We all know that olive oil can be used as for sautéing, baking and frying foods. You may even use it to make a dipping sauce for bread and crackers or as a marinade for meat and fish. Below, we’ve listed five ways to use olive oil that you may have never heard of. Do you have any unique ways that you use olive oil? Buy a bottle of Seka Hills Arbequina oil and share your ideas with us in the comments!
Pour over ice cream
Yes, you read that right. Olive oil ice cream may sound strange, but those who have tried it say it’s delicious. The reason extra-virgin olive oil goes so well with ice cream is due to the contrast of the earthy, green, spicy oil and the creamy, cold dairy. We recommend sticking with original vanilla ice cream for this delicious treat.
Top your cheese plate
Drizzling high quality olive oil over the cheese on your charcuterie board is a no-brainer. It adds texture and gives the cheese a nice “kick.” You can also marinate fresh cheese in olive oil with herbs and spices to add more depth of flavor.
Drizzle over popcorn
Ditch the processed microwave bags of popcorn and prepare it on the stove. Then, drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Olive oil is a healthy substitute for butter and is packed with polyphenols, micronutrients that help prevent blood clots, reduce blood sugar levels and decrease your risk of heart disease. Bonus points if you add in melted dark chocolate for a sweet and savory movie night snack!
Swirl into soup
This trick is best with lean soups such as lentil, pea, butternut squash or other pureed vegetable soups. Not only does this add to the flavor of your soup, it also adds to the presentation, making the dish look more appetizing. A tablespoon of oil per serving is just enough to add richness and flavor to each spoonful.
Make your own salad dressing
Tired of boring (and sometimes unhealthy!) salad dressings? Make your own basic vinaigrette using olive oil! You can find various recipes online, but we recommend combining olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes if you like spice.