Spotlight Series: All About Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil

You may know the Castelvetrano as that lovable green table olive with a distinct buttery, mild flavor and crisp texture. A hit with newbie olive fans, this popular Sicilian olive shows up on olive bars, on antipasto spreads, on cheese boards and in some of your favorite Mediterranean dishes. But what is Castelvetrano olive oil?

DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an authentic extra virgin olive oil made with the 100% Sicilian Castelvetrano Olives packaged in a convenient chef-inspired squeeze bottle.

• 100% Extra Virgin
• 100% Italian
• 100% Sicilian Olives
• 100% Squeezable

We source these superior olives from family-owned Sicilian orchards, where they are harvested green, crisp and fresh. Only the best of the best olives are selected to press and make into this exclusive dolce (buttery sweet) olive oil.

Whether you’re an olive lover who digs that beautifully bold olive flavor or you just like the health benefits that olive oil offers, DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is ready to upgrade your everyday dishes—from pan-frying and sautéing to dressing and drizzling.

Shop DeLallo Castelvetrano Olive Oil:

What Is Castelvetrano Olive Oil?

DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an authentic Italian olive oil made with the first cold press of your favorite green Sicilian olives. Olive oils can be made with any number of olives from any number of countries, but Castelvetrano olive oil is a single country of origin oil. More specifically, this oil is made with one variety of Italian olive from one region: Sicily. Castelvetrano olives, also known as Nocellara del Belice, come from the Belice Valley of Sicily. These olives are picked when they are green and crisp, known for creating EVOO that is dolce (sweet), bright and fruity with a pleasantly peppery finish. Castelvetrano extra virgin olive oil is a versatile oil perfect for everything, everyday. Use it in your daily cooking, dressing, drizzling, marinating and sautéeing—this is why it is packed in a convenient squeeze bottle.

Reasons You’ll Love This Olive Oil

Our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is ready to become the MVP of your kitchen.

• This authentic, single-country-of-origin EVOO is made with the first cold press of Sicilian olives. This process extracts the oil without heat or chemicals, letting the natural raw olive flair shine through.
• Castelvetrano EVOO in particular, is bright, fruity and buttery with a subtle dolce sweetness—never overpowering.
• It’s a tasty olive oil that is great enough for everyday use, both in its raw form and as a cooking oil. Meaning you can use it for coating your sauté pan or baking sheet before cooking, but also for finishing your roasted veggies or grilled meats with a hearty drizzle. There’s not much this Italian extra virgin olive oil can’t do!
• Because our exclusive Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made to be used in your everyday cooking and preparations, it comes kitchen-ready in a convenient, chef-inspired squeeze bottle.
• The squeeze bottle gives you more precision and more control over how much you use—no more accidental over-pouring.
• The dark green plastic bottle with adjustable attached screw cap is made to protect the oil from degradation (due to light and air).
• Recyclable #1 PET plastic. It’s just another reason why we know you’ll love it.

The Growing Region, Harvesting, And Our Curing Process

Castelvetrano olives, also known as Nocellara del Belice, are from the Belice Valley of Sicily. DeLallo sources olives from local family-owned Sicilian orchards in this region. Castelvetrano olives are picked when they are young and green. From there, olives are washed and sorted. Only the best of the best olives are chosen for our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Once sorted, olives are quickly taken to be pressed, so the oil can be extracted. Speed from harvesting to pressing is essential, which is why our press is centrally located among the surrounding olive groves.

Our third-party testing results are posted for all to see, so take a look! We expect the best and you should too. Click here to view our latest verification results.

Many so-called “extra virgin” olive oils are blends of substandard olive oils and some aren’t even the Italian product they say they are. For instance, just because an oil is bottled in a particular country, it doesn’t mean that the olives are grown in that country.

The Best Ways To Use Castelvetrano Olive Oil

If you have no other oil on-hand, let it be DeLallo Castelvetrano Olive Oil. This versatile oil can be the workhorse of your kitchen. While it is a superior extra virgin olive oil, it is still meant to be enjoyed, not hidden away in your pantry waiting for a special occasion.

• Grilled meats and poultry.
• Roasted vegetables.
• Soups and stews.
• Pizzas and flatbread.
• Leafy green salads and caprese.
• Hot and cold pasta dishes.
• Italian subs, wraps and paninis.
• Crostini toasts, bruschetta and hummus dips.
• Ice cream and yogurt.

An everyday cooking oil.

