Missing a Drop of Peanut Oil? Here are 9 Worthy Peanut Oil Substitutes!

For flavoring food and frying, peanut oil is a favorite of mine!

It is such a healthy and popular choice since it does not have the type of fats that can be detrimental to the heart. Its mild flavor and high smoke point make it a great choice for deep frying as well as grilling and roasting! Plus, it tastes really amazing, drizzled on salads, too!

So, if you are like me, who use peanut oil every now and then, it is inevitable that you can run out of this precious oil. Maybe you have guests allergic to peanuts? Does that mean that you’ll just rip that recipe page requiring it and forget about the whole thing?

Don’t you even dare!

If you ever ran out or cannot use peanut oil for specific reasons, you’ll be glad to know that there are other oils out there, worthy to be a peanut oil substitute!

First things first…

What is a Peanut Oil?

This flavorful and sweet oil comes from low-growing plants known as Arachis hypogaea. And even though it has the word “nut” in its name, peanut is actually a legume such as lentils and is therefore grown underground unlike real nuts such as almonds and walnuts that are grown on trees.

The peanut’s origin can be traced to South America. Incans of Peru was one of the first civilizations to use it and placed peanuts alongside mummies.

Peanut oil is extracted by processing and pressing peanuts and its kernels. However, kernels usually contain most of the oil, so they undergo a different extraction process.

Peanut oil is so flavorful and naturally sweet, giving a fragrant and sweetened life to dishes. This oil can be cold pressed, showcasing a yellow color with nutty and sweet flavor, or refined that is characterized by a neutral taste and light yellow color.

9 Best Peanut Oil Substitute

1. Soybean Oil

If you are aiming for a neutral tasting oil, the soybean oil is the best! A popular oil extracted from soybean seeds, soybean oil has a faint dark yellow or faint green color. Comparing this vegetable oil to other, soybean oil is healthier since it has fatty acids such as oleic acid, omega 3 and stearic acid.

Similar to peanut oil, soybean oil also has the smoke point of 450°F, making it ideal for baking, deep frying, or sautéing. When substituting for soybean oil, you can use the equal amount required in the recipe.

2. Canola Oil

If you are searching for a peanut oil substitute in baking, then canola oil will do the trick. This oil comes with a light flavor that should not overpower your baked products. Because of its medium to high smoke point at 400°F, canola oil is also great for sautéing. Not only that, but you can also use it for salad dressing, greasing pans and grilling.

This versatile oil is also considered healthy with high levels of monounsaturated fats, similar to olive oil, at 63 percent. In comparison to other vegetable oils, canola oil has the lowest amount of ALA or alpha-linolenic acid and saturated fats.

3. Avocado Oil

Boasting a high amount of monounsaturated fats, avocado oil makes a great substitute for peanut oil. And with such a high smoke point of 520°F, avocado oil is the best peanut oil alternative for deep frying and other cooking methods.

This oil is rich in oleic acid that helps lower bad cholesterol and decreasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

4. Corn Oil

If you want a peanut oil alternative for all-purpose cooking, then you can have corn oil. One of the most affordable types of oil, corn oil is extracted from corn seed and is widely available in most supermarkets.

Similar to peanut oil, refined oil comes at a high smoking point which makes it great for baking, deep frying, and all-around cooking.

Or you can choose unrefined corn oil that has a lower smoke point, suitable for light cooking and making sauces. Moreover, using unrefined corn oil gives your dish a nutty flavor with a faint taste of corn.

5. Grapeseed Oil

In terms of stir-frying and sautéing, grapeseed oil can be used due to its medium to high smoke point of 392°F. And because it is virtually flavorless, grapeseed oil can also be used in baking without overpowering the flavor of your baked goods. You can also use it for marinating meat and salad dressings, too!

Just like peanut oil, grapeseed oil is also healthy. Loaded with omega 6, this light green colored oil helps increase energy and burn fat. It also comes with the right amount of vitamin E that can effectively boost immunity. However, even though this oil is low in saturated fats, its high amount of omega 6 can cause inflammation, so you might want to balance out with other forms of healthy fats.

6. Sunflower Oil

Another all-around cooking peanut oil substitute, both semi-refined and refined sunflower oil have the same high smoke point of 450°F. Featuring a subtle flavor, sunflower oil makes a great addition when baking or greasing your baking pans.

Sunflower oil is not your ordinary oil. It is a blend of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats that are good for the body.

7. Safflower Oil

Next to avocado oil, safflower oil boasts the second highest smoke point at 510°F, making it highly suitable for high heat cooking, particularly deep frying. Also, it has a neutral flavor, making it suitable for other cooking methods such as searing, sautéing, and stir-frying as well as making cookies, cakes, and pancakes.

With safflower oil, you can find 2 variants— high oleic and high linoleic. If you are making unheated recipes such as vinaigrettes, then choose high-linoleic safflower oil. But, if you are looking for a great alternative for peanut oil for high heat cooking, then high-oleic safflower oil is most recommended.

8. Almond Oil

Almond oil is not cheap substitute, however, its health benefits are totally worth it!

Almond oil comes in 2 types: refined and cold-pressed. The former is great for deep frying since it handles really high temperatures. The latter, on the other hand, is best for oil-based sauces, drizzling and other cold applications such as salads and chilled dishes.

Its health benefits are amazing— it is loaded with polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats that help in maintaining good levels of cholesterol as well as vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids for heart health. It is also great for the skin and is used for centuries in order to promote stronger nails and smoothens skin.

9. Walnut Oil

Another great alternative for peanut oil, walnut oil is excellent for finishing methods such as drizzling and salad dressings.  However, walnut oil is not recommended for deep frying or any cooking methods that require high temperatures. It is not cheap and if not used properly, it can leave a bitter taste in your dishes.

Walnut oil is loaded with essential fatty acids and antioxidants that help slow down the aging process as well as preventing heart diseases.

Oily Thoughts

And there you have it!

As you can see, there are plenty of other options that are just as great as peanut oil. So, do not worry if you can’t squeeze a drop or cannot use it because of allergies. The peanut oil alternatives above will complete your recipe without a problem!

Do you have any questions? Or maybe you are using other peanut oil substitute not mentioned above? Hope you can do us a favor and share your secret. Just fire up the comment section below.

Until then, happy cooking!

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