Avocado oil substitutes
Avocado oil substitutes — 3 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Olive oil
Same amount as the avocado oil
Similar oil with different flavor.
The best substitutes for avocado oil are olive oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil, depending on the use.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- What changes —
- different taste, similar texture
- Best for —
- cooking
Updated 19 Aug 2026 · no sponsored swaps
But first: what’s the avocado oil doing?
Pick your caseHow hot is this going to get?
This is the job avocado oil was bought for, so match the smoke point rather than the flavour. Refined sunflower, safflower or grapeseed oil all hold up. Olive oil is the wrong swap here: it starts to smoke well below this and the food tastes scorched.
Notes on grapeseed oil or sunflower oil
Same amount
Nothing here needs a 500F ceiling, so any cooking oil works, olive oil included.
Notes on olive oil, sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
Same amount
No heat involved, so pick on flavour alone. A neutral oil keeps it tasting the way the recipe intended; olive oil will make itself heard, which may be exactly what you want.
Notes on grapeseed oil, sunflower oil or olive oil
Same amount
Any neutral liquid oil goes in cup for cup. The high smoke point is doing nothing inside a 350F batter.
Notes on sunflower oil or grapeseed oil
Same amount
Avocado oil is a neutral liquid fat with an unusually high smoke point, about 500F (260C) when refined. So it does the two things any neutral oil does, coating food and keeping a bake tender and moist, plus one thing most oils cannot: it carries a hard sear or a deep fry without smoking or tasting scorched.
Fat & richnessprimary
A 100% liquid fat that coats flour in a batter, coats the leaves in a dressing so the vinegar clings, and carries heat in a pan.
Moisture & hydrationsecondary
Like every liquid oil it reads as moistness in the mouth without containing any water, which keeps a bake soft for days.
Browning & colorprimary
Refined avocado oil holds to about 500F (260C), higher than almost any other supermarket oil, so it browns and crisps at temperatures where olive oil would smoke and turn acrid.
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of avocado oil | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olive oilcooking | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Grapeseed oilcooking | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Sunflower oilcooking | Same amountTweak it | Tweak it |
Olive oil
different taste, similar texture
Similar oil with different flavor.
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Misses
- Browning & color — not covered
- Best for
- cooking, salad dressings, marinades, baking
Different flavor, similar smoke point - more fruity.
Grapeseed oil
different taste, similar texture
Similar oil with different flavor.
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Browning & color
- Best for
- cooking, salad dressings, marinades, baking
Different flavor, similar smoke point - more neutral.
Sunflower oil
different taste, similar texture
Similar oil with different flavor.
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Browning & color
- Best for
- cooking, salad dressings, marinades, baking
Different flavor, similar smoke point - more neutral.
Questions
3 questionsCan I use olive oil instead of avocado oil?
Yes, olive oil is a good substitute for avocado oil, but it has a more pronounced flavor and lower smoke point.
What's the difference between avocado oil and olive oil?
Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and milder flavor, while olive oil has a more fruity flavor and lower smoke point.
Can I use avocado oil for frying?
Yes, avocado oil is excellent for frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor.
Tips for substituting avocado oil
4 tips- Avocado oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for high-heat cooking
- It has a mild, buttery flavor that won't overpower other ingredients
- Avocado oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E
- It's good for both cooking and raw applications like salad dressings