I recently got the chance to try Thrive Culinary Algae Oil, and decided to make three things I would normally make with olive oil to see how it stood up to the test: a dipping sauce for bread, pasta salad and salad dressing. Then I invited several friends over for the big taste test. Read on to see how it went!

2024 Update: Thrive Algae Oil appears to no longer exist! The company website goes to a different name.

What Exactly is Thrive Culinary Algae Oil?

When you hear algae, most people think of the ocean, so I was surprised to read that their algae originates from the sap of a chestnut tree and is then fermented in large vats like you make beer or wine.

Thrive Algae Oil has the highest level of monounsaturated fat – the good fats! – than any other cooking oil. Just one tablespoon gives you 13g of monounsaturated fat, which is 25% more than the same amount of olive oil. It also has the lowest levels of saturated fat of any cooking oil – with 75% less saturated fat than olive oil and avocado oil. Thrive algae oil also has a high smoke point (up to 485°F) which makes it great to frying, baking and sautéing.

What’s on the menu?

Algae Oil Dipping Sauce 

I first tried the oil alone for dipping, and it doesn’t really have a pronounced flavor. It reminds me of grapeseed oil. It’s very light! So for the dipping sauce I added in:

3/4 cup of Thrive Algae Oil

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp: basil, oregano, sea salt, paprika, white pepper, onion powder

Then I gave it good stir and let it set for an hour before the party started. I put it out with a loaf of sliced French bread and every last bit was gone by the end of the night! Everyone loved the dipping sauce.

Pasta Salad

I cheated a little on this one and just got a box of Suddenly Salad, which I usually make with olive oil. I used the algae oil instead, and added cubed chicken and sliced grape tomatoes. It resulted in a very lightly flavored pasta, so I actually boosted the flavor with a little garlic salt and basil. The pasta salad was also a hit!

Salad with Creamy Salad Dressing

I set out balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar for people who wanted to do an oil and vinegar dressing, but also wanted a creamy dressing offering. I started with a basic vinaigrette and added in sour cream and spices.

3/4 cup Thrive Algae Oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbs. sour cream

A dash of garlic salt, black pepper and oregano.

The dressing turned out nice and creamy and I’m still using the leftovers this week. I may never return to store bought creamy dressing now that I know how easy it is to make my own!

The Verdict:

Yes! You can totally replace your olive oil (or any cooking oil) with algae oil. Everybody at the party enjoyed the food and I went through an entire bottle of Thrive Algae Oil!