Peanut oil is great for cooking as it adds flavor to dishes. It is an amazing oil for pan and deep-frying as it has an elevated smoke point of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and is highly resistant to damage. It gives your meals a delightful flavor without absorbing the natural flavors of the foods cooked in it.
Food fried in peanut oil is crispy on the outside, and moist on the inside; and what’s more, is great when drizzled on salads- with an easy hand.
Peanut oil is a healthy oil, a fine source of antioxidants, as it is low in saturated fat and is free of cholesterol and trans fats. It is your heart-healthy choice of high monounsaturated fats, which can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease.
Sometimes, it happens that you run out of cooking supplies or ingredients in the kitchen, in the middle of meal preparation.
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Instead of leaving your unfinished recipe to rush to the store for replenishment, or when you wish to cook with a different oil for flavor, enhanced recipe pairing, allergy concerns, or just need a more affordable oil, there are other oils you can use that are suitable substitutes for peanut oil.
Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is a great oil for cooking as it contains vitamin E, good levels of antioxidants, and unsaturated fats in very high concentrations, all of which are extremely beneficial to your body.
It also contains phytosterols, compounds that help reduce cholesterol absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
Produced from the pressing of the fleshy pulp that surrounds the pit, it is one of the edible oils that is not extracted from the seed and contains healthy fats such as oleic acid and essential fatty acids.
Avocado oil enhances the absorption of carotenoids and other nutrients by our bodies.
The oil also has a very high smoke point of over 480 degrees Fahrenheit that makes it great for high heat cooking. For additional culinary delights, this rich, buttery flavored oil is suitable for salad dressings, baking, and as a spread on your breads.
Try this oil drizzled over your popcorn with a dash of lime juice and salt for a tasty, healthy snack.
Would you know, avocado oil acts as a mouthwash and kills off the bacteria in your mouth, and is an anti-inflammatory ingredient? All this in addition to being beneficial to your skin and hair, it sure is a super peanut oil substitute.
Corn Oil
One of the more affordable types of oils in the market, corn oil is made from corn seeds and is widely available in supermarkets and grocery shops. Just like peanut oil, refined corn oil has a high smoking point.
It has no taste, so it can be used for baking, all-around cooking, sautéing and deep-frying too. Most restaurants use corn oil when frying French fries.
Unrefined organic corn oil is another substitute that is commercially available. It is ideal for light cooking and for making sauces, as it has a lower smoke point of 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
This oil gives your dishes an almost nutty flavor with a faint taste of corn, because it does not lose its original aroma. Unrefined corn oil does not have a long shelf life and needs to be stored in the refrigerator so as not to spoil.
Soybean Oil
Soybean oil is a vegetable oil that is extracted from the seeds of soybeans. Its color varies from pale green to a dark yellow and has a high smoke point, making it a good peanut oil substitute for deep frying.
Soybean oil also has benefits to our health as it contains high amounts of omega 3, oleic, and stearic acid. It decreases your level of cholesterol, reduces the possibility of developing osteoporosis and heart disease.
Soybean oil is known to improve your eye and skin health, and may even lower the risk of acquiring Alzheimer's disease!
A popular cooking oil, has a neutral taste, making it perfect for cooking, baking, and even as part of salad dressings. It is also commercially available, making it much easier to acquire than peanut oil.
Walnut Oil
Walnut oil is another excellent peanut oil substitute. Excellent for salad dressings, drizzling, and other recipe finishing methods, it is loaded with antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which helps prevent heart diseases, as well as slow down the body’s aging process.
Walnut oil is however not the best peanut oil substitute for deep frying or any high-temperature cooking. Aside from the fact that it's not cheap thus not the best for cooking large portions of meals, it does become bitter when heated.
I do recommend this for steamed fish and oil-based salads and vinaigrettes.
You can add some raw walnuts into your salads to add some crunch and build a fuller, nuttier flavor.
Almond Oil
Almond oil is a nutty-tasting, pale- yellow odorless liquid that comes in two forms, cold-pressed and refined.
Cold-pressed almond oil is excellent for drizzling salads, making oil-based sauces, and chilled dishes, while refined oil is best for sautéing and deep frying because it can handle higher temperatures.
Although it is a great substitute for peanut oil, it is not quite cheap, but the health benefits it packs make the cost worth it.
Some of the health benefits of almond oil include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which will help you maintain good cholesterol levels, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin E.
Aside from your culinary use, almond oil has other major benefits too, and has been around for centuries to soothe skin and promote stronger nails.
