Only This Trader Joe's Olive Oil Is Made Exclusively With Italian Olives

Olive oil is one of the most versatile pantry staples there is, great for everything from jazzing up store-bought sauces to making your own salad dressing to sauteeing meat, fish, or vegetables. If you're looking to stock up, cult favorite grocery store Trader Joe's can be an ideal spot to do so, even if there are some things worth hating about shopping there. However, not all olive oil is created equally. If you're on a Trader Joe's run, you should be aware that, in addition to navigating the question of extra virgin olive oil vs other types, there's only one olive oil in the shop that's made with strictly Italian olives, and that's Trader Giotto's Selezione Sicilian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.

This olive oil is one of TJ's specialty items, and is made with three different varieties of olives, all sourced from the Italian island of Sicily, where the olive oil is pressed. The result is an especially robust, flavorful olive oil that's great for drizzling onto everything from pasta and pizza to a perfect Caprese salad. In fact, it's flavorful enough, with a buttery mouthfeel and peppery finish, that the Trader Joe's website recommends using it all on its own as a dip for crusty bread.

Trader Giotto's Selezione Sicilian Extra-Virgin Olive Oil is just one olive oil available at Trader Joe's (although not all stores will have the same selection — for instance, the world's smallest Trader Joe's has limited stock). The differences between the olive oils can be important when you're choosing one. While Trader Giotto's oil is especially flavorful, that's not always what you're looking for in an olive oil. In fact, if you're trying to find a cooking oil for frying, sauteeing, or even making vinaigrette, you might prefer the everyday value of TJ's simple liter of extra virgin olive oil. This is a tasty oil, but its flavors won't overpower your ingredients.

Even if you're looking for a more distinctive, flavorful olive oil, Trader Joe's has options. In addition to the Sicilian oil, the store stocks a Greek extra virgin olive oil that packs a different but equally flavorful punch. It's from the island of Crete and has a fruitier, brighter finish that can be especially nice to offset rich pasta dishes or hearty vegetables like grilled eggplant and zucchini.