A GUIDE TO COOKING OILS & HOW TO USE THEM
WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, THERE IS AN ENTIRE SECTION DEDICATED TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF COOKING OILS. IT CAN FEEL A LITTLE OVERWHELMING WHEN YOU’RE NOT SURE WHICH TYPE OF OIL YOU NEED FOR A DISH. HERE’S A GUIDE TO COOKING OILS & HOW TO USE THEM.
EASY GUIDE TO COOKING OILS
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
PROBABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN AND MOST USED COOKING OIL. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, OR EVOO, IS EXTREMELY VERSATILE.
BECAUSE IT HAS A LOW SMOKE POINT (THE TEMPERATURE IT STARTS TO DEGRADE AT), IT’S NOT THE BEST CHOICE FOR COOKING AT HIGH TEMPERATURES (OVER 375F).
IT’S BEST FOR COLDER DISHES LIKE SALAD DRESSINGS & DIPS. USE IT IN MARINADES FOR DISHES THAT WILL BE COOKED OVER MEDIUM OR LOW HEAT.
REGULAR OLIVE OIL
YES, THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OLIVE OILS!
“PLAIN” OLIVE OIL IS GREAT FOR COOKING WITH, WHILE YOU SAVE MORE EXPENSIVE EVOO FOR UNCOOKED DISHES. LIGHT OLIVE OIL HAS A HIGHER SMOKE POINT (ABOUT 470F), SO IT’S BETTER FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE COOKING, GRILLING & ROASTING.
LIGHT DOESN’T REFER TO FEWER CALORIES OR LESS FAT, BUT THE MORE NEUTRAL TASTE.
COCONUT OIL
LIKE OLIVE OIL, COCONUT COMES IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES. USUALLY IT WILL SAY REFINED OR UNREFINED ON THE CONTAINER.
REFINED COCONUT OIL HAS A SMOKE POINT OF 450F & UNREFINED COCONUT OIL HAS A SMOKE POINT OF 350F.
SO, REFINED COCONUT OIL IS GREAT FOR SAUTÉING AND ROASTING. IT HAS A NEUTRAL, LIGHT COCONUT FLAVOR.
UNREFINED (OR VIRGIN) COCONUT OIL HAS A STRONGER COCONUT FLAVOR & IS BETTER FOR BAKING AND LIGHT SAUTÉING.
PEANUT OIL
There’s a reason peanut oil is so often used in Thai, Chinese, and other Asian cuisines. The refined variety, with a smoke point of 450ºF (232ºC), is wonderfully conducive to high-temperature stir-frying.
It also works well in large-batch frying, which is why the food industry heavily relies upon it for menu items like french fries and fried chicken.
Unrefined peanut oil, on the other hand, has a smoke point of 320ºF (160ºC). Add it to dressings or marinades for extra flavor. See our guide for information on peanut oil’s health effects.
PEANUT OIL IS USED A LOT IN THAI, CHINESE & OTHER ASIAN CUISINES. REFINED PEANUT OIL HAS A SMOKE POINT OF 450F & UNREFINED PEANUT OIL HAS A SMOKE POINT OF 320F.
UNREFINED IS BETTER FOR SERVING IN DRESSINGS AND MARINADES.
AVOCADO OIL
AVOCADO OIL HAS THE HIGHEST SMOKE POINT AT 520F. UNREFINED AVOCADO OIL IS 480F. SO BOTH ARE GREAT FOR HIGH HEAT COOKING.
USE AVOCADO OIL FOR FRYING, SEARING, ROASTING & GRILLING. REFINED VERSIONS WILL HAVE A MILDER FLAVOR.
SESAME OIL
SESAME OIL HAS A TON OF FLAVOR &. A SMOKE POINT FROM 350F – 400F. SO IT’S GREAT FOR STIR FRYING AND SAUTÉING. BUT ALSO WORKS WELL IN DRESSINGS, MARINADES & TO ADD FLAVOR TO DISHES.
TRUFFLE OIL
TRUFFLE OIL IS BEST FOR ADDING FLAVOR TO DISHES. IT’S BEST USED AS A FINISHING OIL, NOT FOR HIGH HEAT COOKING.
THINK: ON TOP OF PASTAS, TRUFFLE FRIES, MASHED POTATOES & PIZZA.
VEGETABLE OIL
VEGETABLE OIL IS MADE FROM PLANTS. MEANING IT CAN BE MADE FROM SEEDS, GRAINS, NUTS OR FRUITS. BUT WHEN YOU SEE A BOTTLE OF OIL LABELED “VEGETABLE OIL”, IT’S USUALLY SOYBEAN OIL.
IT’S MILD, ODORLESS & FLAVORLESS WITH A SMOKE POINT OF 450F.
IT’S EXTREMELY VERSATILE. BECAUSE OF IT’S HIGH SMOKE POINT, YOU CAN USE IT FOR FRYING, ROASTING & SAUTÉING. BUT IT’S ALSO GREAT FOR DRESSINGS & DIPS BECAUSE IT’S FLAVORLESS. YOU CAN ALSO USE IT IN BAKING BECAUSE IT WON’T AFFECT THE FLAVOR.
VEGETABLE OIL IS A GREAT DEFAUL OIL IF YOU’RE NOT SURE WHICH ONE TO USE. I CALL IT THE “WHEN IN DOUBLT OIL”.
CANOLA OIL
CANOLA OIL IS RAPESEED OIL – IT’S ONE OF THE EASIEST TO FIND IN STORES. IT’S AN ALL-PURPOSE COOKING OIL THAT CAN BE USED IN BAKING, UNCOOKED DISHES & HIGH HEAT COOKING.
IT’S A TYPE OF VEGETABLE OIL, BUT INSTEAD OF SOYBEANS, IT’S MADE FROM THE RAPESEED PLANT.
LIKE VEGETABLE OIL, IT’S A GREAT “CATCH ALL” OIL WITH A HIGH SMOKE POINT AND NEUTRAL FLAVOR.
GRAPESEED OIL
GRAPESEED OIL IS KIND OF AN UNSUNG OIL HERO – YOU’VE PROBABLY WALKED RIGHT BY IT AT THE GROCERY STORE. OR PICKED UP ANOTHER OIL INSTEAD NOT KNOWING WHAT IT WAS.
BUT IT’S SIMILAR TO VEGETABLE AND CANOLA OIL IN THAT IT’S EXTREMELY VERSATILE & HAS A NEUTRAL FLAVOR.
IT’S ACTUALLY A BYPRODUCT OF WINEMAKING & IS MADE FROM GRAPE SEEDS (WITHOUT TASTING LIKE WINE OR GRAPES).
IT HAS A 425F SMOKE POINT – MAKING IT GREAT FOR FRYING AND ROASTING. BUT ALSO GREAT FOR MAKING SALAD DRESSINGS OR IN BAKED GOODS.