Olive oil is a culinary staple celebrated worldwide for its robust flavor and numerous health benefits. Among its varieties, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) stands out as the healthiest choice, packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants. These compounds support cardiovascular health, protect against cellular damage, regulate blood sugar, and may even boost brain health, potentially reducing the risk of conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
The "extra virgin" designation highlights its superior quality, defined by a lack of taste defects and low free acidity, which ensure optimal flavor and nutrient retention. What truly sets EVOO apart is its cold-pressed extraction process, which preserves its antioxidants and nutrient profile, making it an exceptional option for both health-conscious individuals and flavor enthusiasts.
Not all olive oils are created equal—even among extra virgin varieties—which is why quality matters. High-quality olive oils retain the polyphenols and nutrients that make olive oil a standout choice for health. To help you navigate the options, we've curated a list of 13 exceptional extra virgin olive oils spanning a variety of price points. Whether you’re looking for a bold, robust oil to drizzle over salads or a mild, creamy option for cooking, you’ll find something to love.
How to Choose a Healthy Olive Oil
Finding the healthiest olive oil comes down to three essential factors: taste, nutritional quality, and agricultural integrity. These elements are interconnected—a superior taste typically stems from nutrient-rich olives cultivated in well-managed groves.
Global competitions test these qualities, and in our view, olive oils submitted to these events are worth exploring. They reflect the pride and dedication of olive growers, who often carry on traditions passed down through generations—even in emerging markets like California and Australia.
Ultimately, choosing olive oil is much like choosing wine—it’s about your personal taste and budget. If you’re unsure where to begin, try experimenting with a few options until you discover the one that best suits your palate and cooking needs.
The Healthiest Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Brands
California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you’re searching for a high-quality olive oil that combines exceptional flavor with affordability, California Olive Ranch is an excellent choice. "This cold-pressed olive oil is incredibly versatile in the kitchen, offering notes of fresh herbs, floral undertones, fruits, and green grass," says Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, an award-winning nutrition expert. Plus, it’s packaged in a fully recyclable aluminum bottle, which helps preserve the oil’s freshness by protecting it from light and reducing oxygen exposure—making it an eco-friendly pick.
With over 25 years of experience, California Olive Ranch has been a driving force in elevating the quality of American olive oil. The brand was instrumental in the creation of the Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC), which ensures the quality of California olive oils through rigorous government sampling and independent third-party analysis.
Every bottle of California Olive Ranch’s 100% California extra virgin olive oil proudly displays the California Olive Oil Council Certified Extra Virgin seal. This certification guarantees the oil meets the highest chemical and sensory standards, ensuring you’re getting a truly authentic and premium product.
Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As a staple in so many dishes—especially if you’re embracing a Mediterranean-inspired diet—your olive oil deserves to be top-notch. Kosterina Original Extra Virgin Olive Oil delivers on both quality and flavor, crafted from 100% Koroneiki olives. These premium olives are harvested early in the season and cold-pressed in southern Greece, ensuring a pure, robust taste that’s authentically Mediterranean.
And let’s not overlook the aesthetics—their sleek white bottles add a touch of elegance to any sunny kitchen, making Kosterina a treat for both your palate and your countertop.
Graza
Graza has earned a reputation for its dual harvest oils, designed to meet all your culinary needs. Their "Drizzle" variety is perfect for elevating salads and breads, while "Sizzle" is ideal for pan-frying fish or other favorite dishes.
What sets Graza apart is their thoughtfully designed squeeze bottles—practical and easy to use without sacrificing style. For convenience, you can order their "Drizzle" and "Sizzle" varieties in a handy dual-pack. Plus, if you’re a regular olive oil enthusiast, Graza offers a discounted subscription option to keep your pantry stocked with ease.
Lucini Everyday Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lucini olive oils are an excellent everyday choice for the casual chef. With a reasonable price point, these flavorful oils are packaged in dark green bottles to prevent oxidation and are non-GMO verified, making them a great option for those with specific dietary preferences.
"It has a nice peppery, almost spicy flavor, which is often a hallmark of high-quality olive oil," says Carrie Gabriel, MS, RDN. However, she notes, "I don’t use it for cooking because it’s not meant for high heat, but I do use it to make homemade hummus and drizzle on salads."
If you’re searching for a versatile olive oil to elevate dips, dressings, and drizzles, Lucini is a fantastic option.
Cobram Estate Classic 100% California Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cobram Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oils, founded by two farmers who met at an agricultural college, have earned numerous prestigious awards for their exceptional quality. According to the Estate’s website, true "extra virgin" olive oil must have an acidity level below 0.8%. Cobram Estate goes above and beyond, ensuring their oils boast an impressive acidity of 0.3% or less.
Available in a range of flavors—robust, classic, and mild—these olive oils cater to diverse palates and cooking needs. Each bottle also features a convenient easy-pour spout, making it a hassle-free addition to your kitchen.
