I recently got the chance to try Thrive Culinary Algae Oil through Tryazon, 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!

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!

Interested in trying it? You can purchase the oil on Amazon here: Thrive Culinary Algae Oil