Argan oil substitutes

The best value match, because toasted sesame and roasted argan share the same deep nutty aroma.

Best for

drizzling over tagine, lentils or roast vegetables, bean and carrot salads, anyone who already has a bottle in the cupboard

Neat toasted sesame oil is more pungent than argan and reads distinctly East Asian, which is why it needs diluting with a mild oil. Cut back to roughly two thirds and the resemblance is genuinely close. It will taste slightly sharper and less sweet than argan, which is rounder and more almondy.

The closest single bottle you can buy, if you already own one.

Best for

amlou and nut-based spreads, finishing salads and grains, desserts and pastry

Sweeter, rounder and less savoury than argan, which has an earthy, faintly sesame edge underneath the nuttiness. The catch is price: good hazelnut oil costs nearly as much as argan, so this only makes sense if the bottle is already open.

Right register, more bitterness, and a short shelf life.

Best for

salads and dressings, drizzling over roast root vegetables, cheese and grain dishes

More tannic and openly bitter than argan, which reads as toasty rather than sharp. Walnut oil turns rancid faster than almost any culinary oil, so smell the bottle before you use it; if there is any hint of old paint or crayon, throw it out rather than pouring it over dinner.

Mild, gently nutty and the least intrusive choice.

Best for

amlou, where almond is already a main ingredient, recipes where argan is a background richness, cooks who dislike strong sesame

Look for unrefined or roasted versions, since refined almond and peanut oils are nearly flavourless and will contribute nothing at all. Even the unrefined ones are much quieter than argan, so the dish will taste rich and faintly nutty rather than strongly aromatic.

Not argan, but it reproduces the shape of the flavour with things most kitchens have.

Best for

finishing soups, dips and vegetable dishes, when there is no nut oil in the house, adding texture as well as aroma

The olive oil supplies richness and fruitiness, the toasted nuts or seeds supply the roasted top note that argan is really about. It is grainier than a clean drizzle of oil, which is fine over a puree or a salad and wrong where the oil should be glossy and smooth.

The honest option when argan is only there as a final drizzle and you have none of the above.

Best for

tagines, stews and soups, when the recipe uses only a teaspoon or two, avoiding a mismatched flavour

There is no cheap ingredient that tastes like argan oil, and a bad imitation is worse than a clean omission. A good fruity extra virgin olive oil finishes the dish properly on its own terms. What you lose is the toasted, almost sesame-like perfume, which is the entire reason argan is expensive.