Heraclea Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Did you know olive oils come in both early and mature harvest varieties? Heraclea embraces this distinction, offering two options in their stylish, opaque bottles. Their "early harvest" olive oil is ideal for dipping, drizzling, and finishing, featuring bold, peppery, and grassy notes. Meanwhile, the "mature harvest" is perfect for roasting, pan-frying, baking, and marinating, with a milder, creamier flavor profile.
Can’t decide? We recommend trying both to cover all your culinary needs. Each 500 mL (16.9 fl. oz.) bottle is made from fully recyclable glass and UV-coated to protect the oil from damaging light, ensuring both quality and sustainability.
Laconiko Extra Virgin Olive Oil
With an impressive 415 premium quality awards to their name, Laconiko is a favorite among olive oil connoisseurs. What truly sets Laconiko apart is its certification as high-phenolic olive oil. What does that mean? It means each bottle contains over 613 mg/kg of polyphenols—plant-based compounds packed with powerful antioxidants.
These antioxidants are essential for maintaining cellular integrity, offering potential health benefits, including a reduced risk of certain cancers. Laconiko isn’t just a delicious addition to your meals—it’s a health-conscious choice that brings exceptional quality to your table.
Lucesca Toscana Ceramic Olive Oil
Lucesca olive oil is truly one of a kind. Founded by a brother-sister duo, their motto, “fatto in casa”—meaning “homemade”—reflects their hands-on approach. This olive oil is as authentic as it gets, with the olives handpicked from their backyard grove and cold-pressed the very day they’re harvested, all in the family kitchen in Magliano, Tuscany.
Lucesca offers their premium olive oil in three packaging options—ceramic, glass, and tin—each designed to suit different preferences and price points. With its commitment to freshness, quality, and tradition, Lucesca is a perfect blend of artisanal craftsmanship and Italian heritage.
La Tourangelle Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Bright & Peppery
Olives aren’t just grown in California or Greece—many cultures around the world rely on olive oil in their daily cooking! La Tourangelle’s Bright & Peppery olive oil highlights the rich culinary tradition of Spain, made from early-harvest Picual olives grown in Andalusia.
This bold, peppery oil is perfect for everyday use and versatile enough for sautéing, baking, finishing, and marinades, even at medium-high cooking temperatures. "It’s ideal for daily cooking," notes nutrition expert Toby Amidor. Plus, with its high polyphenol content (those powerhouse antioxidants we mentioned earlier), you can enjoy both exceptional flavor and significant nutritional benefits in every drop.
365 Whole Foods Market Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Let’s be honest—not everyone can splurge on the fanciest olive oils. Thankfully, Whole Foods makes quality olive oil accessible with its 365 brand. At just around $12 per bottle, their USDA-certified organic extra virgin olive oil offers a delicious and versatile option for a variety of cooking methods.
Packaged in a dark glass bottle to prevent rapid oxidation, it’s designed to maintain freshness, so you can keep it on your kitchen counter for longer without worrying about quality loss. Affordable, reliable, and flavorful—Whole Foods 365 is a budget-friendly staple for your kitchen.
Brightland Duo
This pair of cold-pressed extra virgin olive oils lets you tailor your cooking with distinct flavors: AWAKE delivers a bold, robust richness, while ALIVE offers a smooth, grassy profile. With a high smoke point of 410°F, these oils are perfect for a wide range of dishes, even those requiring higher heat.
As a bonus, these California-grown olive oils come in beautifully designed bottles, doubling as countertop decor that you’ll proudly display in your kitchen. Practical, versatile, and stylish—this duo has it all!
Corto
Corto, run by 7th-generation Italian farmers producing 100% California extra virgin olive oil, stands out for its commitment to freshness. Their innovative bag-in-box packaging, known as Flavorlock, protects the oil from light, air, and heat—similar to boxed wine—ensuring maximum freshness for every use.
Corto’s oils are cold-extracted within hours of harvest at their state-of-the-art mill and shipped on-demand, featuring only olives at the peak of ripeness as they transition from green to violet. It’s no wonder their oils are trusted by top restaurants across the country, including Eleven Eleven in Chicago and Tony’s Pizza in San Francisco.
Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Filippo Berio’s extra virgin olive oil is a USDA-certified organic option that’s as eco-friendly as it is versatile, packaged in bottles made with 50% post-consumer recycled materials. It’s a great pick for those aiming to be kinder to the planet while enjoying high-quality olive oil.
"Rich in monounsaturated, heart-healthy fats and Vitamin E, an antioxidant, this olive oil is perfect for homemade salad dressings," says Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a dietitian and diabetes educator based in Washington, DC. She recommends combining olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper for a fresh, flavorful dressing—giving you full control over what goes into your meals.