The Best Olive Oil In Aldi Stores Is Practically Restaurant Quality

Olive oil is a crucial pantry staple and Aldi shoppers who revel in getting impressive discounts are in luck. Sitting on one of the many Aldi shelves is an olive oil that's so top notch, it's good enough to be used by any restaurant worth its weight in, well, olives.

In a ranking of six olive oils at Aldi, Tasting Table's taste tester Hayley Hamilton Cogill noted one that stood out from the rest. As a regular Aldi shopper, Cogill noted that the Specially Selected Premium Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil was far and away superior to the others. A mouthful of a name? Sure. But a delicious mouthful all the same.

"Trying the oil, I found this cold-pressed EVOO's taste was superior to the others," said Cogill, noting flavors of freshly cut grass, wild artichoke, and fruity green apple. The mouthfeel of this oil was also a huge help in getting it the number one spot. Compared to some of the other olive oils in the tasting, which were lacking in the unctuous, rich texture, Specially Selected's smooth, buttery mouthfeel was a memorable part of the tasting experience. 

Cogill also noted the "best if used by date" on each of the olive oils she tried, and unlike the other five, the Specially Selected olive oil was the only one to include the 2024 harvest date. This is an important, albeit often overlooked, piece of information. Buying the freshest product is essential since olive oil starts to lose its antioxidants about two years post harvest.

Finding a top notch olive oil that also happens to be reasonably priced ($12.09 for a 16.9 oz bottle) is something to celebrate, so it's no surprise that fans have been singing its praises. It's a flavorful olive oil that also happens to be extremely versatile — a Tasting Table writer even uses this Aldi olive oil in her morning coffee for a creamier, more flavorful experience.

On Reddit, one user noted the many applications they use this specific olive oil for, including breads, salads, pizza, olive oil cake and just about any oil drizzling needs. "That's my favorite oil!" the user said, while another Redditor had similar feelings. "We tried many brands until Aldi's Sicilian," the user said. "None better! We will not change unless quality changes. Dark bottle, harvest date and the best taste of all we tasted."

That all said, the Specially Selected Sicilian EVOO doesn't have a 100% perfect rating with the online crowd. One user categorized it as good, not great, but decent,, while another said it's good but not quite as good as the Whole Foods brand Spanish olive oil they buy for $12.99 per 16.9 oz bottle. Considering the price tag and the overall high praise, we think it's worth picking up.