Vegetable oil is a popular cooking oil in just about any country. It is not made from vegetables specifically but is a term that refers to a blend of oils, often including canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils. This blend results in a neutral flavor and versatile performance in various cooking methods.
Given that it is a blend of a lot of other commonly available oils, it is very easy to find a suitable substitute should you not have any vegetable oil on hand. Some that you can choose from are:
- Soybean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Safflower oil
- Rice bran oil
- Canola oil
- Virgin olive oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
Let’s look at why!
Best All-Around Substitute For Vegetable Oil: Canola Oil and Other Refined Oils
Canola oil has a neutral taste and a high smoke point, making it suitable for various cooking methods and temperatures. It is also one of the most affordable and widely available oils, so it’s always easy to find! In many cases, if you look at the ingredient label of vegetable oil, the main ingredient will actually be canola oil, which is why it wins for best substitute.
In any case, you can also use safflower, sunflower, soybean, and rice bran oil…basically, any of the large bottled refined oils in the supermarket will have similar nutritional profiles, flavor profiles, and cooking properties to vegetable oil.
Best Raw Cooking Substitute For Vegetable Oil: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you want a well-known and loved substitute for raw cooking, the healthiest option is extra virgin olive oil. This differs from regular or light olive oil in that it is extracted without any chemicals or heat and is unrefined. Extra virgin olive oil has higher concentrations of beneficial antioxidants and fatty acids than other oils, making it an excellent choice for dressings or marinades. When cooked lightly, it has a distinct flavor that can add depth to salads and vegetables.
Best Vegetable Oil Substitute for Regular Cooking: Virgin Olive Oil
Virgin olive oil is a step up in the heat tolerance index from extra virgin olive oil. Virgin olive oil is made with a mix of refined olive oil and unrefined olive oil, and that addition of the refined olive oil increases its smoke point while retaining some, but not all, of its beneficial nutrients.
The smoke point of virgin olive oil is up to 470 degrees, but it will vary by brand and which percentage of the oil is refined vs unrefined.
Best Vegetable Oil Substitute for High-Heat Cooking: Safflower Oil
Safflower oil has one of the highest smoke points of all the refined oils, sitting between 450 and 500 degrees. This makes it the most suitable alternative for high-heat cooking to ensure it does not hit the smoke point threshold or develop strange, burnt flavors. In contrast, vegetable oil’s smoke point usually sits at about 400 degrees.
Best Neutral Favored And Budget Friendly Substitute For Vegetable Oil: Canola Oil
Most refined oils taste like nothing unless you have a particularly sophisticated palate and can taste very subtle differences! But in fact, they are designed that way so that they do not overpower the flavor of other ingredients. I’m told that of all the oils, canola seems the most neutral flavored, and I suppose I have to agree as I can detect slightly more flavor in, say, rice bran oil and refined olive oil.
Canola oil is also super affordable and available at most supermarkets.
Best Healthy Vegetable Oil Substitute: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
While vegetable oil is versatile and easy to work with, the refining process has stripped it of a lot of its nutritional value. On the other hand, extra virgin olive oil is a highly nutritious oil containing polyphenols and other antioxidants that are good for your heart health. It has a grassy flavor that can be used in many of the same ways as vegetable oil. That said, it is definitely more expensive, so you wouldn’t use it for things like deep frying.
Best Keto/Paleo/Whole30 Vegetable Oil Substitute: Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Cold Pressed)
Extra virgin olive oil is also suitable for the keto, paleo and Whole30 diets, provided it is cold pressed (which most are). Cold-pressed olive oil is minimally processed and retains more nutrients, making it a great alternative to vegetable oil, which is usually banned on these diets as it is highly refined. Just be sure not to heat your extra virgin olive oil too much, as this can damage the healthy fats and natural flavor.
FAQs
Vegetable oils contain healthy fats, but their nutrient content is low as they have been highly processed. They also are usually very high in omega-6, which the modern diet contains excessive levels of. I am a big believer in that there are not many things that are bad for you in moderation, along with a balanced diet, but excessive consumption of omega-6 heavy vegetable oils does have the potential to cause inflammation.
Vegetable oil is usually a blend of oils such as canola and soybean. Some vegetable oils will state on the label what they are made from, but some will not specify. This means many people prefer to go with something like canola oil, so they know exactly what ingredients are in their cooking oil.
There are a lot of really healthy oils out there, provided they are cold-pressed and unrefined, such as extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, and hemp seed oil. As for the healthiest, it depends on what kind of nutrients you need and what you are cooking! I recommend having a mix of cold-pressed, unrefined oils for different dishes so that you get a broad range of healthy fats and other nutrients.
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