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Snag the $16 olive oil Giada De Laurentiis uses on ‘almost everything’ and enjoy tastier meals in 2024

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to cook more in 2024? Here’s something you'll savor: Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a favorite pantry staple of Food Network star and Italian clean-cooking queen Giada De Laurentiis, as she told Bon Appetit magazine. The fact that this kitchen essential has a culinary icon's endorsement is enough to make our ears perk up — but did we mention it's also an extremely affordable $16 at Amazon? We'll take a whole case of olive oil, please!

A drizzle of this liquid gold will elevate salads, roasted veggies and everything in between. It's vegan, kosher and paleo-friendly.

$18 at Amazon

In case you think a celebrity chef like De Laurentiis uses only ultra-high-end extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) imported from Italy, think again: Her beloved Lucini is $16 for a 16.9-ounce bottle at Amazon. Oh, and it’s actually made in Argentina!

EVOO isn’t your run-of-the-mill olive oil. It’s made from the first cold-pressing of the olives — a time-consuming process — so it’s unrefined, as well as purer, tastier, healthier and even lighter in color. It’s the holy grail of olive oils and the only type that real-deal, health-conscious foodies would ever use for dripping and drizzling — and, in many cases, cooking, too.

Giada De Laurentiis
If Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis is devoted to Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you know it has to be next-level. (Getty Images)

Of course, that means EVOO is usually more expensive than other olive oils, but Lucini’s price point is totally reasonable for something so frequently used in the kitchen.

De Laurentiis told Bon Appetit that she uses Lucini EVOO on “almost everything,” including salads and even her morning oatmeal. “There’s no such thing as too much olive oil,” she said. And since De Laurentiis is Italian, you know she takes her olive oil seriously.

two bottles of olive oil
Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil tops Giada De Laurentiis' shopping list — this year, it should top yours, too. (Amazon)

Amazon customers are just as satisfied with the flavor that Lucini delivers. “I went to Italy six years ago and stayed at a vineyard where they make their own organic olive oil. This Lucini olive oil tastes so much like that in Tuscany; it’s the only kind I will use,” wrote one five-star reviewer.

Some might argue that EVOO shouldn’t be used in cooking — only for dressing and garnishing — but De Laurentiis proudly cooks with it, as does her (very opinionated) fellow famous chef Gordon Ramsay. Even the Culinary Institute of America recommends cooking with EVOO.

And then there are all the little-known foods and dishes you can garnish with EVOO. Nope, it’s not just salads — feel free to pour Lucini on ice cream, drizzle it on cheese and even sprinkle it on a fruit salad.

Amazon shoppers are loving Lucini’s myriad uses, but mostly they’re loving the price. “Love a REAL olive oil that doesn't break the bank but gets the flavor job done,” wrote one.

Another explained why De Laurentiis may opt to use an Argentinian EVOO instead of one from her motherland. “Lucini is one of a few medium-priced EVOOs that limit the acidity level to 0.05%, which is the mark of a high quality EVOO in Italy,” they said. “Having experienced taste-testing of high-quality EVOO in Italy, this is excellent quality. I use it for everyday cooking as well as for salad dressing and tossed with pasta.”

"Excellent olive oil," wrote a final fan, though they do warn: "Slightly acidic, though."

When a respected chef like De Laurentiis gave Lucini her seal of approval, we knew it was the pantry staple we needed in our lives.

$18 at Amazon

Another Food Network star kitchen essential? Ina Garten's beloved Lodge Cast Iron Skillet:

The Barefoot Contessa herself is a fan of this heavy-duty pan, made of durable cast iron and designed to last for eons. It comes pre-seasoned, so you can start cooking right away. 

Read our full Lodge Cast Iron Skillet review for more. 

$20 at Walmart
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.