I used to use canola oil for everything: baking, frying, sautéing. But in the last year, I’ve slowly been using alternatives to canola oil and now I never buy it.
Honestly, I never knew what canola oil was or even vegetable oil. I used to always wonder what it actually was and how it was made.
Recently, I discovered that canola, vegetable, and sunflower oils are considered “seed oils”.
They have been in the news a lot, and I was finally able to hear what they are and how they are made.
I knew I had to find replacements for the seed oils. Just like when I switched from margarine to real butter over 10 years ago!
Oil is in so many recipes that I make from scratch, but I use different oils depending on what I’m making.
Oil Alternatives for Baking
Melted butter is my go-to for oil substitutes in baking.
Whether you’re making a box cake or muffin mix, or making them from scratch, melted butter is an easy alternative to oil.
I also use it in quick breads, pancakes, and waffles.
Melted butter is an equal alternative to canola oil or any other oil your baked-good recipe calls for.
If the recipe calls for 1/3 cup of oil, simply melt 1/3 cup of butter and add to your mix.
You could also use melted coconut oil in the exact same way. If your recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, substitute 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil.
Coconut oil is a solid like butter, so you do have to melt it in order to add it to your batter.
Coconut oil and butter have low smoke points. That means that if they get too hot, they will start to smoke and not work.
That’s why they are ideal for baking. Plus coconut oil has a slight sweet flavor.
- butter
- unrefined coconut oil (affiliate link)
Oil Alternatives for Deep Frying
Deep frying temperatures are usually between 350-375 degrees. So you need an oil that has a high smoke temperature and won’t burn at high temps.
We deep fry biscuit donuts on Saturday mornings a couple of times a month and like to use *refined* coconut oil.
Refined coconut oil can be heated high for deep frying. Unrefined cannot be heated high.
Ghee is also great for frying sweet flavored foods. It has a smoke point of 450 degrees.
Ghee is the solid part that is left over from butter that has been heated to a high temperature.
We also deep fry homemade chicken tenders, but use tallow instead. Tallow is best for savory dishes rather than sweet.
Tallow is made from the fat found around the organs of cows. It has a smoke point of 400 degrees.
These links are affiliate links.
Oil Alternatives for Pan Frying or Sautéing
Whenever I do a thin pan fry of chicken breast or salisbury steak, I add just a thin layer of olive oil to make the pan non stick.
If I’m frying an egg, I’ll add a half tablespoon of butter and let the melted butter cover the bottom of the skillet.
Really you can use just about any canola oil substitute that is listed above depending on the flavor you would like to add.
- olive oil
- butter
- bacon fat
- coconut oil
- ghee
- tallow
So there you have a list of canola oil alternatives. You don’t have to change everything all at once.
For me, it was a gradual transition. I started with what I had: butter. I used butter in all of my baked goods.
Then added olive oil for roasting, sautéing, and pan frying.
Eventually, I added coconut oil and tallow, but use them sparingly.
They are a bit more expensive than seed oil, but we have allowed a little extra room in our budget because we believe the health benefits are worth it.
Plus it helps to get them in bigger quantities from Costco.
If you have any questions or further tips, please leave them in the comments!