With its great effects in the skin, almond oil has been used for centuries for soothing skin, treating skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, and promoting healthy and strong nails.
Canola Oil
Similar to peanut oil, canola oil also has a high smoke point of 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It also contains high levels of monounsaturated fats and low saturated fats levels, which helps to maintain balance in your body by helping to lower bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol.
Derived from the rapeseed plant, canola oil also contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which helps to lower chronic diseases. It does not have a strong flavor, which makes it perfect for baking, grilling, and even for use in your salad dressing.
Some people combine both canola and peanut oil in their cooking, so if you have both in the pantry and are in for a healthy deep-fried meal, reach for this healthy substitute, or a combination of both.
Grape Seed Oil
Grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor and high smoke point, making it an excellent substitute for peanut oil. It is great for recipes that require medium-high heat such as searing and sautéing, and with its neutral taste, your fried foods taste excellent while retaining their natural flavors.
It may not be your first choice of substitutes because it is relatively more expensive. If you would rather not use it for deep frying, go ahead and drizzle it on your favorite salads. This oil is a preference for many chefs because of the clean taste.
Grape seed oil is also great for baking because it's flavorless and it doesn’t overpower your baked foods’ taste. You can also use it to marinate your meat.
It is rich in omega 6 which increases energy and decreases inflammation and contains vitamin E that boosts our immunity.
Cold-pressed and organic grape seed oil is the best, which you should keep in a dark and cool place to maintain quality.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil has a light amber color with a mild and pleasant flavor. With a 450 degrees Fahrenheit smoke point, it is excellent for shallow and deep-frying your food.
It is an excellent substitute for peanut oil as it has a relatively long shelf life, is affordable, and is suitable for all-round cooking.
It is made from pressed sunflower seeds and is a healthy substitute that is fat-free, and naturally contains vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acid. It helps lower your cholesterol levels as it is low on saturated fat and high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
There are three different types of sunflower oil available in the market, so you are spoilt for choice. High-Oleic sunflower oil has the highest smoke point perfect for frying and deep-frying.
NuSun mid- oleic has a distinct taste and more health benefits as it fat-free and low in saturated fat, while the most widely used Linoleic helps reduce the effect of free radicals.
In addition to frying and dressing salads, sunflower oil is also a great alternative to butter. For some of your baking recipes, you can replace butter with this oil because it is healthier and great tasting too. I find it enhances the natural flavors in my bake treats such as banana cakes, and oatmeal cookies.
If you have a seed allergy, however, steer clear from sunflower oil.
Safflower
A relation to the sunflower, safflower oil is made from the crushed seeds of the safflower plant. An excellent choice in high-level heat cooking-deep-frying, sautéing, and searing, it is flavorless with a high smoke point of 510 degrees Fahrenheit, guaranteeing your meals that retain their natural flavors.
Safflower oil is also a great substitute to use in your salads, as it does not solidify when placed in cool temperatures. It offers you plenty of wonderful health benefits, so enjoying your favorite fried meals can be guilt-free!
Good for your heart, it contains high levels of omega-6 fatty acids and low levels of saturated fats, which decrease the chances of developing conditions like heart attack, stroke, and
Safflower oil’s neutral, subtle taste also makes it perfect for your light cooking and baking cookies, cakes and even pancakes!
To maintain the quality and longevity of your safflower oil, your refined safflower variant should be kept at room temperature.
Your Preferred Substitute For Peanut Oil
As we have reviewed, there are many suitable substitutes for peanut oil. Your choice can be based on their health benefits, the kind of cooking you need the oil for, flavors and components, and of course the cost.
Whatever your choice, make your cooking experience fun and flavorful!
Can you substitute vegetable oil for peanut oil?
Peanut oil is often heralded as the best substitute for vegetable oil. It’s used for dressings, marinades, sauces, grilling, stir-frying, and broiling.
However, if you’re checking your cholesterol levels, you need to consider that peanut oil is high in fatty acids. Besides, it has a high smoke point.
Can you use peanut oil for frying?
Also known as groundnut oil, peanut oil deep-fries incredibly because f its high smoke point. Moreover, it leaves a neutral taste. It’s also high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and low in saturated fat.
This makes it healthier for deep frying as compared to lard. The oils are made using raw peanut, and since it’s processed under high heat, it doesn’t contain proteins.
Which is the best oil for deep frying chips/French fries?
When it comes to frying your French fries into the desired crispiness, neutral-tasting oils fries better. They include grape seed, safflower, vegetable, canola, and peanut oil.
These oils have a smoke point that over 350 degrees Celsius.
