oregano

Traditionally harvested.
Authentic taste.

Discover now

Aktuelle Blogartikel

Our guarantee

Authentic products.
Traditionally produced.

Can you fry with olive oil?

By Kevin

Hardly any cooking oil is surrounded by as many misconceptions as olive oil. The most common question: Can you fry with olive oil, or is it dangerous? The short answer: Yes, you can. Extra virgin olive oil is more heat-stable than its reputation suggests. The crucial factor is not whether you can heat olive oil, but when and how. Those who know the facts use Cretan olive oil purposefully and correctly – and get significantly more flavor than with neutral vegetable oils.

Can you fry with olive oil?

Yes — frying with olive oil is easily possible for most cooking preparations. The smoke point of extra virgin olive oil, depending on quality and acidity, is between 160 and 210 degrees Celsius. High-quality oils with low acidity are in the upper range. Most cooking preparations are well below this.
Olivenöl in der Pfanne

What the smoke point really means

The smoke point of olive oil is the temperature at which an oil visibly begins to smoke and degradation products form. It is not an absolute limit but a guideline — and it varies depending on the quality, acidity, and polyphenol content of the oil. According to the International Olive Council (IOC), extra virgin olive oil with low acidity has one of the highest smoke points among virgin oils. The lower the acidity, the more stable the oil under heat. More about acidity: Cretan olive oil from Koroneiki olives.

Why olive oil is more heat-stable than its reputation suggests

The heat stability of olive oil lies in its chemical composition. It consists of about 70 to 80% monounsaturated oleic acid — a fatty acid that is significantly more stable under heat than the polyunsaturated fatty acids that dominate in sunflower or rapeseed oil. In addition, natural polyphenols act as antioxidants and protect the oil from oxidation under heat. Refined vegetable oils from which these protective substances have been removed are indeed more susceptible to heat. More about polyphenols: What does cold-pressed mean?

What temperatures are actually reached in the kitchen

Sautéing at about 80 to 100 degrees, gentle searing at about 120 to 150 degrees, pan-frying usually below 180 degrees. Only with very high-heat searing or deep-frying is extra virgin olive oil pushed to its limits — and even then, it's not dangerous, but merely loses flavor.

What happens to the aroma when heated

From about 140 degrees Celsius, the fine fruity and peppery notes of extra virgin olive oil begin to dissipate. The oil remains safe and stable, but tastes more neutral. This is the real reason why high-quality Cretan olive oil is best used raw or at low heat — not due to safety concerns, but to preserve the aroma. Olivenöl braten Panorama

When olive oil is used effectively

High-quality extra virgin olive oil is suitable for gently searing vegetables, fish or poultry, for braising at low to medium temperatures and for baking up to about 180 degrees. As a dressing, marinade base and finishing oil, it is indispensable anyway. More on this: Marinades with olive oil: 5 basic recipes. How to store olive oil correctly to maintain its quality: Storing olive oil correctly. An overview of all basic ingredients: Cretan cuisine: the 5 most important ingredients.

Conclusion

Extra virgin olive oil is heat-stable enough for most everyday cooking. The smoke point of high-quality olive oils is up to 210 degrees — well above what steaming, frying, or baking requires. Anyone who wants to fry with olive oil can do so without hesitation. Those who want to fully enjoy the aroma use it at low heat or raw. Cretan olive oil with low acidity and high polyphenol content is the most stable and aromatic choice.

Leave a comment