“Don’t cook with extra virgin olive oil” is one of the most repeated kitchen myths — and it’s mostly wrong. Here’s the truth about cooking vs. finishing oil, the real story on smoke points, and how to get the most from a good bottle.

Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Yes. Extra virgin olive oil is stable for most home cooking — sautéing, roasting, even shallow frying. Its smoke point (around 375–410°F) comfortably covers the vast majority of stovetop and oven recipes. Its antioxidants actually make it more stable to heat than many refined oils.

So what’s a “finishing” oil?

A finishing oil is a special, high-flavor extra virgin olive oil you add after cooking — drizzled raw over a dish so its aroma and pepperiness shine. Heat mutes those delicate notes, so you save your best, freshest oil for finishing.

A simple rule of thumb

• Everyday cooking: use a good, well-priced extra virgin olive oil. It’s fine for the heat.
• Finishing: save your freshest, most peppery oil to drizzle raw — on bread, soup, salad, grilled vegetables, even ice cream.
• Deep frying: a more neutral or refined oil is more economical, but EVOO works too.

One oil that does both

Our single-estate oil is fresh enough to finish a dish and robust enough to cook with. Shop the 2026 harvest →

Keep reading

• The Best Olive Oil for Bread & Drizzling
• How to Store Olive Oil So It Stays Fresh
• Olive Oil and the Mediterranean Diet

Ready to taste the difference? Shop the 2026 harvest →