However, what if you’re looking to try and experiment a little more with your ingredients? Or, heaven forbid, what if you’re in the middle of a recipe that calls for avocado oil, and there’s none left in the pantry?
Well, you can check out this guide, and see what kind of creative solutions we have found for your common culinary problem.
Not only will we show you what qualities make avocado oil so unique, but we’ll also show you some potential substitutes that you can use. Whether it’s trying out new flavors, or being an emergency replacement, these alternative ingredients have you covered!
What Is Avocado Oil?
Avocado oil is exactly what it sounds like. It is a type of vegetable oil that is made by extracting the oils from the flesh of fresh avocados.
It’s an oil that is best known for its slightly nutty flavor once it has been heated up, as well as being rich in unsaturated fats, which are great for lowering cholesterol.
This makes it quite different from several traditional vegetable fats, which are often high in saturated fats that have excessive cholesterol in them.
Aside from that, avocado oil has several other health benefits that people love about it, such as its rich vitamin content of many kinds like A, D, and E, as well as many antioxidants.
Add to that a potentially nuanced flavor between the various kinds of avocado oil that you can get out there, and it’s no wonder that this cooking ingredient has taken the world by storm!
Avocado salad is an ideal oil for use in salad dressings, dips, and other cooking sauces, as well as for pretty much anything else you would typically use cooking oils for, from frying and sautéing to even baking!
So, a substitute has a lot to live up to, that’s for sure!
1. Grapeseed Oil
Now, if we’re discussing the best alternatives that you can choose when you’re trying to replace avocado oil, Grapeseed has to be one of the best out there!
Made from, you guessed it, the extracted oils from grape seeds. Because grape seeds are a major byproduct of the wine-making process, this is a very popular ingredient that can be found and bought from most places where you can find avocado oil.
So it’s readily accessible for a lot of people. But how is it used in cooking?
Well, in terms of uses, you can use rapeseed oil in pretty much any recipe that you would use avocado oil in, making it pretty versatile in cooking recipes.
Plus, with a similar consistency, you don’t need to worry about working with different ratios for these ingredients. What works for one will work fine with the same amount for the other.
It’s only in the flavor and nutritional value that we start to see some differences. While pretty much any kind of avocado oil has some kind of buttery or nutty flavor to it, the flavor for grapeseed oil is very light and delicate, making it a very neutral flavor comparatively.
While not as high in monosaturated fats as avocado oil, grapeseed is still considered one of the healthier options when it comes to cooking oils.
Overall, this is a very dependable substitute that you can use, if you don’t mind the lack of flavor. We recommend using this oil for frying and sautéing.
2. Peanut Oil
Another very popular alternative for people looking for a similar oil to avocado, you can’t go wrong with peanut oil as a substitute!
Again, the oil for this ingredient is extracted from peanuts and is very popular in many Asian recipes, particularly stir fries and other similar dishes. This makes this ingredient pretty easy to get a hold of for yourself, too, so you won’t have trouble finding some.
In terms of its cooking potential, peanut oil has a lot in common with avocado oil. It has a similar nutty flavor to it, meaning that it will serve you well in terms of replacing its flavor, Overall, it is easily recommended for us.
The only things that you should keep in mind are its smoking point and consistency/density.
Peanut oil has a higher smoking point than avocado oil, so keep that in mind while you are cooking with this ingredient in a pan.
Secondly, the density of peanut oil is generally lower than in avocado oil, so it will be difficult to get the same coverage and coating as you would the same amount of avocado oil.
Just make sure that you add a little extra peanut oil, though, and you’ll be ready to go!
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Right behind the last two options, extra virgin olive oil is one of the best cooking oils if you’re looking to inject a little extra flavor into a recipe.
A popular option for cooks across the world, olive oil has a distinct earthy and grassy flavor to it that makes it very similar to avocado oil, so it’s certainly covered in the flavor department.
Plus, it is packed full of great vitamins and a ton of antioxidants too, making it a very healthy dressing for many similar uncooked meals too, such as in salads or for dips. It’s even got the right consistency, too!
The only thing to note is that extra virgin olive oil has a much lower smoking and burning temperature compared to both avocado oil and the other substitutes that we’ve covered, at 468 degrees Fahrenheit and 520 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively.
However, in terms of flavors for meals that need little to no cooking at all, you can’t go wrong with a little extra virgin olive oil!
4. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil might not be the first ingredient that you think of when coming up with effective avocado oil substitutes. However, you just might be surprised at how effective it is when used in the right recipes!
There are two kinds of coconut oil, similar to how there are two kinds of avocado oil: Refined and unrefined.
And, just like with avocado oil, you get a more neutral flavor with the refined version and a bright, vibrant burst of distinct flavor with the undefined version. In coconut oil’s case, that’s a shot of tropical flavors!
While that does mean you’re getting a pretty different flavor with the unrefined variety, you do get a pretty similar experience with the refined versions. Plus, in terms of consistency and density, they’re a pretty good match for each other.
Coconut oil isn’t an unhealthy variety of cooking oil, but it’s certainly not as healthy as avocado oil, with the former having a much higher amount of saturated fats in it.
However, coconut oil is a pretty good substitute if you’re struggling to find any of the other examples that we have covered, or if you want to add a tropical flavor to your meals and cooking!
5. Flaxseed Oil
There might be a few people reading this entry and wondering what exactly flaxseed is, much less what this kind of oil is!
Flaxseed is a type of grain that is very popular as a protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acid supplement. So naturally, an oil made from this kind of seed would probably also be quite popular as a healthy oil ingredient.
Indeed, you get a lot of these health benefits in flaxseed oil, especially when paired with linseed oil too. The resulting flavor combination is an earthy, nutty flavor that is perfect for dressing.
However, in terms of its cooking potential, this oil also has a low smoking and burning point, so it’s not ideal for high-temperature cooking.
You’ll also need to watch how long this oil is stored in your pantry. While the expiration date is long-lasting, this oil changes flavors pretty significantly from new to aged, getting more potent after a certain point.
6. Sesame Oil
Another popular ingredient in Asian cooking and stir-fries, sesame oil is another favorite of ours when it comes to substitutes for avocado oil.
With a neutral, slightly sweet taste, you’ll get a different flavor experience if you add this to your cooking. However, with a similar consistency, you can pretty much use this oil 1:1 with your avocado oil.
Just keep in mind it’s lower smoking temperature!
Final Notes
So, while avocado oil might be in a class of its own for cooking, it’s good to see that you aren’t up a creek without a paddle when you have these ingredients handy!
Hi, I’m Aubrey, and I have been a chef for close to 8 years. Cooking has always been a passion of mine, as long as I can remember. I loved my play kitchen when I was a kid, and would offer my parents my own (albeit gross) cookie recipes to taste!
Here at ButterandSaltGatherings, I want to offer a wide range of ingredients, flavors, meals and recipes so that you can start living each day to the fullest, and enjoy only the best food.
