Olive Oil & Vinegar Usage Ideas

Many of our customers are looking for ways to expand their daily usage of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. The opportunities are truly endless!  We have started a brief list of ideas to get your mind racing.  

We would love to hear your ideas!  Shoot us a quick email and we will work on getting it posted pronto! 

Olive Oil Usage Ideas

We have included a few usage ideas for both culinary and non-culinary applications. There are certainly more but we hope a few of these ideas get you thinking well beyond the basics!  

Culinary Usage Applications for Olive Oil

  • Of course, bread dipping
  • Make a vinaigrette with your favorite balsamic vinegar (see Recipe Section) and/or Perfect Pairings for ideas)
  • As a marinade with balsamic vinegar, soy sauce or fruit juices (1 to 1 ratio)
  • Drizzle over rice, quinoa or couscous
  • Make homemade mayonnaise
  • Brush onto meat, fish or poultry before grilling or roasting
  • Use in homemade pasta sauces, soups and stews
  • Drizzle over potatoes and other vegetables for roasting
  • Put in olive oil mister and use in place of commercial, aerosol spray oils (containing many other unhealthy ingredients)
  • Drizzle over crusty Italian bread season with herbs and sea salt, and toast in oven/broiler
  • In prepared foods in place of butter or margarine (see Butter to Oil Conversion Guidelines)
  • In baked goods (see Recipe Section and/or Butter to Oil Conversion Guidelines)
  • Make a heart healthy pesto (olive oil, basil, walnuts or pine nuts, parmesan cheese and blend in food processor)
  • As a finishing oil over cooked foods

Non-Culinary Usage Applications for Olive Oil

There are hundreds of uses for Olive Oil outside of the kitchen, here are some of our favorites:

  • As a moisturizer (skin, cuticles, lips and scalp)
  • To polish wood
  • To remove eye make up
  • Shine-up stainless steel
  • Deep condition hair
  • As a component in homemade skin scrubs
  • To remove sap, tar or paint from your skin
  • As a conditioner for leather

Balsamic Vinegar Usage Ideas

  • Blend with olive oil for a healthy, preservative-free, vinaigrette (see Recipe Section)
  • As a marinade with your favorite olive oil (1 to 1 ratio - see our Perfect Pairings for ideas)
  • Drizzled over fruits, cakes and pastries
  • Served with a gourmet cheese platter
  • To decorate plates prior to serving (thicker styles - Aceto Riserva, Bordeaux Cherry)
    Balsamic Drink (sparking water, splash of balsamic vinegar (especially white balsamics), lemon twist and ice)
  • To dip cooked meats
  • In place of refined sugar to sweeten up your homemade sauces (homemade tomato sauce, chilis and stews)
  • As a marinade with your favorite olive oil (1 to 1 ratio - see our Perfect Pairings)
    Sauté mushrooms with olive oil and splash of balsamic for a touch of sweetness
  • Drizzle over oven roasted vegetables upon serving
  • In baked goods such as cookies, cakes and brownies (see Recipes Section)