Olive oil is a heart-healthy cooking oil with so many uses in the kitchen. Use it to sauté, sear, pan-fry, bake, braise and more. The squeeze bottle makes it easy to use and to control—a kitchen-ready ingredient, whether you need a little or a lot.

• Italian beef and braised meats.
• Baked chicken dishes.
• Pasta recipes.
• Meat and vegetable sautés.
• Pesto and other oil-based sauces.
• Homemade bread.
• Italian-style cakes and cookies.

Castelvetrano Substitutes

If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a great substitute. It is another authentic EVOO made with 100% Italian olives that are cold pressed to capture that big, bold olive flavor you love. Our DeLallo Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil is another great substitute for raw applications, where it can truly shine as the masterpiece that it is. This EVOO is made with an artful blend of hand-selected Italian olives that are cold pressed and bottled to become our signature DeLallo family blend.

Castelvetrano Olive Oil: FAQ

Is Castelvetrano Olive Oil Derived From Castelvetrano Olives?

Yes, Castelvetrano extra virgin olive oil is made with the famous Sicilian green Castelvetrano. As a table olive, the Castelvetrano is picked when youthful and green and then quickly cured to maintain its crisp, meaty texture but with an irresistible mild, buttery flavor. It is known as the perfect beginner olive for the olive newbie. When Castelvetranos are harvested for oil, they are picked at that same young state, but instead of being cured for eating, they are cold-pressed and packaged up to capture that green-olive goodness. Learn more about Castelvetrano olives here.

What Does Castelvetrano Olive Oil Taste Like?

DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil boasts a fruity, buttery olive flavor with grassy, notes and a gentle peppery finish. To enjoy its beautiful raw olive flavor, use it uncooked as a dressing or a finishing drizzle.

Does Castelvetrano Olive Oil Taste Different From Traditional Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Extra virgin olive oil derives its taste from the olive varieties used in its production. That said, all extra virgin olive oils differ in flavor, aroma, color, etc. Castelvetrano olives are harvested young when they are crisp and full of bright, fruity flavor. The resulting extra virgin olive oil captures those characteristics and makes an especially tasty and robust extra virgin olive oil.

Why Is This Olive Oil In A Squeeze Bottle?

Our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made to be enjoyed, which is why we package it up in this convenient, chef-inspired squeeze bottle. This squeeze bottle allows you better control and precision over the oil—a secret of kitchens and most restaurants. Whether you need a little or a lot, you won’t have to worry about over-pouring or accidental spillings. Moreover, this green plastic bottle protects from light and air, which can degrade the oil. It is made with #1 PET plastic, so it is also recyclable. Our Castelvetrano EVOO squeeze bottle is a great companion in the kitchen, ready to lend a hand with all of your everyday dishes.

What Does “Extra Virgin” Olive Oil Mean?

For an olive oil to be called “extra virgin,” it must be produced with the first cold pressing of olives. No heat or chemicals can be used to extract the oil. Producers of extra virgin olive oils must follow super strict sensory and chemical parameters to include acidity, coloring, aroma, etc. It really is an art!

What Is The Difference Between Traditional Extra Virgin Olive Oil And Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

When it comes to traditional extra virgin olive oils and our Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the difference lies in the olive varieties that are featured. DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made solely with olives grown and harvested in the Belice Valley of Sicily. Other extra virgin olive oils can be made with more than one variety, from more than one point of origin. These extra virgin olive oils are often called “blends.” The type of olives used in an olive oil determine its characteristics, from flavor profile to color. To be called “extra virgin olive oil,” olive oils must be made from the first cold press of olives—along with a number of strict chemical and sensory parameters (color, acidity, aroma, etc.).

Is Castelvetrano Olive Oil Good For You?

Yes, Castelvetrano extra virgin olive is good for you, as are all olive and olive oils. It is widely known that olives and olive oils are key components of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet has been proven to cut down the risks associated with heart disease and stroke. Olives are high in monounsaturated fatty acids or “good fats,” which can help to lower cholesterol. Along with this, olives are high in antioxidants, which have anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have also shown a link between higher olive oil consumption and lower instances of certain types of cancers, dementia and cardiovascular disease.

How Best To Store This?

How do you store extra virgin olive oil? EVOO should be kept in a dark, cool cabinet or cupboard away from heat and light. This is to protect its quality. Light and heat can degrade your olive oil. For more information on proper olive oil storage, check our article: H.A.L.T. - How To Store Your Olive Oil.

Where Can I Buy Castelvetrano Olive Oil?

You can purchase DeLallo Castelvetrano Extra Virgin Olive Oil on our website DeLallo.com