Canola oil is a popular kitchen staple, which you probably always have in your home!
We consider it as our kitchen’s secret savior, quietly doing the job in many cooking applications from baking, grilling, sauteing, for your stir-fry, and more!
That said, we’re aware that some of you want another option other than canola oil.
Or, you forgot to add canola oil to your shopping list, only to find out your pantry has none of it in your pantry when all your ingredients are laid out, ready to cook.
Don’t worry; there are so many canola oil substitutions, some of which offer health benefits for your dishes!
Read on as we help you find the best replacement for your recipe.
The 12 Best Substitutes for Canola Oil
Canola oil is a vegetable oil many of us commonly use as a moisturizing agent for baking and cooking.
It has a neutral flavor with a high smoke point, plus it’s cheaper to buy than other oils, which is why people use this ingredient for many cooking methods.
This oil is extracted from the turnip family’s crushed seeds of rapeseed plants. Afterward, the oil is refined and bottled, with any leftover meal used as a protein source for animal feed. (*)
- Fun fact: Canola is an acronym, meaning “Canadian oil, low acid!” Today’s canola oil primarily comes from Canada.
It was once called rapeseed oil, but this wasn’t safe for human consumption.
Instead, rapeseed oil greased ships during the second world war, and until now, it’s still used as a type of biodiesel.
Once the USA couldn’t produce enough canola oil, Canada began making and exporting this oil, now genetically modified rapeseed safe for human consumption.
- Fun fact: Canola is now Australia’s third-largest crop, with the country exporting more than 2 million tons yearly.
Alright, let’s get down to business and talk about the best canola oil substitutes.
Here are your many options to choose from, which you can find in supermarkets and in your kitchen!
1. Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil is similar to canola oil because they have a similar process by pressing sunflower seeds.
As a result, you get an oil with a neutral taste and high smoking point so that you can substitute canola oil with sunflower oil excellently.
You can use sunflower oil in numerous dishes and cooking methods, whether frying, browning, baking, or roasting.
You can also use sunflower oil in salad dressing for the oil’s flavor to kind of shine!
Furthermore, people will appreciate the health benefits that sunflower oil offers, as it can lower bad cholesterol, has no trans fat, and has a lot of good nutrients, such as vitamin E.
Furthermore, sunflower has a lot of polyunsaturated fats, which may help in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
2. Olive Oil
You’re probably aware of olive oil, as it’s one of the most common and popular oils we come across. However, it doesn’t have a high smoke point, so you can’t use it for cooking at high heat.
While olive oil is still versatile, it isn’t recommended for frying.
We like using it in salads, salad dressing, dipping, or sauces.
This healthy fat has many benefits, such as weight loss, maintaining proper cholesterol levels, and preventing diabetes and cancer.
There are two types of olive oil: Virgin or extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin oil has a more robust flavor, so we recommend virgin olive oil.
3. Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is another versatile cooking fat with a light color and neutral flavor, so it’s an excellent substitute for canola oil.
However, vegetable oil usually comes in a blend of different vegetable oils like corn, soy, and even canola oil. If you’re allergic to any of those oils, you must read the ingredient label carefully.
We like using vegetable oil as it’s always readily available and more affordable. Plus, it has a similar nutritional profile as canola oil with a higher smoke point to use for pan-frying and sauteing.
4. Safflower Oil
Safflower oil is like soybean oil without flavor but a high smoke point. Meaning it’s versatile, and you can use it for many cooking methods, may it be for baking or frying.
Safflower oil won’t scorch or change your recipe’s flavor as it has a neutral flavor and aroma.
It’s also similar to canola oil and sunflower oil since it’s made of pressed seeds from the safflower plant.
You can use safflower oil for salad designs or drizzle over dishes for good health. This oil can help prevent diabetes as it can manage blood sugar levels. It can also help with premenstrual syndrome.
5. Peanut Oil
Did you know that Chick-fil-A uses and purchases more peanut oil than anyone else for frying their chicken?
It’s worth trying as a canola oil substitute for deep-frying, pan-frying, sauteing, or your stir-fry!
Peanut oil has a higher smoking point compared to other canola oil alternatives, making it suitable for cooking applications.
However, it’s important to note that peanut oil has a strong flavor to overpower dishes relying on delicate or subtle aromas and flavors.
Expect a slightly sweet flavor from peanut oil, adding a nutty taste to your dish.
We like that you get a healthy dose of vitamin E when using peanut oil, which is why it’s considered a healthy fat. (*)
Learn more: Peanut Oil Substitutes- (#1’S HEALTHY OPTIONS)
6. Coconut Oil
You can use two types of coconut oil:
- Refined
- And Unrefined coconut oil.
You can’t use these two interchangeably, and it would be more challenging to use unrefined coconut oil as a substitute for canola oil since it has a stronger coconut taste.
While you can use coconut oil for baked goods, you need to note the flavors before adding too much of them.
As for refined coconut oil, expect a milder flavor for low-heat cooking.
You can’t fry with this oil, but it’s suitable for sauteeing. Plus, it’s a good substitute for canola oil for slightly sweet and fruity recipes.
We recommend adding it to fruit smoothie bowls or lightly sweet salad dressings for some healthy fat.
