The Surprisingly Delicious Pairing Of Olive Oil And Ice Cream

Every so often, we hear about weird food combinations that just work. Who knew that peanut butter and pickle sandwiches were once a thing, per Robust Recipes. This unexpected combo became a go-to, specifically for New Yorkers, during the Great Depression. But that's not the only food coupling oddity we've seen or experienced. 

If you've ever had the urge to use ice cream as a dip for your fries, there's a science behind the wacky way some people are predisposed to dip french fries into their Wendy's Frosty. The culinary odd couples don't end there. For some, the gag reflex kicks in when we see pineapple atop a pizza, yet there is definitely a portion of the food population who enjoy this pairing.

Well, we've found another mystifying food pairing that may or may not become the dynamic dessert duo your taste buds have been waiting for. Per La Cucina Italiana, olive oil and ice cream make for a delicious pairing that will keep you lifting your spoon to your mouth. It may sound like a hard no because it is so unusual, but before you shun this twosome, we have a few reasons why you should try it.

According to First For Women, the combination of olive oil and ice cream is the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The site describes the taste of the olive oil against that of this creamy, frozen dessert as aromatic and decadent; while Serious Eats boasts that the flavor can also be fruity and peppery, depending on what type of olive oil you choose. 

There must be something to it because even celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis has taken to Instagram to share her own recipe for olive oil sorbetto, which she drizzles with a thick balsamic vinegar. Acclaimed pop singer Dua Lipa also proclaimed her love of the sweet and salty combo when she posted a selfie on Twitter and captioned it, "olive oil ice cream for the win."

However, the real verdict on this olive oil and ice cream pairing lies with the vocal online community, specifically on Reddit. Users on the r/StupidFood thread agreed that while the combination seems odd, it just kind of works. One Redditor explained: "Olive oil supposedly makes the ice cream taste more decadent by coating your tongue with fat and has a delicate flavor." Another user shared: "Okay, it looks weird, but I've had a sundae dressed with olive oil and sea salt as well as olive oil ice cream. Really high-quality olive oil is floral, so imagine ice cream drizzled with honey that wasn't sweet. It's surprisingly delicious."