Out of Olive oil, one case
Can you substitute canola oil for olive oil?
4 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Canola oil
1 cup for every cup of olive oil
Yes: use 1 cup canola oil for each cup of olive oil, in the same amount at any measure. In cooked food and in baking nothing else changes and only the olive flavor is missing. In salad dressing it works but tastes flat, so add a little more acid and ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard per ¼ cup of oil. For dipping bread or drizzling, canola has nothing to offer.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- The tweak —
- Use it as is, cup for cup. In a raw dressing, add 1 extra tsp vinegar or lemon juice and ½ tsp Dijon mustard per ¼ cup of oil.
- Best for —
- sauteing, roasting and pan-frying
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full olive oil card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup olive oil | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canola oilsauteing, roasting and pan-frying | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Vegetable oilfrying and roasting | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 3 | Avocado oilvinaigrettes | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Sunflower oilfrying | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| Not a swap | Canola oil, for dipping and drizzling | not a swapNot for this | Not for this |
Canola oil
neutral; the fruity, peppery olive taste is gone
A refined, flavorless liquid oil. It is all fat, as olive oil is, so it measures the same and behaves the same in a pan, an oven and a batter.
- Best for
- sauteing, roasting and pan-frying, cakes, muffins, brownies and quick breads, marinades and cooked sauces
- Prep
- Use it as is, cup for cup. In a raw dressing, add 1 extra tsp vinegar or lemon juice and ½ tsp Dijon mustard per ¼ cup of oil.
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free
- Where it fails
- Anywhere olive oil is eaten raw for its flavor: dipping bread, finishing soup or pasta, pesto, hummus, and olive oil cake that is meant to taste of the oil.
Canola handles frying heat of about 400°F, so it is a safe choice for high-heat cooking.
Vegetable oil
neutral taste
Vegetable oil is usually soybean oil or a blend. In the kitchen it is interchangeable with canola: neutral, liquid and fine at frying temperatures.
- Best for
- frying and roasting, baking, boxed cake and brownie mixes
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Where it fails
- The same raw uses as canola: it adds no flavor.
Avocado oil
mild and slightly buttery
Refined avocado oil has more body than canola and a mild, slightly buttery taste, which makes it the better choice in a dressing or mayonnaise.
- Best for
- vinaigrettes, mayonnaise and aioli, high-heat searing
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Where it fails
- It still does not taste of olive, and it costs more than canola for everyday frying.
Sunflower oil
neutral taste
Refined sunflower oil is another neutral oil that swaps cup for cup. Use whichever of these bottles is open.
- Best for
- frying, baking, roasting vegetables
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Where it fails
- Raw dishes that depend on olive flavor.
Canola oil, for dipping and drizzling
blank and oily
When olive oil is poured over finished food, it is there as a flavor. Canola supplies only the fat.
- Best for
- nothing here
- Suits
- vegan, dairy-free
- Where it fails
- Bread dipping oil, bruschetta, caprese salad, a drizzle over soup or hummus, and pesto. Leave the oil out, or finish with a squeeze of lemon or a little butter instead.
Tips for substituting olive oil
5 tips- Cooked dishes: swap cup for cup and tablespoon for tablespoon. Heat, timing and amounts stay as written.
- Baking: ½ cup canola for ½ cup olive oil. The crumb and moisture are the same; the cake tastes milder, which most recipes do not mind.
- Vinaigrette: per ¼ cup canola oil, add 1 extra tsp vinegar or lemon juice, ½ tsp Dijon mustard and a pinch more salt. The mustard also helps the dressing hold together.
- Add flavor another way where the olive oil was doing it: a crushed garlic clove warmed in the canola for 2 minutes, fresh herbs, or lemon zest.
- For marinades, canola works unchanged. The acid, salt and aromatics carry the flavor there.
Questions
5 questionsCan I substitute canola oil for olive oil in baking?
Yes, in the same amount. Both are liquid and all fat, so cakes, muffins, brownies and quick breads bake the same. The only difference is taste: canola is neutral, so an olive oil cake loses its signature flavor.
Can I substitute canola oil for olive oil in salad dressing?
Yes, with help. Use the same amount, then add 1 extra teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard per ¼ cup of oil. The dressing is thinner and plainer than one made with extra virgin olive oil, and it separates sooner, so shake it before serving.
Is canola oil a good substitute for olive oil for frying?
Yes. Canola is neutral and handles frying temperatures of about 400°F, so it is a common choice for pan-frying and deep frying. Use the same amount.
Can I use olive oil in place of canola oil instead?
Usually, cup for cup. The reverse swap adds olive flavor, which suits savory cooking and some cakes but can taste out of place in a vanilla cake or a boxed mix. Regular or light olive oil is milder than extra virgin.
Does canola oil change the texture of the food?
Not when cooked. Roasted vegetables, sauteed food and baked goods come out the same. In a raw dressing it feels thinner and clings less than olive oil does.