Is Olive Oil Gluten-Free?

Yes – olive oil is gluten-free as long as it is made only from olives, as most are. Read the label because anything is possible, but so far I’ve not run into olive oil that contains gluten. Light olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, and plain olive oil are all gluten-free. Flavored olive oils are generally safe but remember to read the label, as always. Cooking oil labels, even when several ingredients are listed, are usually quite easy to read and understand.

Plain canola oil, soybean oil, and vegetable oil are all gluten-free. Other safe oils (assuming they are just made from oil – read the label) are grapeseed, sesame, safflower, coconut, corn, and peanut. Vegetable shortening, such as Crisco, is gluten-free – both the butter and original versions.

Annie’s Naturals makes some gluten-free herb dipping oils and flavored olive oils. All of the items in their line that are gluten-free are labeled as such. The company maintains a gluten-free product list on its website. Annie’s Naturals sells travel-sized salad dressings, including an olive oil packet. The travel-sized olive oil and many of the dressings are gluten-free, making them handy when traveling or eating out at a place that can’t confirm the safety of their dressings for you.

Most cooking oil sprays are gluten-free, but both Crisco and Pam brands make a cooking spray with flour. On those products, wheat is listed clearly on the label, as required by law. Some store brands might have a version of the cooking spray with flour but they will also list wheat on the label if present.

Five Guys Burgers has dedicated fryers and uses peanut oil for their fries. They are probably the best French fries I’ve ever had. Anyone who is allergic to peanuts would want to avoid the fries at Five Guys, but the oil is safe for people who can’t tolerate gluten. Remember to ask if a restaurant has a dedicated fryer for French fries before ordering. Many places use the same fryer for all fried foods and therefore all items cooked in the fryer contain gluten.