We bring you nine different cooking oils and show you how to correctly put them to use in your kitchen.

 

Up until a few years ago, you could only find a handful of cooking oils at your grocery store. This would include olive and canola oil. Maybe even safflower oil. 

Today, cooking oils can be seen taking up an entire aisle, if not more.

Once considered exotic varieties, coconut and walnut oils are easily available at most markets. 

How do you choose what’s best for you? 

First, you should pay attention to function to select the oil that’s appropriate for the kind of cooking you want to do. For instance, do you want to pan-fry or finish veggies?

Next, consider flavour: do you want your meal’s ingredients to shine or do you want an added flavour?

Here’s the skinny on all of our favourite cooking oils.

Feel free to decide their best applications on the basis of flavour and cooking temperature (smoke point refers to the temperature at which the oil begins to break down and start smoking). 

 

Cooking Oils and Their Usage

 

Roasted Pumpkin Seed Oil

Suggested usage:

Perfect for using it as a finishing oil for vegetables and meats. This unique dark-brown oil works well with salad dressings, grilled asparagus and corn on the cob.

 

Flavour:

Earthy, smoky flavour.

 

Smoke Point:

Low heat, 250 degrees

 

Virgin Avocado Oil

Suggested usage:

Beast for dips, dressings and high-heat sauteing. Its emerald green colour makes it a beautiful finishing oil for grilled veggies.

 

Flavour: 

Delicate avocado flavour

 

Smoke Point: 

Medium-high heat, 400 degrees

 

Peanut Oil

Suggested usage:

Its ability to handle high heat makes it everyone’s go-to choice when it comes to deep-frying. It also works well for stir-fries.

 

Flavour:

Smooth, rich flavour perfect for everyday use.

 

Smoke Point: 

High heat, 450 degrees

 

Walnut Oil

Suggested usage:

Excellent for drizzling over salads, cooked vegetables and summer soups. 

 

Flavour:

Delicate, savoury, roasted tons with a hint of the taste of walnuts.

 

Smoke Point: 

Medium heat, 325 degrees

 

Virgin Coconut Oil

Suggested usage:

From adding a spoonful to your bowl of oatmeal to baking muffins and bread, this oil is extremely versatile. It can also be used for light sauteing. 

 

Flavour: 

Buttery and creamy, it makes for a distinct coconut flavour.

 

Smoke Point: 

Medium heat, 325 degrees

 

Toasted Sesame Oil

Suggested usage:

Excellent for marinades, salad dressings, stir-frying and salad dressings.

 

Flavour: 

Aromatic and intently nutty. 

 

Smoke Point:

Medium heat, 250 degrees

 

Grapeseed Oil

Suggested usage:

Wonderful everyday oil that’s perfect for high-heat sauteing and baking but will also let your ingredients in salad dressings, soups and pasta shine (bright like a diamond!)

 

Flavour: 

Clean, neutral flavour.

 

Smoke Point:  

Medium-high heat, 425 degrees

 

Which cooking oils have you used and what are your thoughts? Tell us in the comments section below!