Discover how to use extra virgin olive oil in traditional, creative and surprising dishes
Extra virgin olive oil can do much more than just accompany toast or a salad. When chosen and used correctly, it adds aroma, personality, and a more well-rounded finish to traditional recipes, more original dishes, and even proposals that surprise those who haven't yet tried EVOO outside of the usual.
In this guide, we've gathered 15 recipes with extra virgin olive oil so you can discover new ways to use it at home. We've divided the ideas into three groups: traditional recipes, less common recipes, and surprising recipes. This way, you'll have real inspiration for your daily cooking and also for those dishes where you want to break away from the usual.
5 traditional recipes with extra virgin olive oil
1. Toast with tomato and EVOO
A simple recipe, but perfect for seeing how a good oil can completely change something as basic as bread and tomato.
Ingredients
Good quality bread, ripe tomato, extra virgin olive oil, and salt.
Step by step
Toast the bread until golden and crispy. Grate the tomato or finely chop it and spread it over the toast. Add salt and finish with a good drizzle of EVOO just before serving.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
2. Salmorejo cordobés
Here, extra virgin olive oil is not just a finishing touch: it's part of the dish's texture, body, and flavor.
Ingredients
Ripe tomato, bread, garlic, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Blend the tomato with the garlic and bread until you get a homogeneous base. Gradually add the EVOO while continuing to blend so it emulsifies well and becomes creamy. Chill before serving.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden or Organic.
3. Papas aliñás (dressed potatoes)
A humble and traditional recipe where the oil plays a major role, as it brings all the flavors together and adds juiciness.
Ingredients
Potatoes, onion, parsley, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Boil the potatoes with their skins on, let them cool, peel them, and cut them into medium slices or pieces. Add chopped onion, parsley, and salt. Dress generously so that the oil soaks into the potato well.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
4. Tomato salad with flake salt and EVOO
A minimal recipe, one of those that prove that when the product is good, there's no need to complicate things.
Ingredients
Tomato, flake salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Cut the tomato into slices or wedges and arrange them on a platter. Add flake salt and finish with extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top. Serve immediately to preserve its freshness.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
5. Pipirrana (chopped salad)
Fresh, light, and very Mediterranean. The oil not only dresses but also provides balance and rounds out the whole dish.
Ingredients
Tomato, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Chop all the vegetables into small pieces and mix them in a bowl. Add salt and stir well. Finish with a good drizzle of EVOO and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Organic.
5 less common EVOO recipes to break the routine
6. Homemade hummus with extra virgin olive oil
A very practical recipe for snacking, sharing, or putting together a light meal with a bit more flair.
Ingredients
Cooked chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Blend the chickpeas with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until the mixture is creamy. Adjust the texture with a little water if needed. Serve with a drizzle of EVOO on top.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Organic.
7. Roasted vegetables with rosemary and EVOO
An easy way to turn simple vegetables into a much tastier and more appealing dish.
Ingredients
Zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, onion, rosemary, salt, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Cut the vegetables into medium pieces and place them on a baking sheet. Add salt, rosemary, and oil. Bake until tender and lightly golden, stirring once halfway through cooking.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Rosemary or Golden.
8. Burrata with orange, pistachios and EVOO
Fresh, elegant, and very visual. Ideal for a different starter without too much fuss.
Ingredients
Burrata, orange, pistachios, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Place the burrata in the center of the plate and arrange orange segments (peeled) around it. Add chopped pistachios and finish with a drizzle of EVOO just before serving.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden or Lemon.
9. Pasta with lemon and extra virgin olive oil
A light, Mediterranean-inspired recipe where the oil helps bind and add depth.
Ingredients
Pasta, lemon, grated cheese, black pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Cook the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water. Mix it with lemon zest, a few drops of juice, pepper, and EVOO. Add grated cheese and a little of the reserved water until it becomes creamier.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Lemon.
10. Fresh cheese, honey, and EVOO toast
An easy combination that works very well due to the contrast between creaminess, sweetness, and the oil's nuance.
Ingredients
Bread, fresh cheese or ricotta, honey, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Toast the bread and add a generous base of fresh cheese. Drizzle with honey and finish with a few drops of EVOO on top to add more depth to the dish.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden or Ginger and Honey.
5 surprising recipes with extra virgin olive oil
11. Greek yogurt with honey, walnuts, and EVOO
A different way to use oil in quick breakfasts or desserts, with a much more elegant result than it seems.
Ingredients
Greek yogurt, honey, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Serve the yogurt in a bowl and add honey and walnuts on top. Finish with a very thin drizzle of EVOO just before eating to give it a different and more well-rounded touch.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
12. Vanilla ice cream with EVOO and flake salt
An unusual but very interesting combination due to the contrast between sweet, fatty, and salty.
Ingredients
Vanilla ice cream, extra virgin olive oil, and flake salt.
Step by step
Serve a scoop of ice cream in a cold bowl. Add a few drops of EVOO on top and a pinch of flake salt. Serve immediately so the contrast is noticeable.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
13. Lemon cake with extra virgin olive oil
EVOO can replace other fats and leave a juicy, aromatic, and very pleasant result.
Ingredients
Flour, eggs, sugar, lemon, baking powder, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Beat the eggs with the sugar, add the oil, and then incorporate the lemon juice and zest. Mix with the flour and baking powder, pour into a mold, and bake until it rises and is golden brown.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Organic or Lemon.
14. Strawberries with honey and EVOO
A very simple, fresh, and different idea, perfect for those who want to start trying oil in sweet recipes too.
Ingredients
Strawberries, honey, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Wash and cut the strawberries in halves or slices. Add a little honey and stir gently. Finish with a few drops of EVOO on top just before serving.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden or Lemon.
15. Brownie with extra virgin olive oil
A less common but very interesting recipe to achieve a juicy texture and a deeper profile.
Ingredients
Dark chocolate, eggs, sugar, flour, and extra virgin olive oil.
Step by step
Melt the chocolate and mix it with eggs, sugar, and oil until you get a uniform batter. Incorporate the flour, pour into the mold, and bake until the center is cooked but still juicy.
Which Oliva Sí would be great with it
Oliva Sí Golden.
Which extra virgin olive oil to choose for each recipe
Not all recipes call for the same oil profile. In traditional dishes and raw recipes, an EVOO with more personality often works very well, because the oil is more noticeable and helps the dish gain character. For fresh, light, or citrus-based recipes, livelier or flavored profiles usually fit better. And when you're looking to surprise, a distinctive oil can be just what turns a normal recipe into something memorable.
To simplify:
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For toasts, tomato, salmorejo, or papas aliñás: Oliva Sí Golden
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For hummus, vegetables, greener dishes, and daily cooking: Oliva Sí Organic
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For fish, light pasta, creative salads, or fresh recipes: Oliva Sí Lemon
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For dishes with herbs, vegetables, or more gourmet touches: Oliva Sí Rosemary, Garlic, or Oregano