Lidia Bastianich’s Favorite Italian Olive Oils That Are Always In Her Pantry – Exclusive

Lidia Bastianich expanded upon the flavors of her favorite oils, which may help you decide whether they’re right for your cooking. “I like the Ligurian oil, which is light and buttery, and the North Lake oil,” she said. (A bottle of Ligurian oil can actually be purchased on Amazon, but it is a bit on the pricier side.) The culinary entrepreneur also explained that the middle of Tuscany offers a more peppery olive oil due to its higher amount of polyphenols — powerful antioxidants with claimed anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, according to the National Institutes of Health — while the southern part of Italy is known to opt for vegetable oil for soups, vegetables, and tomatoes.

But if hunting down all these regional oils seems like too much effort, there is a name brand that Bastianich tends to reach for on store shelves. “Olitalia is a great oil, and it’s pretty [widely] distributed,” she said. Olitalia is an Italian company that focuses on oils and vinegars, with everything from the classic extra virgin olive oil to organic oils to oils specifically designed for meats and pastas. Amazon, Eataly, Walmart, Albertsons, and more specialty supermarkets are all known to carry the brand — so head to the store and consider giving it a try when you’re ready to cook up some classic Italiano!

“Lidia Celebrates America: Flavors That Define Us” airs on May 30 at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on PBS and will be available for streaming on PBS’ website and the PBS app.