Out of Vegetable oil, one case
Can you substitute shortening for vegetable oil?
5 options, ranked, with the exact amount
Use Shortening
1 cup for every cup of vegetable oil
Yes: use 1 cup of melted shortening for each cup of vegetable oil. Both are 100% fat, so the amount does not change. Melt the shortening, let it cool slightly, then measure it. It works in brownies, cakes, muffins and frying; it does not work in dressings, marinades or anything served cold, because shortening turns solid again at room temperature.
- Verdict —
- Tweak it
- The tweak —
- Melt it over low heat or in the microwave, cool it for a few minutes so it does not cook the eggs, then measure it as a liquid.
- Best for —
- brownies and cake from a box mix
- Pantry —
- Likely in your cupboard
One casethe full vegetable oil card
Every option, one card
Ranked| # | Substitute | Instead of 1 cup vegetable oil | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shorteningbrownies and cake from a box mix | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
| 2 | Canola oilany recipe that calls for vegetable oil | 1 cupWorks | Works |
| 3 | Melted butterbrownies, cakes and muffins | 1 ¼ cupsTweak it | Tweak it |
| 4 | Melted coconut oilbrownies, muffins and quick breads | 1 cupYou'll taste it | You'll taste it |
| 5 | Light olive oilsalad dressings and marinades | 1 cupTweak it | Tweak it |
Shortening
neutral, like the oil
Vegetable shortening is vegetable oil made solid. It has the same fat and no water, so it replaces oil in equal measure once it is melted.
- Best for
- brownies and cake from a box mix, muffins, quick breads and pancakes, deep frying and pan frying, greasing pans
- Prep
- Melt it over low heat or in the microwave, cool it for a few minutes so it does not cook the eggs, then measure it as a liquid.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Salad dressing, mayonnaise, marinades and dips: it sets solid as it cools. Baked goods are a little firmer and less moist-feeling the next day, because the fat firms up in the crumb.
Butter-flavored shortening measures the same and adds color and a butter taste.
Canola oil
no change
The same kind of refined, flavorless liquid fat. Sunflower, safflower, corn, grapeseed and refined avocado oil all behave the same way.
- Best for
- any recipe that calls for vegetable oil, dressings and marinades, frying
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Nowhere. If you have any neutral liquid oil, use it before you reach for shortening.
Melted butter
richer and buttery
Butter is about 80% fat and the rest is mostly water, so it takes 1 ¼ cups to match the fat in 1 cup of oil.
- Best for
- brownies, cakes and muffins, pancakes and waffles, sauteing over medium heat
- Prep
- Melt it and let it cool for a few minutes before it goes into the batter.
- Contains
- dairy
- Where it fails
- Deep frying and high-heat searing, where the milk solids burn. Cold dressings, where it sets. Dairy-free cooking.
Melted coconut oil
coconut, unless the jar says refined
All fat, like vegetable oil, but solid below about 76°F. Unrefined coconut oil tastes of coconut; refined does not.
- Best for
- brownies, muffins and quick breads, vegan baking, sauteing
- Prep
- Melt it, measure it liquid, and have the other ingredients at room temperature.
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Dressings and anything chilled, where it sets hard. It firms into flecks if the eggs or milk are cold.
Light olive oil
nearly neutral, with a faint olive note
Light or refined olive oil is filtered until little olive flavor is left. It measures and cooks like vegetable oil.
- Best for
- salad dressings and marinades, sauteing and roasting, cakes and brownies
- Suits
- vegan
- Where it fails
- Light means light in flavor, not in fat. Do not confuse it with extra virgin, which tastes clearly of olive in a plain batter.
Tips for substituting vegetable oil
5 tips- Measure after melting. For ½ cup oil use ½ cup melted shortening; for 1/3 cup use 1/3 cup; for 2 tbsp use 2 tbsp.
- Let melted shortening cool 3 to 5 minutes before adding it to eggs, and have the milk at room temperature. Cold liquid makes it set into small lumps.
- For deep frying, melt enough shortening to reach the depth the recipe gives and fry at the temperature the recipe gives. Let it cool until just liquid before you strain and store it.
- Serve brownies and cakes made with shortening at room temperature or slightly warm. Straight from the refrigerator they feel firm and waxy.
- For dressings, marinades and mayonnaise, use a liquid oil. No amount of melting keeps shortening pourable once it cools.
Questions
5 questionsCan you substitute shortening for vegetable oil in brownies?
Yes. Melt the shortening and use the same amount the box or recipe gives for oil, usually ½ to 2/3 cup. The brownies bake the same way and come out slightly firmer and a little less fudgy once they are fully cool.
Do I have to melt the shortening?
For a recipe written for oil, yes. The batter was built around a liquid fat that stirs in. Solid shortening will not blend into a brownie or muffin batter; it leaves greasy lumps. Melt it, cool it slightly and measure.
Can I fry with shortening in place of vegetable oil?
Yes. Shortening is a traditional frying fat for chicken, doughnuts and fries. Use the same depth of melted fat and the same temperature. Fried food made with it feels less oily once cool, because the fat on the surface sets.
Is the swap the other way around the same?
Not always. Oil can replace melted shortening cup for cup, but it cannot replace solid shortening that a recipe creams with sugar or cuts into flour, as in pie crust, biscuits and many cookies. Those recipes depend on the fat being solid.
Can I use shortening in a cake mix?
Yes: melt it, cool it slightly and use the amount the box gives for oil. The cake is a little less moist on the second day than one made with oil, since oil stays liquid in the crumb and shortening does not.