 09/30/09
or your entire SE team can do a little beauty session with olive oil. Just rub it all over your skin. :)
gargupie at 8:57PM on 09/30/09
Extra OO - Like gargupie, I use olive oil on my skin.
Layer olive oil, then some sugar, then continue with layers in a small tuperware container. When 3/4 full, I keep it in my shower and it makes a wonderful body scrub! My friends now request it in the winter... keeps skin soft!
kd_did at 9:39PM on 09/30/09
You mention a weird little new york market brand but ignore the Costco Olive Oils. I am surprised. They have a nice litre bottle version that is about $12 that tastes great.
nitsuj at 9:51PM on 09/30/09
For those who have Middle Eastern markets nearby, they are a very good source for reasonably priced olive oils. They usually fall into the buttery category as far as flavor goes, but for a general olive oil to use in cooking of all sorts, it is my go-to oil.
CatBoy at 10:12PM on 09/30/09
Maybe they'll taste better if you infuse them with herbs. Make rosemary oil or garlic oil and use for salads or bottle them up and give them away.
yankeesgal at 11:06PM on 09/30/09
Make some broccoli rabe pesto with the leftover oil. You'll eat it up and have to make some more. Mario has an olive oil and orange cake in Simple Italian Food.
ride&cook at 8:01AM on 10/01/09
I saw this same taste test on Americas Test Kitchen a few weeks back, they came to the conclusion that there are no good olive oils made here, only the expensive imported stuff made their list.
funkopolis at 8:57AM on 10/01/09
I have the same question as some of the people above, why did you test Filippo Berio Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil instead of their Extra Virgin like the other brands. Extra light has been processed so much, no wonder it won the "it tastes like water" category. I've used the extra virgin in the past and its not bad. Not great, but good for the price.
celestialkiddy at 9:18AM on 10/01/09
Your answer to "does a good-quality, cheapish olive oil exist? " should have been 'No' when it comes to olive oil 'quality' and 'cheap' do not jive...Seriously!
Bronacos at 10:22AM on 10/01/09
What about regular Berio Olive Oil or Berio EVOO - the ones you get at Costco?
xiaobao12 at 10:54AM on 10/01/09
Host your own DIY-pesto workshop!
avaryne at 11:31AM on 10/01/09
@gargupie - that would be my suggestion too!
It's also beneficial as topical hair treatment :)
...ever tried EVOO wrestling LOL that would be a hilarious article!
I'm surprised by the results and actually very greatful. Thx again SE!
hungrychristel at 12:41PM on 10/01/09
Great info, Thanks SE!
I vote for utilizing the less popular oils for skin treatments. Have an SE spa/craft day and make lotion out of an emulsion of essential oils (lavender, eucalyptus, etc), water and Filippo Berio Extra Light Tasting Olive Oil. You can also make castile soaps.
yayfood at 1:32PM on 10/01/09
I agree that "cheap" and "good" don't really go together... but olive oils like this can certainly be used for cooking, blending, pesto, etc... or skin treatments as some point out!
deep frying? i wouldn't, the smoking point is SO low on olive oil, and why waste (even though they're "cheap") olive oil for that, when better oils for frying cost a fraction of that.
Really, if you want to eat good olive oil, splurge, because uff, it's worth it!
calhounl at 11:25PM on 10/01/09
Nice article! I like the Goya, and I typically buy that since it's widely available. I wish I'd read your article sooner! I just picked up a bottle of the Trader Joe's Italian olive oil instead of the Spanish one. Oh well, next time.
As for things to make, I'm still curious about olive oil ice cream. I've seen it, but have not tried it. You definitely would need a pretty strongly flavored oil, I suspect.
jgleeche at 11:04AM on 10/02/09
Can someone comment on De Cecco?
LoveFoodSoMuch at 4:51PM on 10/02/09
Don't overlook wonderful Greek olive oils. I like the Horio brand. If your local ethnic grocery store does not carry it, it can be purchased online for as little as $10/liter, in the larger cans.
salpico at 11:21AM on 10/03/09
Back to the laboratory I hope.........PLEASE try Red Island green lablel from Austrailia.....the best on the market in my mind. Fresh, fruity, no bitterness, first press/cold press, it tastes like you just squeezed the olives yourself.......so good it's almost drinkable!!!
jackie2830 at 7:06AM on 10/06/09
How about some type of confit? Maybe Garlic Confit? Or make your own flavored oils and condiments. That is what I would do with a lot of extra oil. Maybe pestos of different herbs?
RisaG at 6:31PM on 10/07/09
For tb404, who posted looking for "a spanish brand that came in a little glass carafe (about 8 0z) with a cork stopper with red wax on the top. It had a name like "marquis de Pres"" - Could it be NUNEZ DE PRADO you're thinking of? I haven't seen it in such a small bottle but it does come in 500 ml size (about 17 oz.) in a square bottle with cork and red wax. It's fabulous oil, my all time favorite, and I wouldn't be surprised you'd want to find it again.
pmeverhart at 7:40PM on 10/07/09
If I remember correctly, Cook's Illustrated recommends DaVinci brand as an inexpensive but good olive oil...
ovenbird at 11:41AM on 10/08/09
Hmm, we buy Filippo Berio olive oil and I swear it tastes awesome (maybe we don't get the extra light?:) My boyfriend went to Italy in May and ever since he's been a huge olive oil snob. I just introduced him to Filippo Berio and he actually admitted it tastes good! :)
Chew on That at 1:09PM on 10/09/09
Costco has an organic extra virgin olive oil that I swear by.
katherose at 2:20PM on 10/14/09
Take all your leftover least-favorite oils, pour them into the fuel tank of your bio-diesel-ready vehicle and make a trip to buy the brand you like. Don't use them to make bad food ...
DAFOXFL at 4:04PM on 10/19/09
My Costco has an olive oil in a box (think wine in a box) that is easily the best olive oil per liter I've found.
Another option is to buy in the large five gallon tins. So long as you store your oil properly, it's fine. Since olive oil is only harvested once a year (in the fall), the oil you're pulling out of your tin in august is as fresh as anything you're pulling off the shelf at the store.
KinOfCain at 7:44PM on 10/19/09
When shopping for olive oil, if you abide by these two rules, you will usually have a winner.
1) Made exclusively from 100% Italian Olives
2) Bottled in and imported from Italy
An old chef told me this info and it has never let me down. There's something about Italian olives that scream flavor. Greek, Tunisian, Spanish, American... they just don't taste the same.
ChefR0bert at 4:08PM on 10/20/09
Isn't the key to quality how recently the olives were harvested? How long have those bottles been sitting on the shelves and when were the olives picked?
My guess is that there's a ton of bottle-to-bottle variation with these oils.
patrickamory at 11:09PM on 10/21/09
the frist pressed is the best look for the best price on frist cold preesed olives
pasta with the beans
1 cup cooked and drained ditalini
1 can[8oz] cambells pork and beans
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup spaghetti sauce or ketchup
salt/pepper to taste
combine everything and enjoy
greekhotdogsauce.com at 1:36PM on 10/23/09
@green...
First-pressed... aka, extra virgin olive oil is not necessarily the best for every method of preparation. It's good in salads and raw appetizers or as a last minute addition to liven up a dish. You should never saute or cook with extra virgin olive oil... especially over high heat since the smoke point is relatively low. All you will be left with is a burnt taste devoid of any flavor that you expect from high cost evoo.
ChefR0bert at 11:01AM on 11/04/09