Best Olive Oil Substitute

Are you out of olive oil? There are plenty of options! Here’s the best olive oil substitute to use in your cooking.

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Need an olive oil substitute? Olive oil is oil that’s extracted from olives, and this Mediterranean food is one of the healthiest cooking oils in the world. The uses for olive oil in cooking are endless: use it for sautéing and roasting vegetables, drizzling salads or making salad dressings, and even baking. If you’re looking to avoid olive oil for an allergy or have just run out, here are the best ways to substitute it!

Best substitutes for olive oil

1. Grapeseed oil.

The best olive oil substitute? Grapeseed oil. Grapeseed oil is a neutral oil that has a mild flavor and a nutty finish. It doesn’t taste like olive oil, but it has a robust enough flavor to stand in for it. Use it for sauteing vegetables, drizzling salad greens, or making salad dressings.

2. Canola oil, vegetable or sunflower oil.

Another good olive oil substitute? Another neutral oil! Try canola oil, vegetable oil or sunflower oil work as a 1 for 1 substitute. Find organic versions of these oils if you can. They all have a neutral flavor and are pretty interchangeable with olive oil, which has a stronger, more robust flavor. Keep in mind that these neutral oils don’t have the same health benefits as olive oil, but they’ll do in a pinch.

3. Coconut oil.

Don’t have any of those oils? Try coconut oil! Coconut oil works particularly well for sautéing and roasting. It’s solid at room temperature, so avoid using it as a substitute in salad dressings. If you want to substitute olive oil in a baked good recipe, we’d recommend using another liquid oil. Opt for refined coconut oil if you can because it has a more subtle coconut flavor than unrefined, which is fairly strong.

Want to know how it stacks up against olive oil? Go to Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil.

4. Butter.

Can you substitute butter? Yes! You can use melted butter as a 1-for-1 substitute for olive oil for sauteing and roasting. It adds an even richer, more savory flavor than olive oil. It’s not a good choice for a salad dressing. It works for baking and makes the texture even more moist and flaky.

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