Understanding Cooking Oils and When to Use Each One

By Amélie Laurent · 6 min read

Walk down any grocery aisle and you will find a dizzying array of cooking oils. Understanding a few key differences helps you choose the right one for every dish.

The most important concept is smoke point, the temperature at which an oil begins to break down and smoke. For high-heat cooking like searing and frying, choose oils with high smoke points such as avocado, refined olive, or grapeseed oil.

Extra virgin olive oil is prized for its flavor, but it is best used for lower-heat cooking, dressings, and finishing. Drizzling it over a finished dish preserves its fruity, peppery character.

Neutral oils like canola and vegetable oil are workhorses for everyday cooking when you do not want the oil to add flavor. Toasted sesame oil, on the other hand, is a finishing oil with a bold aroma; a few drops go a long way.

Store your oils away from heat and light to keep them fresh, and buy quantities you will use within a few months. Rancid oil has a flat, slightly bitter taste that dulls your cooking.