Best Substitutes for Olive Oil
Olive oil fills two roles in cooking: it's a fat for sauteing and roasting (with a smoke point of 374-405F depending on grade), and it's a finishing oil that adds fruity, peppery, or grassy flavors. Extra virgin olive oil contains about 14% saturated fat, 73% monounsaturated fat, and 11% polyunsaturated fat. Light olive oil has been refined to remove flavor and can handle heat up to 468F.
The biggest mistake people make is treating all olive oils the same. A $30 bottle of cold-pressed extra virgin is wasted in high-heat cooking where its flavor compounds burn off. Meanwhile, using light olive oil in a salad dressing gives you nothing but grease. Match your substitute to what the olive oil was doing in the recipe.
Best Overall Substitute
Avocado oil at a 1:1 ratio. It has the highest smoke point of any cooking oil (520F), neutral flavor, and similar fat composition to olive oil (70% monounsaturated). Works everywhere olive oil does except raw applications where you want that specific olive flavor.
All Substitutes
Avocado oil
1:1Avocado oil matches olive oil's viscosity and fat profile almost exactly. The smoke point of 520F beats even light olive oil's 468F, making it perfect for searing and stir-frying. Zero flavor means it won't compete with other ingredients. The downside is price. Avocado oil costs 2-3x more than olive oil. Save it for high-heat cooking where other oils would smoke.
Vegetable oil
1:1Vegetable oil (usually soybean) has a smoke point of 450F and costs about $0.10 per ounce versus olive oil's $0.25-0.50. Completely neutral taste. The fat profile differs significantly with 61% polyunsaturated fat versus olive oil's 11%, which means it oxidizes faster when heated repeatedly.
Butter
1:1 by volume or 3/4 cup butter for 1 cup oilButter adds richness olive oil can't match but burns at 350F (versus olive oil's 374-405F). The milk solids brown and create nutty flavors. Use clarified butter or ghee for high-heat cooking since removing milk solids raises the smoke point to 450F. Butter contains 20% water, so baked goods may need 1-2 tablespoons less liquid. The saturated fat (63% versus olive oil's 14%) creates different textures in baking.
Coconut oil
1:1Coconut oil solidifies below 76F, so it won't work in cold dishes. Refined coconut oil has no flavor and a 450F smoke point. Virgin coconut oil tastes like coconut and smokes at 350F. The 87% saturated fat content makes it extremely stable for frying but changes baking textures dramatically. Cookies spread less. Cakes get denser.
Grapeseed oil
1:1Grapeseed oil's 420F smoke point and clean taste make it a solid all-purpose substitute. Contains 70% polyunsaturated fat, which means it goes rancid faster than olive oil (use within 6 months of opening). Light green color won't affect food appearance. About half the price of avocado oil.
Ghee
3/4 cup ghee for 1 cup oilGhee is clarified butter with the milk solids removed, giving it a 485F smoke point. Pure fat with no water content. Adds buttery, nutty flavor that works especially well in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Solid at room temperature (melts at 95F) so it won't work in cold applications. Costs about $0.50 per ounce. Shelf-stable for months without refrigeration.
Walnut oil
1:1 for finishing, 3/4 cup for cookingWalnut oil brings intense nutty flavor but can't handle heat above 320F. Best used like expensive extra virgin olive oil as a finishing oil. Contains 63% polyunsaturated fat and goes rancid within 3 months even refrigerated. Mix with neutral oil for cooking (half walnut, half grapeseed works well).
Canola oil
1:1Canola oil costs about $0.08 per ounce and has a 400F smoke point. Neutral flavor. Contains 28% polyunsaturated fat and 63% monounsaturated fat, sitting between olive and vegetable oil. Some brands have a slightly fishy smell when heated due to omega-3 content (7% versus olive oil's 0.7%). Good shelf life of 2 years unopened. Works in everything but won't add flavor.
How to Adjust Your Recipe
Temperature matters more than you think. Olive oil conducts heat differently than butter (oil heats faster and more evenly). Reduce heat by 25F when switching from butter to any oil. Increase heat by 25-50F when going from oil to butter.
In baking, olive oil creates moister, denser textures than butter. Reduce other liquids by 2 tablespoons per cup of oil. For marinades, only avocado and grapeseed oil match olive oil's ability to carry flavors into meat. Thicker oils like walnut need thinning with 25% neutral oil.
Salad dressing ratios change completely. Olive oil's 3:1 ratio with vinegar becomes 2:1 with nut oils (they're more intense) or 4:1 with neutral oils (they contribute nothing but fat).
When Not to Substitute
Don't substitute when olive oil IS the flavor. Aglio e olio needs extra virgin olive oil. Period. Same with traditional pesto, tapenade, or Spanish gazpacho. The fruity, peppery notes are the whole point.
Authentic hummus and baba ganoush rely on olive oil's specific mouthfeel and flavor. Greek salads taste wrong without it. Any recipe that calls for finishing with "good olive oil" means the flavor matters. Using vegetable oil there is like using water instead of wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in baking?
Yes, at a 3/4 ratio (3/4 cup olive oil replaces 1 cup vegetable oil). Olive oil has more flavor and creates denser, moister baked goods. Use light olive oil for cakes where you don't want olive flavor. Extra virgin works great in chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, and citrus cakes where the fruitiness complements. Cookies may spread 10-15% more due to olive oil's different fat composition.
What's the best olive oil substitute for salad dressing?
Avocado oil works at a 1:1 ratio but adds no flavor. For taste, try walnut oil at 3/4 the amount mixed with 1/4 neutral oil. Unrefined sesame oil (use half the amount) adds nutty complexity. MCT oil provides the same smooth mouthfeel at a 1:1 ratio but zero flavor. None match extra virgin olive oil's fruity notes, so add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice per 1/4 cup of substitute oil for brightness.
Is it safe to deep fry with olive oil?
Light olive oil with its 468F smoke point works fine for deep frying at 350-375F. Extra virgin olive oil (smoke point 374-405F) is too close to frying temperature and will smoke. The myth that olive oil becomes toxic when heated is false. However, it costs 3-5x more than oils designed for frying. Peanut oil at 450F smoke point costs $0.15 per ounce versus light olive oil's $0.40 and performs better for deep frying.