Subtly sweet and highly versatile, peanut oil – also known as groundnut oil – is a healthy oil that brings a mild nutty flavor to dishes.
What if you can’t find any? Or what if you have allergies? Don’t worry… for those who have peanut allergies or for those who can’t find peanut oil, there’s a peanut oil substitute for just about any recipe, whether deep frying, sautéing or baking.
What is peanut oil?
A type of vegetable oil made from the seeds of the peanut plant, peanut oil has a subtle nutty flavor. It’s good for baking and sautéing, but is particularly good for high temperature frying, due to its particularly high smoke point.
Peanut oil has plenty of health benefits, making it the oil of choice for many health-conscious foodies.
Unlike some oils, peanut oil doesn’t become infused with the ingredients in which it’s cooked. Although it’s quite mild, its flavor is a bit more pronounced than many other oils. The slight nutty sweetness can bring a delicious element to the right dish.
What dishes are normally cooked using peanut oil?
Peanut oil is a favorite oil in Asian cuisines. It pairs well with meats like chicken or beef, especially in noodle based or sweet and sour dishes.
It’s also great for deep frying, especially with recipes like spring rolls.
What are the different types of peanut oil?
There are a variety of different types peanut oil available:
Refined – this type of peanut oil is highly processed, with the proteins that cause allergic reactions removed. Refined peanut oil doesn’t have the same strong aroma as other types
Cold pressed – this unrefined type of peanut oil is in its most natural state, with a pleasant nutty taste and aroma
Blend – this type is a hybrid of peanut oil with other types of oil, including sunflower oil and vegetable oil
What is the smoke point of peanut oil?
eanut oil has a very high smoke point of around 232ºC/450ºF.
The ‘smoke point’, or ‘burning point’ of an oil is the temperature at which the fat in the oil begins to break down and turns to smoke.
If you heat an oil above the smoke point, the taste will be affected and the nutrients within the oil will be destroyed. Heating an oil beyond its smoke point can also produce harmful free radicals in the oil.
That’s why some oils, such as extra virgin olive oil, aren’t suitable for cooking at high temperatures.
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10 Peanut Oil Substitutes
Are you looking for a peanut oil substitute? In this comprehensive list you'll learn 10 ideas for an alternative.
Here are the best alternatives to use in place of peanut oil. For each substitute, swap in for peanut oil at a 1:1 ratio.
The best peanut oil substitute when it comes to flavor, sesame oil is particularly good when used in Asian-style cuisine. Great for sautéing, deep frying or stir frying, sesame oil brings a mildly nutty flavor, similar to peanut oil.
As it often brings a livelier flavor, toasted sesame oil is not the best peanut oil substitute. Instead, go for the regular kind, as subtlety is key. Like peanut oil, sesame oil has a high smoke point – around 210ºC/410ºF – so it’s very heat stable.
An oil obtained from the rapeseed plant, canola oil has a mild flavor and a good smoke point of 204ºC/400ºF. Its neutral flavor makes it an ideal substitute for peanut oil, especially with baking or light frying, although it’s not suitable for high temperature frying.
Canola oil is a relatively cheap oil and quite widely available, which makes it a good substitute when you can’t find other types of oil.
A great peanut oil substitute for sautéing, deep frying and baking, sunflower oil has a smoke point of around 232ºC/450ºF. It has a longer shelf life than most oils, making it an excellent ingredient to keep in the pantry as an emergency stand in.
Made from pressed sunflower seeds, most sunflower oil is highly processed. Unprocessed sunflower oil may not be suitable for those with nut allergies, so always check the label or, if in doubt, choose an alternative.
Grapeseed oil is an excellent all-purpose oil that works as an alternative for just about any oil. It’s mild nutty taste and versatility – great for frying, sautéing, searing, baking or even drizzling over salads – makes it a particularly good substitute for peanut oil. Grapeseed oil has an average smoking point of 216ºC/420ºF.
With all these great attributes, it’s no surprise that grapeseed oil has recently skyrocketed in popularity. The only drawback to this excellent substitute for peanut oil is that grapeseed oil is quite pricey.
Safflower is a relative of the sunflower and, similarly to sunflower oil, it has a neutral taste and high smoking point – 266ºC/511ºF. So, it’s perfect for high temperature cooking – anything from deep frying to sauteing and baking.
Like sunflower oil, unprocessed safflower oil may not be suitable for those with nut allergies.
The fact that vegetable oil is very affordable and readily available makes it one of the best substitutes for peanut oil. Neutral in taste and with a smoke point of anywhere between 204–230ºC/400–450ºF, vegetable is usually a blend of several oils, such as canola oil, corn oil or sunflower oil.
Vegetable oils come in lots of different varieties, so some are healthier than others. Choose a vegetable oil that is not too high in saturated fats – some can have very high levels.
If you’re looking to use a peanut oil substitute specifically as a dressing or finishing oil, walnut oil is a good choice. Most walnut oils are cold-pressed and unrefined, with a delicate nutty, woody flavor that makes them great for rustic salads or as a final flavor enhancer for pasta dishes.
Walnut oil has a low smoke point of 160ºC/320ºF, which makes it unsuitable for use as a cooking oil. So, just stick to adding it at the end of the cooking process. Pricey, yes… but as a peanut oil dressing substitute, it’s hard to beat.
What dishes can you cook with peanut oil?
Peanut oil is best used in stir-fries and other noodle dishes, with complementary flavors. Here are just a few fantastic recipes that you can use peanut oil with. Many of them call for sesame oil to be used, although peanut oil would work just as well.
- Miso eggplant – a delicious vegan starter, this quick and easy recipe shows just how amazing eggplant can be
- Yasai itame – a Japanese stir-fry that’s packed full of flavor, yasai itame makes the perfect quick and easy midweek meal. Healthy, tasty and so very simple, cook this great recipe just once and it’ll become a firm favorite
- Yuk sung – a fresh and tasty dish that can be whipped up in less than half an hour, yuk sung is a classic Chinese wrap that brings fresh flavors for a light and refreshing lunch
- Bami goreng – a spicy noodle dish that’s hugely popular in Southeast Asia, bami goreng is Asian street food at its finest. Healthy ingredients, heaps of flavor and a super quick cook time… what’s not to like?
- Shrimp in oyster sauce – a classic Chinese recipe that tingles the taste buds like nothing else. If you’re a fan of shrimp, you have to try this recipe
- Chicken in oyster sauce stir fry with mushrooms – another fantastic stir-fry, this recipe brings an irresistible mix of flavors for a healthy, quick and delicious lunch
- Vegan chop suey – an American/Asian favorite that’ll bring the zing along with a rich mix of flavors, this is a vegan dream of a lunch. It’ll have your taste buds dancing like there’s no tomorrow
- Marmite chicken – if you’re a marmite fanatic, or you just love rich umami flavors, this is the recipe for you. It uses the classic British ingredient to create a lusciously tender chicken dish that’s simple, healthy and gloriously tasty
- Lamb stir fry – a mouth watering mix of ingredients make up this quick and easy stir-fry, the perfect recipe to break up a busy week. It’s a sure-fire hit with the whole family
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