Is Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil Good?

December 12, 2025 •

4 min read

According to Consumer Reports, two of Trader Joe's extra virgin olive oils were rated as "Best Bets" in a blind taste test, noting their high quality at a low price. Deciding if Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a good option depends on your culinary preferences.

Quick Summary

This in-depth review of Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil covers its flavor, sourcing, quality, and value. This analysis helps determine if the affordable blend meets the standards of high-quality EVOO and compares it to other oils available at the store.

Key Points

Good Value for Quality: Trader Joe's Premium EVOO offers a great balance of authentic flavor and affordability for everyday use.
Sourced from a Blend: The oil is a cold-pressed blend of olives from Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Greece, ensuring consistent flavor.
Pleasing Flavor Profile: Expect a balanced taste with fruity, grassy, and peppery notes that work for most culinary applications.
Not Top-Tier: While good for daily cooking, it lacks the complexity of single-origin oils preferred by connoisseurs for finishing dishes.
Consider Your Use Case: For a versatile kitchen staple, it's an excellent choice, but for maximum flavor, consider one of TJ's single-origin options.

A high-quality extra virgin olive oil can enhance a simple dish. For those looking for good value, balancing price with quality is key. Trader Joe's, known for its affordable specialty items, offers a Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil that gets a lot of attention. With many choices, is this bottle a hidden gem or a budget-friendly option? This review examines the taste, quality, and versatility of Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil to help you make an informed decision.

Sourcing and Flavor Profile

Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a cold-pressed blend of olives from several Mediterranean and South American countries, including Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Greece. The olives are blended and packed in Italy for Trader Joe's. This multi-country blend is common and allows for a consistent product profile, regardless of regional harvest variations. The label says the oil has a golden-green color, a pleasant pungency, and flavors that are fruity and grassy with a peppery finish.

Flavor characteristics:

Fruity and Grassy Notes: The taste is often described as pleasantly fruity with a subtle grassy undertone.
Mildly Pungent: There is a noticeable pungency that indicates the presence of antioxidants, a hallmark of quality EVOO.
Peppery Finish: A peppery kick at the back of the throat is a clear indicator of a fresh, robust oil.

For cooking and dressing, this blend offers a reliable flavor that works across many dishes without being overly complex.

What Makes a Good EVOO?

The quality of extra virgin olive oil is judged by several key factors. True EVOO must meet strict standards for acidity and undergo taste testing to ensure there are no defects. The oil should be cold-pressed from the first pressing of the olives, meaning no high heat or chemicals were used in the extraction process, which helps preserve its flavor and beneficial polyphenols.

The EVOO checklist:

First Cold-Pressing: Ensures minimal processing and maximum flavor extraction.
Low Acidity: Must have an acidity level of no more than 0.8%.
No Flavor Defects: Taste and smell must be deemed excellent by lab tests.
High Polyphenol Content: Antioxidant levels are often associated with the fresh, peppery taste.

Comparison with Other Trader Joe's Olive Oils

Trader Joe's offers a variety of olive oils, each with a different profile and price point. The Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a strong contender. How does it compare against the store-brand options?


Feature	Trader Joe's Premium EVOO	Trader Joe's California Estate EVOO	Trader Joe's Sicilian Selezione EVOO
Sourcing	Blend from multiple countries (Italy, Spain, Argentina, Greece)	Exclusively from California olives, ensuring authenticity	From Sicilian olives, boasting a distinct terroir
Flavor Profile	Balanced, mildly fruity, grassy, and peppery	Mellow, fresh, clean, and fruity with a smooth finish	Intensely fruity, buttery, and notably peppery
Best For	General cooking, salad dressings, and marinades	Drizzling, dipping, and finishing dishes	Robust dishes, dipping artisan bread, and recipes where oil is a focal flavor
Price	Mid-range within the TJ's olive oil lineup	Slightly higher price point per ounce	Premium price for a distinctly regional profile

Overall Value and Verdict

For many home cooks, Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers a great balance of quality and affordability. It has a robust, authentic flavor that is better than many competitors. The sourcing practices, while a blend, still follow quality standards, ensuring a consistent product. Its well-rounded flavor profile makes it a versatile pantry staple, suitable for everything from sauteing to vinaigrettes.

Reasons to choose it:

Cost-Effectiveness: It provides excellent quality at an accessible price, a significant factor for budget-conscious consumers.
Versatility: The balanced flavor is not overpowering, making it suitable for everyday use.
Reliable Quality: It consistently receives praise for its authenticity and quality.

Potential drawbacks:

Less Complex Flavor: Those who want a specific, regional flavor profile for special dishes might find more complex options elsewhere (or within TJ's own higher-end offerings, like the Sicilian Selezione).
Blended Sourcing: Those who prefer a single-origin oil might not like the blend of olives from multiple countries. However, it's a trade-off for consistency and price.

Is Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil good? The answer is yes for most everyday cooking. It may not satisfy olive oil purists, but its consistent quality, balanced flavor, and exceptional value make it a smart choice for any kitchen. For those seeking a deeper flavor, other options like the California or Sicilian varieties offer a more specialized experience, but for daily culinary tasks, this blend truly shines.

Final Recommendations

For the best experience, use Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil for all-purpose needs such as sauteing vegetables, making pasta sauces, or whipping up a quick marinade. Reserve a more expensive, robust single-origin oil (like their California EVOO) for dishes where its flavor will truly be the star, such as dipping with crusty bread or finishing a salad.

Outbound Link

For more information on the standards and testing of olive oil, visit the North American Olive Oil Association naooa.org/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Trader Joe's confirms their olive oils meet the standards for extra virgin status, which includes being cold-pressed and meeting specific lab tests for quality.

Trader Joe's Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a blend of oils sourced from Italy, Spain, Argentina, and Greece. It is then carefully blended and packaged in Italy.

The oil has a golden-green color and a flavor profile that includes fruity and grassy notes with a distinct, peppery finish.

The 'best' olive oil depends on the use. The Premium EVOO is an excellent all-purpose choice, but the California Estate EVOO is preferred for delicate finishing, and the Sicilian Selezione for a more robust, fruity flavor.

Yes, Consumer Reports and other reviews frequently praise Trader Joe's for offering high-quality extra virgin olive oils at very competitive prices, making them a great value.

To preserve its freshness, store the olive oil in a cool, dark place away from heat and light. Once opened, use it within a couple of months for the best flavor.

Yes, its balanced flavor and quality make it suitable for everyday cooking, including sauteing, making marinades, and dressing pasta dishes.

The Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil is sold in a dark glass bottle, which helps protect the oil from light and oxidation, preserving its flavor and quality.