Cooking With Olive Oil For Beginners

If you haven’t tried cooking with olive oil before, it can seem overwhelming! There are so many recipes, tips, types of oil, and suggestions out there. 

We want to make it easy for you to incorporate the incredible flavor and health benefits of olive oil into your everyday meals.

You Can Cook With Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil, the type we sell at The Olive Branch can be used in just about everything you cook. There is poor information out there that says you shouldn’t heat extra virgin olive oil because it has a low smoke point. That simply isn’t true!

Yes, extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than other cooking oils, but it stays stable at high heat and retains most of the health benefits and nutrients.

Discover Some Of Our Favorite Recipes

Choose The Best Oil For Your Recipe

If you aren’t sure which olive oil is the best choice for a recipe, ask us! Our wonderful staff members at The Olive Branch love giving recipe advice and helping our customers choose the best options.

Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed, most flavorful form of olive oil and we carry a variety of extra virgin olive oils to choose from.

Be Adventurous With Infused Oils

Some of our favorite ways to enjoy extra virgin olive oil is when it’s infused with other flavors. There’s no better way to spice up a marinade or salad dressing than to use a flavored oil!

Our Favorite Marinades

• Chipotle Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Peach Balsamic Vinegar or Italian Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
• Mesquite/Hickory Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Hickory Balsamic Vinegar
• Cayenne Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Teriyaki Balsamic Vinegar

Our Favorite Salad Dressings

• Italian Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar
• Italian Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Grilled Lemon or Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
• Persian Lime Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Key Lime Balsamic Vinegar, Coconut Balsamic Vinegar, or Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar

Look For Easy Ways To Add In Olive Oil

Olive oil can bring together the spices in a dish, enhance flavor, balance acidity, and bring body and depth to nearly every dish. Try some of these easy ways to add olive oil into your everyday recipes!

• Replace butter with flavored olive oil in mashed potatoes or on baked potatoes
• Drizzle oil over salad greens or use it to make your own salad dressing
• Use it as a base for marinades
• Add a small drizzle at the end of cooking a dish for a burst of fresh flavor
• Brush olive oil on meat before you grill or broil

Find The Best Olive Oil At The Olive Branch

We’re dedicated to providing premium olive oils at our storefront in The Village at Winona in Winona Lake, Indiana, and through our online shop.

You can always be sure you’re receiving the freshest, healthiest oils when you shop with us!

Plan a visit to our tasting room and experience high-quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar in new ways.