The Best Cooking Oils for Every Dish (And Which Ones to Avoid!)

June 09, 2025

Ever walk down the oil aisle of the grocery store and become instantly overwhelmed by the choices? (Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.) Cooking oils come in a wide variety of types, each with their own characteristics, flavor profiles and uses.

Cooking oils are refined from various seeds, plants and vegetables. We use them as a cooking medium and as an ingredient to impart flavor and texture. Before we get into the different types of oils, you should understand their uses and especially, their smoke point. The smoke point is the temperature at which a fat begins to break down and smoke. Choose fats with higher smoke points for high-temperature cooking, such as deep-frying and sautéing. Alternatively, cooking oils with low smoke points are best used for their flavor in dressings, marinades or even as a dip for breads.

Here’s a list of the most common types you should stock your kitchen with, along with their uses and recommendations for which ones to avoid:

Olive Oil

Olive oil, common in Mediterranean cuisine, varies by type. Pay attention to labels: extra virgin, virgin, and pure, which indicate acidity and processing. Virgin oil is unprocessed, while regular, light, or pure oils suit high-heat cooking. Extra-virgin olive oil, rich in heart-healthy fats and antioxidants, is best for dressings due to its lower smoke point. Note that EVOO can go rancid quickly, so check production dates and use within 12-14 months.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil has become increasingly popular over the past decade and it’s because it’s high in monounsaturated fats (good for the heart). It has a neutral flavor, making it very versatile in any recipe without affecting overall flavor. Avocado oil has a much higher smoking point (520℉) and is best used in everything from stir-frying, deep frying, and searing to grilling, broiling, or high-temperature roasting.

Peanut Oil

Peanut oil is popular in Indian and Thai cuisines, a source of vitamin E, antioxidants and has a moderate amount of monounsaturated fats. It comes in two varieties: unrefined and refined. Unrefined peanut oil has a distinct nutty flavor and is more likely to trigger allergic reactions. It’s best used for lower-heat cooking (320℉) or in sauces and marinades. Refined peanut oil has a more subtle flavor and has a higher smoking point (450℉). It’s great to use for stir-frying, roasting, and deep frying.

Sunflower and Safflower Oil

Sunflower and safflower oils are oils made from seeds of flowers and are similar enough that they’re often used interchangeably. Both are oils neutral in flavor and come in two varieties: regular or high oleic. The high-oleic ones are higher in monounsaturated fats and is more stable for high-heat cooking (450℉ to 510℉) like frying and sautéing. Regular sunflower and safflower oils are more processed, don't contain as much health benefits and are typically used for frying or searing.

Vegetable Oil

These oils are extracted from a variety of plants like corn, soybeans, cottonseed, or grape seeds. They are virtually odorless and flavorless and are cholesterol-free. They’re fairly inexpensive and have high smoke points (up to 450℉) which makes them great for frying, grilling, baking, and sautéing. They should, however, be used in moderation, as they are high in omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is very popular because of its versatility in the kitchen. It has no flavor and has a high smoke point (400℉ - 450℉); making it great for frying, baking, sautéing, and grilling. It is processed from rapeseeds, which is the seed of a plant in the mustard family. It does not contain cholesterol and has a high percentage of monounsaturated fats.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a strange one, as it is an oil that is solid at room temperature due to its high saturated fat content – which means you should use it in moderation. It is often a replacement for butter in baked goods and can impart a distinct tropical nutty flavor to Asian dishes. It also comes in unrefined/virgin coconut oil or refined. Unrefined or virgin coconut oil has a medium smoke point (350℉) and it particularly great in smoothies or granola. Refined coconut oil has a lighter flavor and is better for higher temperature cooking (450℉) like sautéing.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is affordable with a high smoke point, ideal for deep-frying, but criticized for environmental and health issues. It's high in saturated fat and linked to deforestation and labor exploitation. Red palm oil, a sustainable alternative, is used in West African dishes, offering a mild flavor and high smoke point.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil has a nutty, slightly bitter flavor, which becomes more pronounced when the seeds are toasted prior to pressing for oil. Toasted sesame oil has a low smoke point and is used as a condiment or finishing oil in Chinese, Japanese, or Korean dishes. The light or untoasted sesame oil has as less pronounced flavor, a higher smoking point (410℉), and is used in baking and stir-frying in Mediterranean, Jewish and Indian cuisines. It’s similar to olive oil in that it contains monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.

Ghee

Ghee, though not an oil, is a valuable cooking medium. It's clarified butter cooked at high temperatures, common in Indian recipes, with a sweet, nutty flavor and long shelf life. If unavailable, make your own by heating unsalted butter to separate the fats from milk solids. Ghee is ideal for high-heat cooking like roasting and sautéing.

Cooking With Oil

Still not sure which oil is best for you? Here’s a quick overview:

Use oils with a high smoke point for high heat cooking like grilling, sautéing, high-heat roasting, searing, or frying.
Use oils with a low smoke point for low to no heat cooking like in dressings, marinades, or finishing dishes.
Choose oils that will compliment your dishes’ flavors.
Oils that are great for your health are olive oil (especially extra virgin), avocado oil, and high-quality coconut oil (in moderation).
Use peanut, sunflower/safflower, corn, soybean or other vegetable oils in moderation.
Avoid hydrogenated oils (like ones found in margarine), palm oils, and highly refined vegetable oils.
Store oils in a cool, dark place to prevent them from going rancid.