Comparison · Spices, oils & condiments
Argan Oil vs Olive Oil
Morocco cooks with olive oil daily, but its most famous oil is argan — the amber, nutty pressing from a tree that grows almost nowhere else on earth. They are not rivals so much as specialists: one is a versatile everyday cooking oil, the other a precious finishing oil to be used by the spoonful. Confuse them, or buy the wrong grade of argan, and you will waste both money and flavour.
- Read
- 6 min
- Comparing
- Culinary argan oil vs Olive oil
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
The short answer
In one paragraph
Culinary argan oil is pressed from roasted argan kernels grown in south-west Morocco — deeply nutty, amber, expensive, and used for finishing, dipping and amlou, not for frying. Olive oil is the everyday Moroccan cooking oil: robust, greener, far cheaper and heat-stable. Use olive oil to cook; use roasted argan oil, sparingly, to finish.
The key difference: Olive oil is a versatile cooking oil used generously; culinary argan oil is a rare, roasted finishing oil used by the drizzle — and only the roasted, food-grade version belongs in the kitchen.
At a glance
A side-by-side of the differences that matter.
| Aspect | Culinary argan oil | Olive oil |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Roasted argan kernels (Souss region, SW Morocco) | Pressed olives (Mediterranean, incl. Morocco) |
| Flavour | Rich, toasted, nutty | Fruity, peppery, grassy |
| Colour | Deep amber-gold | Green to golden |
| Smoke point | Low — not for high-heat frying | Higher — fine for everyday cooking |
| Best use | Finishing, dipping bread, drizzling, amlou | Frying, sautéing, dressing, cooking |
| Price | Expensive — labour-intensive to produce | Affordable everyday oil |
| Watch out for | Cosmetic (unroasted) argan is not for eating | 'Light' or blended oils diluted with other fats |
When to choose argan oil
Choose culinary argan oil to finish and flavour, never to fry. Its low smoke point and high price both argue for using it raw — drizzled over a tagine or couscous just before serving, poured into a dish for dipping bread, or blended with almonds and honey into amlou, the addictive Moroccan 'nut butter'. A little goes a long way; the toasted, nutty aroma is the whole point and heat destroys it.
Crucially, buy the right grade: culinary argan is pressed from roasted kernels and is food-safe, while cosmetic argan is unroasted and meant for skin and hair. Read the difference in our olive oil and argan oil in Morocco guide, see the culinary argan oil profile, taste it in amlou, and buy well with our where to buy argan oil guide.
When to choose olive oil
Choose olive oil for the actual cooking — it is the backbone fat of Moroccan kitchens, used to soften onions, build a tagine base, dress salads and finish soups like bissara. Morocco is itself a serious olive producer, and a good local oil is robust, peppery and green. Its higher smoke point makes it dependable for sautéing and frying, and its price means you can use it freely.
It is the versatile all-rounder to argan's specialist. For most recipes on this site, olive oil is the cooking fat and argan (if used at all) is the finishing flourish. Learn about Moroccan olives themselves in our Moroccan olives guide.
The buying trap to avoid
The single biggest mistake visitors make is buying cosmetic argan oil to cook with, or paying finishing-oil prices for a blend. Genuine culinary argan is roasted (so it smells toasty and nutty), sold in food shops and cooperatives, and noticeably darker and more aromatic than the pale, near-odourless cosmetic version. Because real argan is costly to make, suspiciously cheap 'argan oil' is usually cut with other oils.
- Culinary = roasted kernels, nutty smell, for eating; cosmetic = unroasted, for skin and hair.
- Buy from a cooperative or trusted food shop and smell it — real culinary argan is unmistakably toasty.
- An argan cooperative visit or an argan and amlou tour is the surest way to taste and buy the real thing.
The bottom line
Olive oil is your everyday cooking oil — robust, heat-stable and affordable. Culinary argan oil is a rare, roasted finishing oil to drizzle and dip, never to fry, and worth buying only in its food-grade form. Cook with olive, finish with argan, and you are using each exactly as a Moroccan kitchen does.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cook with argan oil?
Only gently, and it is wasteful to. Culinary argan oil has a low smoke point and a high price, so it is used raw — drizzled to finish, for dipping, or in amlou. For frying and sautéing, use olive oil instead.
What is the difference between culinary and cosmetic argan oil?
Culinary argan oil is pressed from roasted kernels, smells nutty and is meant for food. Cosmetic argan oil is unroasted, nearly odourless and intended for skin and hair. Do not cook with the cosmetic version.
Why is argan oil so expensive?
The argan tree grows almost only in south-west Morocco, and extracting the oil from its hard kernels is slow, labour-intensive work traditionally done by hand in cooperatives. That scarcity and effort make genuine argan oil far pricier than olive oil.
Is Moroccan olive oil good?
Yes — Morocco is a significant olive producer, and local oils are often robust, green and peppery. Olive oil is the daily cooking fat across Moroccan kitchens, from frying to dressing salads.