Olive oil is something we use in the kitchen on a daily basis – but that didn’t mean we knew about this clever cooking hack. So have you ever heard of it?
The olive oil tab has a little-known additional function(Image: WHPics via Getty Images)
Most of us will have a bottle of olive oil at home. The cupboard staple has so many different uses in the kitchen – from drizzling it into frying pans to using it to make salad dressing.
But even if you use oil on a regular basis, you may not have heard about the little-known function of the packaging. If you’ve battled with the annoyance of pouring excessive oil into the pan, then listen up.
Thanks to a clever technique, those messy spillages could become history. The key is not to discard the plastic tab beneath the cap.
While many think it’s simply a tamper-proof seal to prevent contamination, it also has a second use. On TikTok, a foodie revealed how the minuscule piece of plastic can actually be utilised to regulate oil flow.
In the footage, they demonstrated: “Don’t you hate it when you’re pouring oil and it makes a mess everywhere? Well, I do. And trust me, try this hack and you will thank me later.”
Rather than throwing away the tab, they removed it, turned it upside down, and reinserted it into the bottle opening. When they poured the oil, it emerged in a controlled, steady stream – preventing excessive spillages.
Admiring their handiwork, the home cook said: “Look at that pour.” And people were equally as impressed by the tip.
One commenter said: “Are you kidding me? I’ve been wasting oil my whole life!” Another wrote: “That’s genius! Manufacturers should tell us this. Meanwhile, a third added: “Mind blown. I’m trying this ASAP.”
So the next time you crack open a fresh bottle, think twice before discarding that small plastic tab – it could well put an end to wasting oil for good!
More olive oil hacks
1. Infuse it in minutes – warm olive oil gently with garlic, lemon peel, chilli or rosemary for 1–2 minutes, then use it to start sauces or drizzle on veg.
2. Crispy roast veg trick – preheat the roasting tray, then toss veg/potatoes in olive oil and tip them onto the hot tray for better colour and crisp edges.
3. Pasta “gloss” fix – add a spoon of olive oil to hot pasta with a splash of pasta water — it helps sauces cling and stops things looking dry.
4. Easy dressing formula – mix roughly 3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon/vinegar, plus salt and pepper. Shake in a jar and you’re done.
5. Bread revival – brush olive oil on day-old bread and toast/grill and you’ll have instant bruschetta vibes with almost no effort.
