Here’s where olive oil really wins: flavor. When you fry with it, the oil infuses your food with a subtle, grassy, almost buttery note that no neutral oil can match. Your French fries get a personality—they become something you remember, not just a side dish.
Think of it this way: frying with canola is like listening to elevator music. Frying with olive oil is like putting on a vintage record—warm, textured, and satisfying. Your taste buds will thank you, and so will your dinner guests.
And don’t worry about the oil absorbing into your food too much. A properly heated fry (around 350°F) seals the surface quickly, forming a crust that keeps oil out, not in. You’ll get a lighter, less greasy result than with cheaper oils.
What NOT to Fry
Don’t use olive oil for extremely high-heat searing, like a steak on a screaming-hot cast iron. That’s where butter or avocado oil shine. But for shallow-frying, pan-frying, and even deep-frying—think chicken, fish, veggies, doughnuts? Olive oil is a rockstar.
Another no-go: don’t reuse olive oil as many times as you would a neutral oil. It breaks down faster after the first use, so use it for one round, then toss it or use it for something else like roasting. Fresh oil equals fresh taste.
And please, don’t store your olive oil near the stove if you can avoid it. Heat and light degrade it over time. Keep it in a dark cabinet, and pour a small bottle for daily use near the pan.
Debunking Myths Surrounding Frying with Olive Oil
