The 10 Best Olive Oils for Cooking

When they are young, olives are green and then turn a darker color as they mature. There are literally hundreds of varieties of olives that are grown around the world. However, there are ten olives that many cooks prize for their oil when used for cooking.

1. The Lecciono Olive Oil
This olive is a native to the Tuscan area in Italy. It is found throughout the area and is a favorite because it ripens quickly and its ability withstand cold temperatures. This olive makes an oil that is mildly pungent, fruity, and sweet.

2. The Frantoio Olive Oil
This olive is medium in size and is the main variety in most typical Italian Tuscan oils. The Frantoio olive oil has hints of pepper with notes of bitterness and a slight pungent smell. This is an excellent olive oil for both drizzling on foods and cooking.

3. The Taggiasca Olive Oil
This slightly tapered looking olive is found growing in Liguria, which is on the northwest coast of Italy. Because this olive is a late harvest, it has a fruity taste without the bitterness of other olive oils. This olive oil is an excellent garnish added to seafood or salads.

4. The Moraiolo Olive Oil
The Moraiolo olive can be found in the Umbria region of Italy. The oil from this olive will produce a fruity flavor with a pleasing pungent bitterness needed to balance out. This olive oil is great drizzled on bean soup or brushetta.

5. The Picual Olive Oil
The Picual olive is a product of Spain and is the variety that is found in most olive oils produced around the world. This olive that comes from the Andalusia region has a peppery ripe flavor. The Picual olive oil is a great all-purpose cooking and frying oil for most kitchens.

6. The Arbequina Olive Oil
The Arbequina olive is another one from the Andalusia region in Spain; however, it is grown in California as well. This olive oil is a fresh, fruity, and almond flavor. A great olive oil for salad dressings and can be added to soups and sauces.

7. The Chemlali Olive Oil
You will find these olives commonly used in Tunisian and Moroccan made oils. Because they are harvested late, they produce and olive oil that is sweet and soft with a faint hint of almond flavor.

8. The Koroneiki Olive Oil
The Koroneiki olive is one of Greece's most common olives. It produces a very big fruity olive oil that has hints of herbs and green apples. This is a great oil for cooked vegetable dishes and stews.

9. The Barnea Olive Oil
This olive is a hardy variety that was developed in Israel and produces and oil that is smooth without any bitterness and pungency. This olive oil is very popular in Israel, Australia, and New Zealand.

10. The Picholine Olive Oil
This is a popular table olive in France and makes for very mild tasting oil. This is an olive oil with well-balanced taste in bitterness and pungency. It is best to use this olive oil for fresh salads and drizzling over cooked vegetables.