Canola oil is a popular oil that works for every cooking technique in almost every dish. Below, you’ll find a canola oil substitute list for these occasions when you need a replacement.
Check these alternatives for canola oil and pick the one you can use to replace this oil.
Canola oil is a light-colored Canadian oil with various uses.
People use it for dessert recipes, pan-frying, and deep-frying.
Canola oil offers a very mild flavor. It works well with dishes where other flavors must be at the forefront.
Canola oil comes from the pressed seeds of the canola plant. This is the same plant that produces rapeseed oil (not to be confused with grapeseed oil).
Most Canola oil comes from genetically modified rapeseed plants.
Seeds are heated and then pressed to make canola oil.
This versatile oil can have a smoke point of up to 475°F.
It is one of the most heat-stable oils on the market.
There are four primary grades of canola oil.
You’ll commonly only see “regular canola oil” at the stores.
The available grades include:
Standard canola oil and expeller-pressed canola oil use chemicals to extract the oil.
But, the non-GMO variety and the organic canola oil do not contain chemicals.
Here are the best substitutes for canola oil that you can use.
This oil is the best canola oil substitute for baking.
It offers a similar mild taste, making it work well with sweet or savory dishes.
Vegetable oil has a similar smoke point as canola.
This allows you to use it for any cooking method, including deep-frying foods.
Like canola oil, this option is budget-friendly and available at all grocery stores.
Vegetable oil is made from various vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
It can be made from one or many sources, making its flavor slightly unpredictable.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio when swapping with canola oil.
Extra virgin olive oil is one of the healthiest oils and is prized for its many health benefits.
It is also one of the best canola oil substitutes. This swap is one that most people already have in their kitchens.
It is one of those oils you cook with regularly, boasting many health benefits.
Olive oil is made from pressing olives, creating a herby olive flavor when you use it in recipes.
It tastes much different from canola oil’s mild flavor. Yet, it still works as a swap in savory dishes.
Olive oil works well as a salad topper, marinades, and stir-fry.
It does have a lower smoke point than canola oil.
Avoid using olive oil at higher temperatures. There are better alternatives for recipes that need deep-frying.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio when substituting olive oil for canola oil.
Avocado oil is a better choice for a canola oil replacement than EVOO based on flavor.
This oil is created from the flesh of the avocado fruit, providing a nutty, subtle avocado flavor.
Surprisingly, avocado oil offers a higher smoke point than canola oil. This makes it an excellent option for various recipes.
Because of its avocado flavor, it will not work well in most dessert recipes.
Keep this alternative in mind when creating savory dishes.
Due to its pleasant taste, this swap also works well in salad dressings and marinades.
Avocado oil is more expensive, and some grocery stores may not have this option available.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio when substituting canola oil for avocado oil.
Peanut oil is among the other canola oil alternatives out there.
You can use it in most recipes as it has a mellow flavor.
This oil is made from pressed peanut seeds and has a high smoke point, like canola oil.
You can use peanut oil for frying and other high-temperature cooking methods.
This oil replacement also works well for baked goods due to its subtle, nutty taste.
Use peanut oil in marinades, soups, and sauteing meat and vegetable dishes.
Cooking Tip: Use in a 1:1 ratio as a replacement for canola oil.
Sunflower oil is a canola substitution that gives recipes a mild, nutty flavor.
It has a similar, light golden color and remains liquid at room temperature like most oils.
This oil has a high smoke point identical to canola oil. This makes it an excellent swap for all recipes.
Sunflower oil is made from pressed sunflower seeds explicitly grown as an oil source.
This oil has a subtle taste so you can use it for sweet and savory dishes.
Use sunflower oil for roasting, deep-frying, and baking.
Cooking Tip: Substitute canola oil with an equal amount of sunflower oil.
Coconut oil is solid or semi-solid at room temperature. Because of this characteristic, it is a unique replacement for canola oil.
This oil swap provides a subtle taste to recipes. However, some grades of coconut oil have a more robust coconut flavor.
While you can use coconut oil in some savory recipes, it’s better used in desserts.
It makes for an easy swap; you’ll use the same quantity the recipe requires. Pan-frying and sauteing for savory recipes work best with this oil.
Coconut oil is one of the best substitutes for canola oil in baked goods. It is readily available and adds a subtle taste to recipes.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio as a substitute for canola oil.
Like peanut oil, safflower oil is another neutral-tasting oil that works well as a swap for canola oil.
Safflower oil is not to be confused with sunflower oil, though they come from related plants.
This oil is made from the seeds of the safflower plant, creating a budget-friendly oil option.
There are three safflower oil varieties: high-oleic, regular refined, and unrefined.
Unrefined will be the most cost-effective option, though it has a very low smoke point. It is best for uncooked dishes, like a salad dressing.
Opt for the high-oleic version if possible, as it is great for high-heat cooking.
Use safflower oil for sweet and savory recipes. This oil is best with marinades, sauces, salads, cakes, and muffins.
Cooking Tip: Use in a 1:1 ratio to replace canola oil.
Corn oil is another excellent canola oil substitute.
This oil swap provides a more robust taste than canola oil. Yet, it is still very versatile in its uses.
Corn oil has a nutty, subtle flavor that offers butter flavor notes.
You’ve likely had this if you’ve eaten mayonnaise, as it’s a common ingredient in this spread.
Use corn oil for baking, sauces, salad dressings, and spreads.
It also offers a high smoke point, making it an excellent cooking oil for recipes that need deep frying.
This option is also affordable and available at all grocery stores.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio to substitute for canola oil.
Soybean oil is also an excellent canola oil alternative.
This oil has a subtle, neutral flavor, so you can use it in various recipes. It is made from crushing soybeans.
It is commonly found in vegetable oils combined with other oils.
This swap is another oil option with a high smoke point. Because of this, you can use it for baked goods and deep-fried meats.
Other recipe options include salad dressings and marinades. Soybean oil is found at all grocery stores and is low-cost, like corn oil.
Cooking Tip: Use a 1:1 ratio to replace canola oil in recipes.
Ghee is a form of clarified butter with a rich, nutty flavor and a high smoke point, which makes it suitable for various cooking methods.
Remember that ghee has a distinct flavor so that it will impart a buttery note to your dishes.
While this can enhance some recipes, it may not be suitable for dishes where the buttery taste clashes with the intended flavor profile.
Additionally, ghee is calorie-dense, so be mindful of the quantity you use, especially if you’re watching your calorie intake.
Cooking Tip: Keep in mind that ghee is semi-solid at room temperature, so you may need to melt it before incorporating it into your batter.
In some recipes, you can substitute melted butter for canola oil, particularly when you want a rich, buttery flavor.
Keep in mind that butter is not suitable for vegans and has a lower smoke point.
Cooking Tip: It is better to use it for low-heat cooking or baking.
There are many options that you can use instead of canola oil. Vegetable oil is a common swap due to its availability and low cost. It also has a neutral flavor, which works well with many recipes that usually call for canola oil.
Canola oil is a thinner consistency oil that offers a neutral flavor in recipes. Canola oil provides a higher smoke point, working well in deep-fried recipes.
There is a very slight taste difference between vegetable oil and canola oil. Yet, the taste difference is not noticeable in most recipes.
Generally, canola oil is better for baking because of its neutral flavor. This mellow flavor allows the other flavors, like chocolate, to shine through. But, some baking recipes, like olive oil cake, specifically need olive oil.
Don’t fret if you’ve run out of canola oil in the middle of a recipe. Avocado oil and olive oil are the top choices for a canola oil substitute. They both offer a subtle flavor and neutral taste. Use coconut oil if you want extra flavors in recipes.
