Olive oil coffee is espresso (or sometimes drip coffee) blended with cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. Starbucks introduced it as the Oleato line in 2023, branding the combination as a wellness drink with Mediterranean roots. Done well, the olive oil mellows espresso’s bitterness, adds a silky body, and contributes a subtle peppery finish. Done poorly, it tastes like coffee with a slick of cooking oil floating on top.
This guide covers what olive oil coffee actually is, the Starbucks Oleato menu and ingredient list, why olive oil works in coffee from a food-science standpoint, and how to make a properly emulsified version at home — both hot and iced.
What Is Olive Oil Coffee?
Olive oil coffee is exactly what it sounds like: brewed coffee or espresso with a measured amount of cold-pressed olive oil added. The Starbucks Oleato line uses Partanna brand cold-pressed Sicilian extra virgin olive oil — about 1 tablespoon per 16 oz (Grande) drink — added either before or during preparation, then blended/shaken/steamed in to emulsify the oil with the coffee.
The drink is part of a small wave of “fat-in-coffee” preparations:
| Drink | Fat | Source culture |
|---|---|---|
| Bulletproof / butter coffee | Grass-fed butter + MCT oil | American keto/biohacker |
| Cafe au lait | Whole milk | French |
| Yemeni qahwa with samn | Clarified butter | Yemeni traditional |
| Olive oil coffee (Oleato) | Extra virgin olive oil | Mediterranean / Starbucks 2023 |
The category isn’t new. What’s new is olive oil specifically — it has more nuanced flavor than butter or MCT oil, and it carries an intuitive “Mediterranean wellness” association.
Starbucks Oleato Menu
Starbucks launched Oleato in Italy in February 2023, then rolled it out to the U.S., U.K., and Asia through 2023–2024. The current menu (as of 2025) typically includes:
| Drink | Base | Added | Approximate ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oleato Caffè Latte | Hot espresso | Olive oil + steamed oatmilk | 1 tbsp olive oil per 16 oz |
| Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso | Iced espresso | Olive oil + oatmilk | 1 tbsp olive oil per 16 oz |
| Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew | Cold brew | Olive-oil-infused vanilla cold foam | 1 tbsp olive oil per 16 oz |
| Oleato Deconstructed | Hot espresso shot | Olive oil shot served alongside | 1 tsp olive oil shot |
Some markets also feature an “Oleato Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Iced Shaken Espresso” and seasonal variations.
Why Olive Oil Works in Coffee (When It Does)
Espresso is mostly water plus suspended oils (the natural lipids in coffee that produce crema). Adding olive oil works for two reasons:
- Emulsification with crema. Espresso’s foam is itself an oil-in-water emulsion. Fresh espresso contains surfactant compounds (melanoidins, proteins from the bean) that can stabilize a small amount of added oil if the drink is agitated briefly.
- Flavor blending. A mild, fruity extra virgin olive oil contributes peppery, grassy, slightly sweet notes that complement coffee’s chocolate and nut notes — similar to how olive oil pairs with bitter dark chocolate.
It works only with the right olive oil and the right technique:
- The olive oil must be fresh, cold-pressed, mild-to-medium intensity. Aggressive peppery oils overwhelm the coffee.
- The drink must be mixed quickly — shaken, frothed, or blended — to emulsify. A spoonful of oil floating on hot espresso will not blend on its own.
- The drink must be drunk soon after preparation. The emulsion breaks down within 5–10 minutes.
Recipe: Hot Olive Oil Latte (Starbucks Oleato Copycat)
This is the home version of the Oleato Caffè Latte.
Ingredients (1 drink, ~10 oz / 300ml)
- 2 shots fresh espresso (about 2 oz / 60ml)
- 1 tablespoon high-quality extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed, mild flavor — see picks below)
- 6 oz (180ml) whole milk or oat milk
- 1 tsp vanilla syrup or simple syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Pull a fresh double shot of espresso into a small frothing pitcher or heat-safe blender.
- Add 1 tablespoon of mild olive oil and the optional syrup.
- Whisk vigorously for 20 seconds, or blend on low for 5–10 seconds, or use a milk frother for 15 seconds. The oil should emulsify with the espresso into a glossy, smooth liquid — no visible oil layer on top.
