Expensive or cheap olive oil for pesto?
Usually if I'm sauteeing some veggies or cooking with olive oil I will use a cheaper bottle, but if I am making a dressing or a dish where the oil really stands out I will go with a bottle from a specialty shop. I am making pesto for the first time and wondering which way I should go.
Best Answer
It doesn't need to be "expensive," but it should be extra virgin olive oil, not just regular olive oil. You don't cook a pesto, so the flavor of the olive oil will definitely stand out. Also, when buying/storing extra virgin olive oil, always go for a dark bottle and store in a cool dark place, as the oil is sensitive to light (just like beer or wine).
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What olive oil is best for pesto?
Extra virgin olive oil. Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil\u2014the flavor of the oil really comes through, so use something with a flavor you enjoy, something you'd dip bread into. Fresh garlic cloves.Can you use regular olive oil in pesto?
In a traditional basil pesto, the garlic goes in raw, but in many of these recipes, I tame its heat by blanching it in oil or roasting it to let the other flavors shine. Similarly, I use regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, because the latter can mask subtle flavors and tends to become bitter in the food processor.Is the a difference between cheap and expensive olive oil?
This has nothing to do with whether it's first cold press or refined. Prices on olive oil can be like wine - if it's a blend, it's cheap, it it's 'single grove' it's expensive. The actual quality may not be any different. Organic certification is also expensive to achieve & to maintain, which also affects the price.Is expensive olive oil better?
Is paying for better olive oil worth it? When you consider that a good bottle doesn't mean the priciest bottle\u2014and when you think about the capacity of better olive oils to enhance food\u2014the answer is yes. Simply put, good olive oil improves your food and, though more expensive, can actually save you money.How is Supermarket Pesto so Cheap when the Ingredients are so Expensive? | Food Unwrapped
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Answer 2
The one you already own.
And then you make a small quantity of pesto so to taste it, learn it, understand it. This way you can decide which way you want to go, and choose oil accordingly.
It's not a matter of the price itself, but of the taste that it adds to the pesto, and the taste you want for your: it's your kitchen and your food :-)
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