The Pasta Queen's Green Olive Oil Has TikTok Under A Spell
Correction 8/26/22: An earlier version of this story cited a 2016 CBS News story about "olive oil fraud." The reference has been removed, as the report is disputed.
It's easy to get lost in The Pasta Queen's sauce. Born Nadia Caterina Munno, she first gained popularity on TikTok in 2020 with her charismatic persona and anti-diet attitude. The Pasta Queen's debut video features her proudly proclaiming "this is not a plate for people on a diet" and boasted the caption "this is not gluten-free, ketogenic ... paleo." Since then, the viral chef has amassed 2.4 million followers and 40.8 million likes across the platform, thanks to her dangerously delicious pasta recipes.
From penne alla vodka to funkier recipes such as lemon tea pasta, The Pasta Queen is a medium when it comes to connecting with the spirit of Italian food. Since her followers are typically the ones entranced by her effortless kitchen skills, it's not everyday that we get to see The Pasta Queen herself captivated by the art of cooking. In one TikTok video, she watches how extra-virgin olive oil is made in Italy. And by the looks of her reaction, we're missing out on some tasty oil.
TikTok users say the olive oil can't compare to store-bought
As it turns out, the olive oil in The Pasta Queen's video isn't a radioactive slime — it's exactly how extra-virgin olive oil should look. She films the olives moving through the refining process before a machine spits out a thick, lime green oil. She dips a bite of bread into a wine glass filled with the neon olive oil and sighs in relief at its delicious flavor. While some users were simply fascinated by the unusual-looking olive oil, others were frustrated that they may never get their hands on the uber-fresh ingredient. One person said, "I know the olive oil I buy cannot compare to this," while another commented, "It's kinda sad that the olive oil I have downstairs in the kitchen is not the same as that one."
The Pasta Queen elaborated on its freshness, saying the vibrant color is because of "the first press super dense and full of the best stuff."
According to Holar, the amount of chlorophyll in the mixture can impact the color. "As the harvest continues, the olive oil's color changes to a somewhat lighter, brighter green shade," the outlet explains.