Finding Good Olive Oil at the Grocery Store

Olive oil is the easiest pantry upgrade with the biggest payoff. Here is how to spot the good stuff among the marketing.

Olive oil is one of the most defrauded foods in the world. Bottles labeled extra virgin, single estate, or first cold pressed often contain blends from multiple countries that are years past peak. The good news is that there are three quick checks that filter out almost every weak bottle.

First, look for a harvest date, not just a best-by date. The freshest oils put the harvest year right on the front. Second, read the country of origin in fine print. Single country oils, especially from Greece, Spain, Italy, or California, are generally more reliable than multi-country blends. Third, choose oils packaged in dark glass or stainless tins. Light degrades olive oil within months.

At home, taste the oil from a small spoon before drizzling it over anything. Fresh olive oil has a peppery bite that catches the back of your throat. If the oil tastes flat, oily, or simply nothing, it has lost its potency, and no amount of clever cooking will rescue a sad sauce. Use that bottle for soap and start over.