Giada De Laurentiis' Favorite Olive Oils For Cooking And Dipping

Whether you need some to grease up a pan or drizzle over a melange of vibrant fresh greens, using a quality olive oil is key to creating all sorts of robust, well-rounded meals. It's a staple ingredient and one of the most versatile additions to any pantry, so it's worth seeking out the best bottle possible. Still, there are countless brands and types to choose from, and with each differing in flavor and texture, picking just one can be overwhelming — even when using a guide for buying olive oil. To help narrow down your search, it doesn't hurt to get some recommendations from an expert like Giada De Laurentiis. When it comes to deciphering the nuances of the many different varieties available, the chef and entrepreneur has a few clear standouts.

In an Instagram video De Laurentiis made while shopping at Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery in Santa Monica, California, she revealed that she relies on two different olive oils in her kitchen: One for cooking and one for dipping. For cooking, she keeps a bottle of Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil on hand. This all-purpose olive oil is low in acidity since it's cold pressed and truly balanced in flavor — making it an ideal oil to cook with. For dipping, however, De Laurentiis prefers something a little more flavorful.

Even though extra virgin olive oils are not traditionally used for cooking, Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a light flavor that Giada De Laurentiis adores. Still, she warns chefs to avoid cooking with it on high heat settings, as extra virgin olive oils have a low smoke point, making them degrade faster than other oils under high heat. (So, if you tend to cook with higher temperature settings, you might want to look into buying a refined olive oil instead.)

For dipping, De Laurentiis shared that she prefers a punchier variety, Paesano Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This award-winning bottle lends a herbaceous flavor with a luscious, buttery mouthfeel and a peppery finish. Since it's unfiltered, it has extra nuances with notes of artichoke and almond, making it a great choice to finish dishes with a pop of savory goodness.

Both of these olive oils sit at moderate price points and are available online or in-store. (Amazon currently sells a 33.8 fluid ounce bottle of Paesano Olive Oil for $24.95, while a 16.9 fluid ounce bottle of Lucini Olive Oil is $14.72.) Plus, not only are they both distinct in flavor, they also happen to work well with everything from desserts to savory dishes.

While plenty of people use olive oil on the daily, Giada De Laurentiis is an especially huge advocate for the topping, and claims to drizzle it on practically every meal she eats. As she shared in an interview with Bon Appétit, "I eat olive oil with almost everything ... there's no such thing as too much olive oil." For example, De Laurentiis shared on Instagram that she swaps the butter in her French toast recipe with olive oil. This simple substitution adds a robust, rich edge to the meal. The Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil would be best to use here so the oil's balanced flavor doesn't overwhelm the sweet toast. 

The smooth, savory notes of olive oil also make it an excellent, albeit unlikely, topping for Laurentiis' ice cream, too. The boldness of the Paesano Unfiltered Extra Virgin Olive Oil would work especially well in this sweet-savory combination. Lastly, De Laurentiis also uses the flavorful oil to top entrees like chicken parmesan and classic Italian appetizers like crostini. (And we wouldn't be surprised if she put some in her famous 30-minute lasagna, too.)

So, if you're in the market for new olive oil, take advice from an expert who takes their love for the stuff seriously. Once you have your chef-approved bottles you'll want to avoid wasting any of the precious liquid. Luckily, you can stop over-pouring olive oil with a simple hack.