- Steam the milk to about 150°F (or warm in microwave and froth with a hand frother).
- Pour the espresso-olive-oil mixture into a 10–12 oz mug.
- Pour the steamed milk on top, holding back the foam, then spoon the foam on top.
- Drink within 5 minutes — the emulsion is most stable while the drink is fresh.
Recipe: Iced Olive Oil Shaken Espresso
The iced version uses shaking (the shaken espresso technique) to force the oil into the coffee. This is what Starbucks does in-store.
Ingredients
- 2 shots fresh espresso (about 2 oz / 60ml)
- 1 tablespoon mild extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp brown sugar or vanilla syrup
- 1 cup ice
- 4 oz (120ml) oat milk or whole milk
Instructions
- Pull a fresh double espresso into a cocktail shaker.
- Add the olive oil and sweetener.
- Add 1 cup of ice and seal the shaker. Shake hard for 15–20 seconds — the ice helps emulsify and aerate the oil.
- Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice (the original ice will have melted partly).
- Top with cold milk.
- Stir once and drink. The shake creates a glossy, frothy texture similar to the iced shaken espresso — but with a velvety mouthfeel from the oil.
Choosing the Right Olive Oil
This is the single most important variable. Bad olive oil makes bad olive oil coffee. Look for:
| What to look for | Why |
|---|---|
| Cold-pressed (extra virgin) | Less acidity, more nuanced flavor |
| Mild-to-medium intensity | Peppery oils overpower coffee |
| Recent harvest date (printed on bottle, ideally within 12 months) | Stale oil tastes flat and rancid |
| Single-origin or single-estate | More consistent flavor |
| Glass or tin packaging, dark color | Light damages oil quality |
Recommended brands (widely available in the U.S.):
- Partanna (Sicily) — what Starbucks uses; mild, buttery, well-balanced
- California Olive Ranch Everyday — affordable, mild, consistent
- Lucini Premium Select — slightly fruitier
- Graza Sizzle — softer everyday oil that emulsifies well
Avoid: anything labeled “extra light,” “pure olive oil,” “olive pomace oil,” or generic store-brand olive oil. These are refined oils with most flavor compounds removed — they’ll taste oily without contributing the fruit and pepper character that makes olive oil coffee work.
Olive Oil Coffee Variations
| Variation | Add to base recipe |
|---|---|
| Vanilla Oleato | 1 tsp vanilla syrup; use Partanna or California Olive Ranch |
| Honey Oleato | 1 tsp honey instead of syrup; pairs with peppery oils |
| Cinnamon Oleato | Pinch of ground cinnamon on top; oat milk base |
| Olive Oil Cold Foam | Add 1 tsp olive oil + 1 tbsp heavy cream + 1 tsp vanilla syrup; froth into cold foam |
| Olive Oil Espresso Tonic | Espresso tonic + 1 tsp olive oil; the tonic’s quinine softens the oil’s pepper |
| Olive Oil Mocha | Hot olive oil latte + 1 tbsp chocolate syrup |
| Olive Oil Affogato | Vanilla ice cream + 1 shot espresso + 1 tsp olive oil + flaky sea salt |
Common Mistakes
- Using regular cooking olive oil. Refined oils have minimal flavor and won’t emulsify well with espresso. Use cold-pressed extra virgin only.
- Adding too much oil. 1 tablespoon per drink is the sweet spot. More than that produces a greasy texture without adding flavor.
- Skipping the emulsification step. Just pouring olive oil into a hot latte produces oil floating on top — unpleasant texture, separation visible. Always shake, blend, or vigorously froth.
- Using cold espresso. Heat helps olive oil emulsify into espresso. For iced versions, emulsify in hot espresso first, then add ice.
- Using stale olive oil. Olive oil that’s more than 18 months past harvest tastes flat and slightly rancid — it ruins the drink entirely.
- Drinking it 30 minutes later. The emulsion separates over time. Drink within 10 minutes of preparation.
Health and Caffeine Considerations
Each tablespoon of olive oil adds about 120 calories and 14g of fat to your drink. The fat is mostly monounsaturated (the kind associated with the Mediterranean diet’s cardiovascular benefits in long-term observational studies), but calorie-dense. A 16 oz Starbucks Oleato Latte runs about 350 calories — significantly more than a regular oat milk latte (190 calories).
