5 Good Reasons to Buy Our Olive Oil for Salads

Lumìa, our olive oil for salads, is 100% Italian early-harvest extra virgin olive oil for greens, vinaigrettes and fresh tomatoes: walnut husk, red apple, wild chicory and a peppery finish.

Olive oil for salads, an extra virgin olive oil eaten raw over leaves, tomatoes and vegetables, should be chosen for flavor, because on a salad you taste it directly. Lumìa, early harvested in Fall 2025 and cold-extracted in Italy, brings walnut husk and red apple to the nose and wild chicory with a peppery finish to the palate. Each 500 mL bottle is $55.

5 Good Reasons to Buy Our Olive Oil for Salads

1. Early-Harvest EVOO for Fresh Salads

A fresh salad, greens or raw vegetables served with a dressing, is where an olive oil has nowhere to hide: nothing heats it and nothing covers it.Extra virgin olive oil, the highest grade defined by the International Olive Council, is the grade to use raw, and Lumìa, early harvested in Fall 2025, brings the green, lively character that a refined oil lacks; see why harvest timing shapes Lumìa.

2. Walnut Husk, Red Apple, Wild Chicory and Pepper

Aroma, the fragrance the oil releases as it meets the leaves, opens with walnut husk, a green nutty note, and red apple, a ripe, rounded fruitiness. On the palate comes wild chicory, a clean vegetal bitterness, then a peppery finish. Bitterness and pungency are positive attributes of fresh extra virgin olive oil in the International Olive Council's sensory method, and the peppery catch is associated with oleocanthal. Learn to recognize them in our guide to tasting olive oil.

3. For Vinaigrettes and Homemade Dressings

A vinaigrette, an emulsion of oil and an acid such as vinegar or lemon, usually starts at about three parts oil to one part acid. With lemon it becomes a citronette; with our Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP it turns rounder and sweeter. An Italian saying sums up the method: dressing a salad takes four people, a wise one for the salt, a miser for the vinegar, a spendthrift for the oil and a madman to toss it. Our article on how to dress a salad with olive oil gives three basic dressings.

4. For Leafy Greens, Tomatoes and Mediterranean Salads

Bitter leaves such as arugula and radicchio meet Lumìa's chicory bitterness; ripe tomatoes and mozzarella in a caprese take its fruit and pepper; and the Sicilian orange and fennel salad, sliced oranges with raw fennel, olives and oil, shows how well it pairs with citrus. For raw vegetables served with oil for dipping, see our Italian olive oil for vegetables.

5. 100% Italian, Cold-Extracted and Measured

Lumìa is 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil, early harvested in Fall 2025, cold-extracted in Italy and selected by a family with olive groves in Palma di Montechiaro and Pozzallo, Sicily. Its 2025 harvest analysis recorded 564 mg/kg of total polyphenols at milling and 0.13% free acidity; these measurements describe the oil at the time of analysis, not its current composition. For more on what the polyphenol figure means, see our high polyphenol olive oil. For a raw drizzle beyond salads, see our finishing olive oil.

How to Use Lumìa on Salads

1. Green salad: dry the leaves well so the oil clings instead of pooling, salt them, add a little vinegar or lemon, then Lumìa, and toss just before serving.
2. Classic vinaigrette: 3 tablespoons of Lumìa, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar or lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard to help it emulsify; shake in a closed jar.
3. Caprese: sliced tomatoes and mozzarella with basil, flaky salt and a generous raw drizzle of Lumìa.
4. Sicilian orange and fennel salad: sliced oranges, shaved fennel and black olives, finished with Lumìa, salt and black pepper.
5. Grain and legume salads: dress farro, chickpeas or lentils with Lumìa, lemon and fresh herbs while the grains are still slightly warm, so they absorb the oil.

Quick Questions About Olive Oil for Salads

What is the best olive oil for salads?

An extra virgin olive oil with a fresh, fruity aroma, some bitterness and a peppery finish. On a salad the oil is eaten raw, so its flavor matters more than in cooking.

Is early-harvest olive oil good for salads?

Yes. Early-harvest extra virgin olive oils tend to have greener, more bitter and more peppery flavors, which stand out when the oil is used raw. Lumìa comes from the Fall 2025 early harvest.

What is the ratio of olive oil to vinegar in a vinaigrette?

About three parts olive oil to one part vinegar or lemon juice is a good starting point. Taste, then adjust for the vinegar's acidity and your preference.

How do Italians dress a salad?

Usually at the table, in a simple order: salt first, then a little vinegar or lemon, then generous olive oil, then a good toss. Many Italians skip a mixed dressing altogether.

Where can I buy Lumìa olive oil for salads?

You can buy Lumìa directly from Milan Truffle on this page. Each 500 mL bottle of 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil is $55.

Have another question? Write to info@milantruffle.com.

Buy Lumìa Olive Oil for Salads

Lumìa, 500 mL of early harvest, 100% Italian extra virgin olive oil, is $55. Choose your quantity and add it to your cart. Serving bread with the salad? See our olive oil for bread dipping. For complete specifications and customer reviews, visit our original Lumìa Extra Virgin Olive Oil product page.