Can You Use Olive Oil to Fry?
by Victoria Glass
Frying foods is a culinary tradition spanning countless international cuisines, each with its own unique twist. From Louisiana style fish fry, tempura, and Indonesian kaki lima, to Indian pakoras, Middle Eastern falafel, and Italian arancini, whatever your personal taste, there’s a wealth of hot, crispy choice for everyone!
Olive oil might not be everyone’s first port of call when filling up the fryer but now’s the time for a rethink.
Cooking with Olive Oil
Olive oil is used across the world for cooking and finishing dishes. When frying and searing at low temperatures, you might find yourself reaching for a neutral flavoured oil such as vegetable or groundnut. However, olive oil can also be used in these instances.
When olive oil is heated, it can lose some of its nuanced flavours – this is why some people think that it’s wasteful to use olive oil for cooking. However, we love using olive oil when gently sweating vegetables and making soups – you can still taste the unique flavours in these simpler, rustic dishes.
What is Deep Frying?
Deep frying is a cooking method where foods are submerged in hot oil, typically at temperatures ranging from 165°C to 190°C.
Deep frying does two things at once: it vaporises water molecules, which is what creates the bubbles you need to make a light, crispy batter, while simultaneously producing the Maillard reaction - that’s the browning that occurs when sugars and proteins are heated, like a steak searing in a hot pan.
Because of the drawing out of water that occurs when food hits hot oil, it is often necessary to create an insulating barrier in the form of batter or breadcrumbs to prevent food becoming tough and stringy.
This is what creates the delicious combination of a crunchy, golden exterior with a tender, steamed filling.
When you bite into perfectly deep-fried sweetcorn fritter, it’s the crunch that is a testament to the wonders of deep frying, when it’s done right.
What is the Best Oil for Deep Frying?
The ideal oil for deep frying should have a high smoke point, a neutral flavour and remain stable at high temperatures.
Oils like sunflower, peanut oil, and rapeseed are popular choices because they are easily accessible, have high smoke points, and don't break the bank.
However, there's an international trend, especially in Mediterranean cultures, of using olive oil for deep frying, and it’s something we definitely recommend you explore.
We wouldn't recommend you use an extra virgin olive oil - but a simpler and cheaper ordinary olive oil can be perfect for deep frying.
What is Smoke Point, and Why Does It Matter?
The smoke point of an oil is the temperature at which it starts to produce smoke. Once an oil reaches its smoke point, it can start to break down, losing its nutritional properties and producing harmful compounds.
Oil that has surpassed its smoke point can give food an unpleasant taste. When choosing an oil for deep frying, a high smoke point is essential so the oil remains stable and safe throughout the cooking process and so your food tastes good.
Oil temperature is key to deep frying. If your oil isn’t hot enough, it won’t vaporise water molecules effectively, which will lead to soggy, greasy-tasting food.
Conversely, if the oil is too hot, you risk the exterior of your food burning while the centre remains raw. It’s definitely worth investing in a food thermometer to ensure accuracy.
Can you use olive oil to shallow fry?
Absolutely! However, you should pick olive oil with a higher oleic acid content - this means it breaks down more slowly when heated, and will have a higher smoke point.
Olives varieties with a higher oleic acid content, more suitable for cooking are:
- Picual (Spain): ~80%
- Koroneiki (Greece): ~78-80%
- Cornicabra (Spain): ~78%
- Frantoio (Italy): ~75-78%
- Arbequina (Spain): ~70-75%
You can fry gently with extra virgin olive oil or standard olive oil. At Sous Chef, many of our team will almost always cook with EVOO.
It still tastes beautiful, and although the health benefits aren't as great as eating the oil raw, it's still much better than a highly refined oil - particularly if you pick one of the above varieties most suitable for cooking.
Is it A Myth that You Can't Fry with Olive Oil?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is yeeeeeeees!
It's a myth that olive oil isn’t suitable for frying. While extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point around 190-210°C (375-410°F), regular olive oil, often a blend of cold-pressed and processed oils, has a smoke point ranging from 210-240°C (410-465°F), making it very suitable for frying.
Deep frying with olive oil has a long tradition in Mediterranean cuisine, from Spanish churros to Italian fritto misto. You need only taste them once to know our European friends are on to something special!
Which Olive Oils are Best for Deep Frying?
For deep frying, it's best to opt for regular olive oil over extra virgin varieties. Again, this is due to the higher smoke point, which can withstand the high temperatures of frying without the oil degrading.
Unusual ideas for deep-frying
- Croquettes are a classic, but why not try giving them a sweet makeover with our chocolate and raspberry version.
- Perfect for the food waste-conscious, deep fried marinated banana peels make for a moreish vegan “bacon” alternative.
- Olives! Try deep frying stuffed and breadcrumbed olives in their own oil for full circle synergy!
- Deep-Fried Ice Cream is a revelation! Use olive oil to quickly deep dry battered ice cream scoops for a frozen dessert served in its own hot and crispy shell.
While olive oil might not be the traditional choice for frying in the UK, it’s a versatile, flavourful option that’s worth a try.
Whether you're recreating classic British dishes or venturing into the world of international fried delicacies, olive oil might just become your new favourite frying companion. Reach for the olive oil next time you want to get your sizzle on to create crispy, golden, olive oil-infused delights!
What is the best way to cook with olive oil?
The best way to enjoy the nuanced flavours of extra virgin olive oil is to drizzle it over finished plates, add it to salad dressings, or use it for dipping bread.
It’s also suitable for great temperature cooking, such as slowly stewing Mediterranean vegetables for a caponata or ratatouille; the extra virgin olive oil will add wonderful richness and depth of flavour. A generous swirl of top-quality olive oil can make all the difference to a dish.
Sometimes it’s important to exercise a little restraint, however. Depending on the variety of extra virgin olive oil you’re using, the strong flavour may be overpowering if used in large quantities. For instance, making mayonnaise using only extra virgin olive oil can be overwhelming , and not to everyone’s taste. Instead, we use half extra virgin olive oil and half a neutral oil such as groundnut, to give a more balanced flavour.
Learn how to choose the best extra virgin olive oil here or shop olive oils from our oustanding selection.
About the author
Victoria Glass is a London based writer and recipe developer. She has written six cookbooks, including Too Good To Waste and has contributed to various print and online media including The Sunday Times, Great British Chefs, Delicious. Magazine, Women’s Health and The Evening Standard. She has been featured regularly on regional BBC Radio as a food and drink expert and was Food Writer in Residence at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre. Victoria once cooked her way through the alphabet in a year for a project called Alphabet Soup, so she certainly knows her artichokes from her elbow.