We appreciate coconut oil as it contains lower calories than other oils and is rich in antioxidants.
7. Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is another healthy oil we consider as a healthy fat. This has become a popular oil throughout the years, hence why we can now easily find it in supermarkets.
This oil is rich in vitamin E, carotenoids, and lutein. Furthermore, it has a monounsaturated fatty acid that helps in reducing bad cholesterol levels.
Other than its health benefits, avocado oil has a high smoke point. But like peanut oil, it has a distinct flavor, so it isn’t as versatile as other oils with a neutral taste.
We recommend drizzling over salads and vegetables before roasting when you use this as a canola oil substitute.
It’s also a great ingredient to use in salad dressings or marinades; just be aware of the flavor before mixing it up and adding too much.
Learn more: 12 Great Avocado Oil Substitute for All Types of Dishes
8. Cottonseed Oil
Cottonseed oil is referred to as the American origin oil.
It’s been with us since the late 1800s, which isn’t surprising because of how much cotton was grown in the USA.
We can use this oil in many different recipes thanks to its neutral taste and high smoke point.
While it’s a less common oil, you can easily use this as a substitute for canola oil if you have it.
You can use cottonseed oil for baking deep-frying, among other cooking applications. You can also use it for coating vegetables to roast or as a meat marinade.
You can use raw recipes in salads, sauces, and creating condiments.
Cottonseed oil doesn’t have as many benefits as the other alternatives we mentioned, but it’s still worth trying.
9. Soybean Oil
Soybean oil has a neutral flavor, making it a surprisingly versatile oil, like canola oil. Because of that, you can use soybean oil to replace canola oil in baked goods, savory dishes, ad salad dressings.
Because of soybean oil’s mild flavor profile, you can use it in recipes with subtle flavors.
10. Almond Oil
Almond oil is another good substitute for canola oil, but it has a distinct almond aroma and flavor. That said, it’s worth trying if you want a healthier alternative.
Almond oil has a lot of nutrients like vitamins B and E, along with healthy fatty acids.
We consider this as one of the healthiest oils to use!
We don’t recommend almond oil for deep-frying or sauteing, but you can use it for raw recipes and baked goods.
Almond oil is good for cakes muffins, among other sweet treats that have a better flavor with the almond aroma or nutty flavor.
You can also use it in smoothie bowls, raw vegan snacks, or salad dressings.
11. Corn Oil
Corn oil is an organic oil that offers good benefits, making it a healthy substitute for canola oil. Besides being cheap, corn oil has mono and polyunsaturated fats, so it’s healthy to consume.
In most cooking applications, these fats help lower bad cholesterol levels and have a high smoking point. Use this oil for roasting and frying, though you can also use it in baked goods and salad dressing.
Since corn oil doesn’t have an overpowering aroma and flavor, you can use it as one of the best substitutes for canola oil.
Learn more: Corn Oil Substitute (Simple Replace By These Alternatives)
12. Applesauce or Mashed Banana
If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, we recommend using applesauce or mashed banana.
You can use an equal 1:1 ratio when using this substitute for canola oil.
If you plan to use mashed banana, add a bit of water for more moisture.
We recommend using this only for baking because of applesauce and banana’s sweet flavor.
Frequently Asked Question
Thought that this was the end of learning about canola oil and the best canola oil substitute? But wait, there’s more! Check out our frequently asked section below:
1. What’s the best substitute for canola oil?
We believe that the best canola oil substitute is vegetable oil, but you can use the other different oils for cooking or raw recipes.
You just need to be wary of the flavors some of them would have, like almond and coconut oil.
The second-best alternative is extra virgin olive oil for its health benefits.
2. How is canola oil made?
Seeds are first cleaned, then heated, and rolled carefully. This will allow the seeds’ cell walls to break for the oil to be extracted.
Then, seeds will be heated and cooked through chambers in specific machinery to prepare both the seeds and oils. Afterward, the oils are extracted to refine and process once the seeds are pressed.
After processing, it’s bottled and out for sale.
3. Is canola oil healthy?
Canola oil does have its benefits, such as:
It has high omega-3 fatty acids, helping lower bad cholesterol and controlling blood glucose.
Canola oil has the lowest levels of “bad” fats, like trans and saturated fats, which increase bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol.
Furthermore, a serving of canola oil will give our bodies our daily requirement of vitamin E, antioxidants protecting our body’s proteins and fats, along with preventing free radical damage, reducing our risks of memory loss and cancer.
That said, too much canola oil is also a bad thing!
Remember, it’s still high in fat and calories, so you must use canola oil sparingly. Furthermore, canola oil is highly processed and will have fewer nutrients.
While you can use cold-pressed canola oil for salad dressing and roasting vegetables, which has a more robust taste and deep yellow color, it’s trickier to find.
Learn more: Does Canola Oil Go Bad? How Long Does It Last?
Wrapping It Up
There are many canola oil substitution you can choose from, each having its own distinct (or neutral) flavor and many health benefits.
But again, these are still oils high in fat and calories, so avoid using too much of them when frying foods or when drizzling them on your dish.
Hopefully, your list of the best substitutes for canola oil helped you out.
Try any of these ingredients, and let us know what you think of them in the comments section below.
