Somewhere along the way, people were taught that olive oil is too delicate to fry in. Tell that to any Greek grandmother standing over a pan of potatoes, or to the tavernas that have fried their calamari, keftedes and zucchini in olive oil for generations.
Olive oil is one of the most heat-stable cooking fats there is. The real question is not whether to fry in it, but which olive oil to reach for, and how to treat it once the pan is hot.
The Smoke Point Myth
The warning usually rests on one number: the smoke point, the temperature at which an oil starts to give off visible smoke. Good extra virgin olive oil smokes at roughly 190 to 210°C, about 375 to 410°F. Most pan frying happens between 160 and 190°C (325 to 375°F), and deep frying sits at around 175 to 190°C (350 to 375°F).
In other words, a good extra virgin oil is comfortably inside the range for everyday frying. And smoke point is only half the story. What matters just as much is how well an oil resists breaking down under heat, and olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fat, holds up better than most seed oils. We go deeper into the research in Can You Cook With Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
The question is not whether to fry in olive oil. It is which olive oil to reach for.
Extra Virgin or a Frying Blend?
Both have a place, and they are good at different things.
Shallow frying, sautéing, eggs, a pan of potatoes. You can taste the oil, and that is the point.
Deep frying and long, hot sessions. A higher smoke point and a neutral flavour that lets the food speak.
Cheap and neutral, but without the story, and without olive oil's long frying tradition.
Extra virgin oil carries its flavour into the food. That is wonderful in a pan of eggs or a few slices of fried halloumi. It is less wonderful when you are filling a deep pot for fried chicken and want the chicken, not the oil, to be what people taste. It also costs more to fill a fryer with.
That is why restaurants that fry in olive oil often use a blend made for the job: an olive oil engineered to stay stable at high heat, with a clean, neutral flavour.
Kouzina: the oil we make for the fryer
Kouzina, Greek for kitchen, is our high-heat frying oil. It is an olive oil blend with a smoke point above 470°F (about 243°C), a clean, neutral flavour, and the stability to stay clear in the fryer longer.
It is the only oil we blend. Our extra virgin oils never are. Kouzina exists for one job, and until now it went only to restaurant kitchens. It now comes in single 3-litre bottles for home cooks.
How to Fry Well
Heat it gently, then hold it
Bring the oil up over medium heat until it shimmers. For deep frying, a simple clip-on thermometer is the best few dollars you will spend: 175 to 185°C (350 to 365°F) suits most foods. If the oil starts to smoke, turn the heat down. Smoke is the oil telling you it is past its comfortable range.
Don't crowd the pan
Every piece of cold food you add drops the temperature. Fry in small batches so the oil recovers quickly. Food fried in oil that is hot enough absorbs less of it and comes out crisp rather than greasy.
Dry what you fry
Water is what makes oil spit and foam. Pat vegetables and fish dry, and shake off excess batter or flour.
160–190°C (325–375°F): where most pan frying happens.
175–190°C (350–375°F): the usual range for deep frying.
190–210°C (375–410°F): roughly where good extra virgin olive oil starts to smoke.
Above 243°C (470°F): Kouzina's smoke point.
Reusing Frying Oil
A stable oil can be used more than once. When it has cooled, strain it through a fine sieve or a coffee filter to catch the crumbs, which are what burn and break the oil down next time. Store it sealed, somewhere cool and dark.
Retire it when it turns dark and thick, smells sharp or fishy, foams, or starts smoking at a lower heat than it used to. And never pour old oil down the drain: let it cool, seal it in a container, and put it out with the rubbish or take it to a recycling point.
Kouzina Frying Oil, 3 Litres
Our high-heat olive oil blend, now in single bottles for home kitchens. $34.99, with free shipping as a welcome offer.
Temperatures are typical ranges; an individual oil's smoke point depends on its quality and freshness. Kouzina specifications are from our product sheet.