Digestive note: combining a large amount of fat with espresso on an empty stomach can have a laxative effect for some people. This is well-documented anecdotally (and was a major topic in Oleato’s launch press coverage). If you’re sensitive, start with 1–2 teaspoons of oil rather than a full tablespoon, and drink it after food.
Caffeine: unchanged from regular espresso — about 64 mg per shot, 128 mg in a double-shot drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is olive oil coffee?
Olive oil coffee is espresso (or sometimes drip coffee) blended with cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, usually about 1 tablespoon per 16 oz drink. Starbucks popularized it as the Oleato line in 2023. The olive oil mellows the coffee’s bitterness, adds silky body, and contributes a peppery finish from the oil’s polyphenols.
Does olive oil in coffee taste good?
With the right oil and proper emulsification, yes — it tastes silky, slightly nutty, with a subtle peppery finish. With cheap or refined olive oil, it tastes greasy and unpleasant. The key variables are: a fresh cold-pressed mild extra virgin oil, vigorous shaking or frothing to emulsify, and drinking it within 5–10 minutes.
Is olive oil coffee healthy?
Olive oil itself has well-established cardiovascular benefits (the Mediterranean diet’s main fat source), but adding 1 tablespoon to a coffee adds 120 calories and 14g of fat. It’s not a calorie-neutral addition. For long-term health, olive oil is a better fat than butter or refined oils — but the drink is still a calorie-dense indulgence, not a health food.
Does olive oil in coffee make you poop?
For some people, yes — combining a tablespoon of olive oil with espresso on an empty stomach can have a laxative effect. This was widely reported during Starbucks Oleato’s 2023 launch. The combination of caffeine (which stimulates the colon) plus a sudden dose of fat (which triggers gallbladder release) can speed up digestion. Sensitivity varies by individual. Start with 1–2 teaspoons if you’re concerned, and have it after food.
What olive oil does Starbucks use in Oleato?
Starbucks uses Partanna brand cold-pressed Sicilian extra virgin olive oil for the Oleato line. It’s a mild, buttery oil with low pepper intensity — chosen specifically because it doesn’t overpower coffee. You can buy Partanna at most U.S. supermarkets, Whole Foods, and online.
Can I make olive oil coffee with just regular drip coffee?
Yes — drip coffee + olive oil works, but the result is different from espresso-based versions. Drip coffee has less suspended oil and no crema, so the olive oil emulsifies less stably. Whisk or blend vigorously and drink immediately. The flavor is brighter, less rich, and the oil is more noticeable. Espresso-based olive oil coffee is silkier.
How much olive oil should I put in coffee?
One tablespoon (15ml) per 12–16 oz drink is the sweet spot — enough to add silky body and noticeable flavor without making the drink greasy. For an 8 oz cortado-sized drink, use 2 teaspoons. For a small espresso, use 1 teaspoon. More than 1 tablespoon per 16 oz tips the drink into uncomfortable territory.
Why does my olive oil float on top of my coffee?
Because you didn’t emulsify it. Olive oil and water naturally separate. The drink must be shaken, blended, or frothed vigorously to disperse the oil into tiny droplets that stay suspended. Use a cocktail shaker, blender, or handheld milk frother for 15–20 seconds. Just stirring won’t work.
Is olive oil coffee Italian?
Adding olive oil to coffee is not a traditional Italian preparation — Starbucks invented and trademarked Oleato as a “Mediterranean-inspired” innovation in 2023. The cultural inspiration came from Howard Schultz observing Sicilians take a daily spoon of olive oil for health, but the combination with espresso is a modern Starbucks invention. Real Italians are mostly bemused by it.
Related Recipes
- Bulletproof / Butter Coffee — the keto fat-in-coffee classic
- Iced Shaken Espresso — the Starbucks copycat technique used here
- Yemeni Qahwa — traditional spiced coffee sometimes finished with samn (clarified butter)
- Cafe au Lait — French cousin of milky espresso drinks
- Vanilla Latte — for syrup pairing ideas
- Cold Foam — for cold foam variations