Find out what can you use as a substitute for vegetable oil? Whatever substitute you choose, you’ll definitely have it in your pantry.
Vegetable oil is a blend of many plant-based oils offering a neutral flavor and a golden glaze to a diverse kind of recipes. Thanks to its high smoking point, greater shelf stability, and affordability, vegetable oil is a true workhorse in the kitchen.
But what about the moment when you find yourself out of this staple workhorse? What can replace vegetable oil in your cooking, frying, or baking recipes? Simply, it’s time to swap vegetable oil with any other closest oil to make things incredibly similar. Move ahead to know the best substitutes for vegetable oil for cooking, frying, and baking.
What Can You Use As A Substitute For Vegetable Oil?
Substituting vegetable oil isn’t a picky task if you know which alternative goes well in which kind of recipe. So, here is a relatable guide to a number of alternatives you can use for cooking, baking, frying, and deep-frying instead of vegetable oil.
Vegetable Oil Substitutes For Cooking
Vegetable oil is also known as cooking oil because of its higher smoke point and capacity to bear high heat without burning. And when you are going to substitute vegetable oil in cooking dishes, you can use the following high heat oils as great substitutes for vegetable oil.
1. Canola Oil (The Closest To Vegetable Oil)
Canola oil is always one-to-one substitution for vegetable oil and is used interchangeably in a variety of cooking recipes. Thanks to the neutral flavor and high smoke point of canola oil, it’s the best option to go with when vegetable oil is no more.
Recent studies have reported the relatively less proportion of saturated fats in canola oil than in other kinds of oils. So, it’s also a heart-friendly alternative responsible for your improved health.
2. Corn Oil (A Second Great Bet)
Corn oil is another kind of vegetable oil similarly neutral, nutrient-rich, heat stable, and healthy. Typical vegetable oil also comprises a major fraction of corn oil along with other plant-based oils. So, substituting vegetable oil with corn oil doesn’t create an off taste to your taste buds.
3. Ghee
Ghee is another substitute for vegetable oil you can use in all cooking dishes. It’s a refined or processed butter with all the water and milk solids removed. So, ghee is a perfect option for people who cannot enjoy butter for certain health conditions.
Ghee has a high smoke point offering a balanced combination of nutty and buttery flavor sensations. However, it will not alter the final recipe mouthfeel to a noticeable extent.
4. Peanut Oil
Peanut oil is also good for cooking high heat dishes due to its high smoke point and relatable neutral flavor. Although it’s obtained mainly from peanuts, it doesn’t taste like its namesake nuts. And being rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids, this substitute also ensures upgrade heart health.
So, replace one cup of vegetable oil with one cup of peanut oil in cooking recipes to get a palatable meal.
Vegetable Oil Substitute For Frying
Frying always calls for heat-stable oil much closer to vegetable oil so that it can take more heat without burning. Here you can also use flavorful oil rather than neutral vegetable oil and your recipe still taste better.
5. Avocado Oil
Refined avocado oil is quite neutral and heat stable alternative for vegetable oil in frying. On the other hand, unrefined avocado oil offers buttery or nutty taste notes that may not complement well with your fried items. If available to you, consider one-to-one ratio for deep frying or pan-fried dishes.
6. Grapeseed oil
Grapeseed oil is obtained as a by-product of the wine-making process from the seeds of grapes. It’s neutral in taste, rich in heart-friendly fats, and has a higher smoke point. It can also withstand the high heat of frying, so using it instead of vegetable oil makes not things differently unappealing.
7. Safflower oil
Safflower oil is possibly having the highest smoke point in combination with a mild flavor and floral aroma. It’s different from sunflower oil and works great for a variety of frying and cooking dishes. However, safflower oil is not as readily available as other oils. So, if you have it luckily, make it your next substitution.
Vegetable Oil Substitute For Baking
In baking, you can use any kind of oil instead of vegetable oil and even fruit purees. The basic purpose of using oil in baked products is to make them soft, fluffy, and moist. Moreover, oil also ensures the flawless release of baked creations without crumbling. Here’s what you can use in place of vegetable oil in baking.
8. Applesauce
The fruity flavored applesauce is a great alternative for vegetable oil in baking rather than cooking. Applesauce makes things softer, moisture, and mouth melting. And it’s also a great way of cutting down calories and fat content in your diet.
Here’s one-to-one ratio will not work because it can overpower the recipe flavor. So, use ½ the amount of applesauce than vegetable oil to make things similarly appealing.
9. Butter
Melted butter is always ready to replace vegetable oil in baking. It gives a buttery creamy richness to the recipes that is hard to get using other alternatives. From cupcakes, muffins, and fudges to brownies, pumpkin bread and pies, melted butter can make everything perfectly delicious. So, substitute its one-to-one ratio in baking to get similar results.
10. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is somewhat sweet, coconutty, and lighter than vegetable oil and also goes great in a variety of baking dishes. Its 1:1 ratio is a perfect replacement for vegetable oil in cupcakes, brownies, and muffins where its floral flavor complements well.
FAQ’s
Can You Use Olive Oil As A Substitute For Vegetable Oil?
Olive oil is a good swap for vegetable oil but it doesn’t pair well with all dishes calling for vegetable oil. For instance, olive oil isn’t good to use for high heat cooking and frying because of its relatively low smoke point. So, it can replace vegetable oil in salad dressings, sauteing, roasting, and marinades.
Another thing is using olive oil instead of vegetable oil in baking is also not a satisfying idea. This is because the stronger herbal flavor of olive oil can overpower the flavor of the product if used one-to-one.
What Are Some Healthy Substitutes For Vegetable Oil?
There are a lot more ways of substituting vegetable oil without compromising your health. Olive oil is the healthiest substitution that comes to the mind first while coconut oil is also a good alternative in almost all kinds of cooking and baking recipes.
In addition, flaxseed oil and avocado oil are also rich in heart-friendly fats so can switch vegetable oil healthily in your beloved recipes.
What Can You Replace Vegetable Oil In Brownies?
You need to use a neutral oil similar to vegetable oil and perfect for giving a mouth melting texture to every bite of brownies. So, canola oil, corn oil, and grapeseed oil are best to use in brownies in place of vegetable oil.
Olive oil can impart unappealing flavor so need to be avoided. However extra light or highly refined neutral olive oil could be a good substitute for vegetable oil in brownies.
