Find out which oils can replace peanut oil in your kitchen — whether you need a neutral flavor, nutty taste, or a high smoke point.
Key Takeaways:
Peanut oil is a popular choice in the kitchen because it has a light taste and can handle high heat. But sometimes, people need to find a different oil to use. Maybe they have a peanut allergy or ran out of peanut oil.
Different cooking needs mean using oil in different ways. Some oils are better for deep frying, others for baking, and some are perfect for salad dressings or light sautéing. That’s why it’s important to know which oil works best for the job.
In this article, we’ll show you the best peanut oil substitutes for every kind of cooking. Here, you’ll find the right oil for your recipe. Let’s explore your options.
Peanut oil, also called groundnut oil, is a popular cooking oil made from peanuts. It’s well-known for its light flavor and ability to handle high heat, which makes it perfect for frying, roasting, and stir-frying. Most of the world’s peanut oil is made in Asia and Africa, but it’s used by cooks all over the globe ❶.
To make peanut oil, peanuts are pressed using machines like hydraulic presses or expellers. Sometimes, a special method called solvent extraction is used to get even more oil from the peanuts.
Most peanut oil is refined, which means it's cleaned and filtered to remove strong flavors and allergens. This gives the oil a pale yellow color and a mild or neutral taste. Some peanut oils are made from roasted peanuts, which gives the oil a stronger, nuttier flavor.
Refined peanut oil is great for cooking because it has a high smoke point (about 445°F or 229°C), so it doesn’t burn easily at high heat. It’s mostly made of healthy unsaturated fats, which may help lower cholesterol. It also has antioxidants like vitamin E and plant compounds that can help protect your cells.
This oil is especially great for deep-frying because it helps food become crispy without soaking up too much oil. It’s also used for stir-frying, roasting vegetables, sautéing meat, and sometimes even in salad dressings!
Related: Types of Cooking Oils
High-heat cooking involves using very high temperatures to cook food quickly. This method is common in deep-frying, stir-frying, searing, and roasting. To do it safely, you need oils with a high smoke point.
If you don’t have peanut oil or want to avoid it due to allergies or personal preference, here are some great substitutes that can handle high heat:
Related: Cooking Oil Smoke Points
When you're making certain dishes, you don’t want the oil to change how the food tastes. That’s where neutral-flavored oils come in. These oils have little to no flavor, so they let the real taste of your ingredients — like vegetables, spices, or meats — stand out.
Peanut oil is often used for its mild flavor, but if you need a substitute, there are other great options. These include:
Related: Neutral Cooking Oils
Sometimes, you actually want a bit of nutty flavor in your dish. Peanut oil has a mild, nutty taste. If you're trying to match that flavor in your recipe, here are some substitutes that offer a similar nutty note:
Not all oils work the same way in every recipe. Some are better for frying, while others are suited for baking or making salad dressings. Use this table to help you pick the right one.
| Cooking Method | Recommended Substitutes |
| Deep-frying | Algae cooking oil, Avocado oil, Safflower oil |
| Stir-frying | Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Refined grapeseed oil, Algae cooking oil |
| Roasting | Algae cooking oil, Refined avocado oil, Refined grapeseed oil |
| Baking | Canola oil, Refined sunflower oil, Algae cooking oil |
| Drizzling or for cold dishes | Walnut oil, Sesame oil, Hazelnut oil, Almond oil, Algae cooking oil |
| Sautéing | Canola oil, Grapeseed oil, Algae cooking oil |
You don’t have to give up on flavor or performance just because you’re out of peanut oil. With so many great substitutes — like avocado, canola, or sunflower oil — you’ll still get delicious results. And if you're looking for a modern, all-purpose oil that's both healthy and heat-stable, algae cooking oil from Algae Cooking Club is a smart pick to keep in your pantry.
Algae oil is one of the healthiest options. It has a super high smoke point of 535°F and a neutral taste, is rich in omega-9 fats, which support heart health, and contains only 3% saturated fat.
Yes, but it depends on the type. Refined olive oil has a higher smoke point and a milder flavor, so it can work in place of peanut oil for sautéing or baking. Meanwhile, extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point, so it's better for salad dressings or low-heat cooking.
Kasra Saidi is the CEO and co-founder of Algae Cooking Club. He believes that cooking should be a creative and joyful experience for everyone. Realizing that many traditional cooking oils are unhealthy or unsustainable, Kas set out to offer a better alternative. His mission is to change the way people cook—one bottle of chef-grade algae oil at a time.
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