The Best Substitutes for Oils in Recipes to Maintain Flavor (2024)

Because they enhance the flavor, tenderness, and juiciness in recipes, fats and oils are key ingredients in cooking. But what can you do if you need a substitute for oil in a recipe if you don't have it on hand? Almost every recipe will specify which oil to use for the best results since so many types are available. The good news is that, in some cases, there's a great substitute for oil other than the one called for in your recipe. Here, we take the guesswork out of choosing which oil replacement to use.

Choosing a Substitute for Oil in Salad Dressings

Oil plays a major role in salad dressing, carrying the flavor and coating the greens. Neutral-flavored vegetable oil is often called for when the flavors of other ingredients are meant to shine through. In this case, canola oil is an excellent substitute for vegetable oil, as it also has a neutral flavor. (Of course, the reverse is true: A great canola oil substitute is vegetable oil.) Another substitute for vegetable oil is olive oil, but only if you want the extra flavor olive oil brings. Use vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oils interchangeably in salad dressing, knowing that olive oil adds a bigger flavor.

Remember that some recipes call for a specific oil, such as sesame or hazelnut oil, because of the unique flavor it adds to the finished dish. In such cases, there's no substitute for oil in the recipe that will exactly replicate the oil's singular flavor.

However, you can switch to another oil if the substituted oil's flavor will enhance the finished dish's flavor. For example, walnut oil could replace hazelnut oil, depending on the flavors in the dish.

You can substitute a neutral-flavor oil for the more flavorful oil and add an extra ingredient to the salad to replace what's missing. Use canola oil and some toasted sesame seeds for a sesame oil substitute. Likewise, for an avocado oil substitute, use canola or pure olive oil (which have a mild flavor), but add some avocados to the salad.

Choosing a Substitute for Oil in Baking

What can you substitute for vegetable oil when baking? While it's true that oils (like canola and vegetable) add richness to many baking recipes, you can usually find a healthier oil replacement if you wish to cut down on calories or fat. Try one of these options as a substitute for oil in cakes, muffins, and other baked goods:

• Applesauce: As a general rule, use half applesauce and half fat to substitute applesauce for oil. For example, if a recipe calls for one cup oil, use ½ cup applesauce and ½ cup oil.
• Bananas: As a substitute for oil (vegetable or other) called for in a baking recipe, swap in mashed bananas for half the oil called for.
• Pureed or baby-food pears: This convenient product also makes a good substitute for oil in baking. Again, swap in the pureed pears for half the oil called for.

Note that in some cases, you can use olive oil as a substitute for vegetable oil in baking.

Choosing a Substitute for Oil for Frying

When deep-frying foods at high temperatures, it's important to pay attention to the oil's "smoke point." This is how hot an oil can get before it starts to smoke; the higher the smoke point, the more heat the oil can stand.

With a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, peanut oil is the go-to oil for deep frying. However, if you need a peanut oil substitute, you can use corn oil (which also has a smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Of course, the reverse is true, too: peanut oil is a viable corn oil substitute for frying.

Choosing a Substitute for Oil When Sautéing and Pan-Frying

With smoke points ranging from 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and canola oil are all good choices for sautéing and pan-frying foods. With its mild coconut flavor and high smoke point, refined coconut oil can also be used for sautéing foods. However, if you need a substitute for coconut oil when sautéing or pan-frying, vegetable, sunflower, safflower, or canola will work. You can also use pure olive oil; it has a mild flavor and a similar smoke point.

It's also a good idea to remember smoke points if you want to try substituting butter for oil when sautéing. Butter has a lower smoke point (350 degrees Fahrenheit) than most oils used for sautéing, so you'll need to turn the heat down to medium (or risk breaking down the fat and releasing acrid flavors). You can also combine butter with cooking or olive oil, which allows cooking at a higher heat than butter alone.

The more you cook, the more confident you'll feel when choosing a substitute for oil. When swapping one oil for another, once you understand the basics of smoke points and consider the oils' flavors, it's not that hard to get a feel for what will work best in your cooking.

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