How to Use Flavoured Olive Oils: Garlic, Chilli, Lemon, Basil and White Truffle

Updated October 2026 · By Andalucian Olives, a UK olive oil business in Lytham St Annes

Quick answer: flavoured olive oils are best used to finish food rather than for frying. Garlic suits bread, pasta and roast vegetables; chilli suits pizza, eggs and grilled meat; lemon suits fish, salads and chicken; basil suits tomatoes, mozzarella and pasta; and white truffle suits mushrooms, risotto, eggs and chips.

A good flavoured olive oil turns a plain dish into something special in seconds. Because heat dulls delicate flavours, the golden rule is simple: cook with plain olive oil, then finish with a flavoured one.

Garlic olive oil

Our organic garlic olive oil has a sweet roasted garlic aroma over a base of green olives. Use it for garlic bread without the chopping, tossed through pasta, brushed on roast potatoes in the last few minutes, or in marinades.

Chilli olive oil

Our organic chilli olive oil starts smooth and builds to a steady heat. Drizzle it over pizza, fried eggs, noodles, grilled steak or garlic prawns.

Lemon olive oil

Our organic lemon olive oil has a bright lemon zest aroma. It is excellent on grilled fish, salads, roast chicken, steamed greens and hummus, and makes a quick salad dressing with a splash of balsamic.

Basil olive oil

Our organic basil olive oil brings fresh herb flavour all year round. Spoon it over tomatoes and mozzarella, stir it into pasta, or use it on pan con tomate.

White truffle olive oil

Our white truffle olive oil adds a subtle, earthy luxury. A few drops are enough on mushroom risotto, scrambled eggs, mashed potato, chips or popcorn.

Three quick ideas

• Bread dip: a pool of basil or garlic oil with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a pinch of sea salt.

• Five-minute pasta: hot spaghetti, garlic oil, chilli oil and grated cheese.

• Lemon dressing: three parts lemon oil to one part vinegar, salt and pepper.

Frequently asked questions

Can you cook with flavoured olive oil?

You can, but gentle heat or finishing works best, because high heat fades the flavour.

How should I store flavoured olive oil?

Like any olive oil: cap closed, in a cool, dark cupboard away from the cooker.

Find all five in our shop.