Are we actually allowed to cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Tasting & Quality
1

Okay, honest question from someone who’s been spending a lot more time in her kitchen lately (read: post-breakup therapy = roasting things at 11pm and pretending I have my life together).

I’ve always heard that you’re not supposed to cook with extra virgin olive oil, that it turns bitter or loses its magic when it hits high heat. So I’ve been saving it for drizzling, dipping, and dressing up salads like they’re going on a date.

But now I’m deep in my Spanish food era (comfort food but make it cultured, right?) and half the recipes I’ve bookmarked.. like patatas bravas.. are like, “Yeah just go ahead and fry those babies in EVOO.”

So… what gives?

Is it actually fine to cook with real extra virgin? Am I just out here babying my oil for no reason? Or are there certain kinds that are better suited for heat?

Would love to hear what you all actually do with your good olive oil. Frying? Sautéing? Or still treating it like a precious elixir that can’t touch a flame?

xx thank you

2 Likes
2

First off, welcome to the Olive Oil Chat Forum! We’re so glad you’re here. Post-breakup midnight roasting and patatas bravas dreams? You’re in exactly the right place. Sounds like you’ve already got the most important ingredient in the kitchen: curiosity (and a drizzle of drama never hurts either).

Let’s talk EVOO and heat. This is one of the most misunderstood topics out there — and you’re not alone in thinking it might be too delicate for cooking. But here’s the truth (straight from the science, not the rumors):

YES, You Can Cook With Real EVOO
High-quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil — especially one with a decent smoke point (typically between 375–410°F / 190–210°C) — is totally safe to cook with. In fact, it’s more stable than many refined oils thanks to:

High antioxidant content (especially polyphenols)

Low free fatty acid levels (which contribute to a higher smoke point)

Natural resistance to oxidation

The idea that EVOO “turns toxic” or “loses all its health benefits” when heated? That myth has been busted again and again by real lab studies — even at frying temperatures.

So What About Flavor and Quality?
Now, that said — if you’re using a very peppery, high-phenolic medicinal EVOO, it might not be the best choice for deep frying. Not because it’s unsafe, but because:

You’re wasting a therapeutic oil on heat that might mute its flavors

The cost per batch of fried food starts to feel… let’s say, emotionally expensive

What I Personally Do (and What Many of Us Here Do):
For sautéing, roasting, and shallow pan frying: I use a good, fresh EVOO — something robust and honest, but not $50-a-bottle medicinal-grade.

For high-heat or deep frying (like patatas bravas): I go with a mild extra virgin or a refined olive oil if I need lots of volume.

For drizzling and dressing: That’s where my finest, punchiest EVOO comes out — the one that burns the throat and makes your tomatoes sing.

Bottom line?
You’re not babying your oil — you’re learning to respect it. And now that you know the difference, you get to choose where and how to use it best.

So go ahead, fry those babies in EVOO if the mood calls for it.
And hey — I’d argue that treating a salad like it’s going on a date is an underrated form of self-care.

Come as you are, and keep the questions coming. You’ve officially found your people.

Luca

1 Like