Canola Oil substitutes
Canola Oil is Neutral-flavored oil made from rapeseed, used in cooking, baking, and frying.
Vegetable Oil
Use the same amount as the canola oil you are replacing
The best substitutes for canola oil are vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil, depending on the use.
At a glance
| # | Substitute | Instead of canola oil, use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vegetable Oil | Same amount |
| 2 | Grapeseed Oil | Same amount |
| 3 | Sunflower Oil | Same amount |
Every canola oil substitute
Substitutes for Canola Oil with ratios
1. Vegetable Oil
Use the same amount
Neutral-flavored oil blend with similar cooking properties
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Browning & colour
2. Grapeseed Oil
Use the same amount
Neutral-flavored oil with high smoke point and similar properties
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Browning & colour
3. Sunflower Oil
Use the same amount
Neutral-flavored oil with similar cooking properties
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Browning & colour
Which one for your recipe?
Into a cake, muffin, brownie or quick bread batter.
Any neutral liquid oil goes in cup for cup with nothing to adjust. Avoid a strongly flavoured oil such as extra virgin olive or toasted sesame here unless you want to taste it.
Into a hot pan for frying, searing or deep frying.
What matters is the smoke point, not the flavour. Any refined neutral oil holds up: canola runs to about 400-450F (205-230C), and grapeseed and sunflower are in the same range or higher.
Into a dressing, a marinade or a mayonnaise.
You will taste this oil raw, so neutral matters more here than anywhere else. Another neutral oil is a straight swap; a flavoured oil turns the dressing into a different dressing.
Greasing a tin, a pan or a bowl.
Anything greasy will do, including butter or a spray. Nothing about the recipe depends on which fat you reach for.
What canola oil does in a recipe
Canola oil is doing two things and deliberately not doing a third. It is a 100% liquid fat that coats flour so a bake stays tender and tastes moist for days, and in a pan it is the heat-carrying medium that browns food. What it is not doing is adding any flavour, which is why almost any other refined neutral oil replaces it invisibly.
Tips for substituting canola oil
- Canola oil has a high smoke point, making it ideal for frying
- It's neutral in flavor, so it won't overpower other ingredients
- Canola oil is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat
- Store canola oil in a cool, dark place to prevent rancidity