All About Neutral Oil: 10 Neutral Oils for Cooking

A neutral oil is an oil that has very little or no flavor. Neutral oils can be desirable for some cooking applications, as they can provide a neutral base for frying and sautéing without imparting any additional flavor to the dish. Types of neutral oils include safflower oil, peanut oil, and grapeseed oil. Generally, neutral or more refined oils will have higher smoke points than unrefined, virgin, or extra-virgin oils.

Neutral oils are excellent for cooking specific recipes with subtle or complex flavor profiles that could be affected by the flavors lent by non-neutral oils. The best neutral oils for cooking include:

1. 1. Avocado oil: This neutral oil is made from oil-rich avocados and is quite mild-flavored. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point, at 520 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. 2. Canola oil: Also known as rapeseed oil, canola oil is made from the canola plant. Canola oil is a common ingredient in prepared foods and works well as a neutral cooking oil.
3. 3. Corn oil: Corn oil, made from the germ of corn, is an inexpensive neutral oil that has minimal flavor to impart to dishes.
4. 4. Grapeseed oil: Grapeseed oil is made from the tiny seeds of grapes and is suitable in recipes tha call for relatively flavorless oil. Grapeseed oil has a balance of different fatty acids.
5. 5. Peanut oil: In comparison to other neutral oils, peanut oil has a slight flavor and can emit the taste of nuts. This flavor profile works with recipes like stir-fry dishes, fried chicken, and french fries.
6. 6. Refined coconut oil: Virgin coconut oil is intensely flavored, but refined versions can be relatively mild. You can use refined coconut oil in recipes that call for a neutral oil.
7. 7. Refined olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is not a neutral oil, but refined varieties known as light olive oil have little flavor and a high smoke point.
8. 8. Safflower oil: This cooking oil, made from the safflower plant, is known for its high smoke point and lack of distinct flavor. Safflower oil is usually sold refined, meaning it can tolerate high-heat cooking, such as searing, sautéing, grilling, and frying.
9. 9. Sunflower oil: Sunflower oil is made from sunflower plant seeds. This oil has a mild flavor and relatively high smoke point, making it another good choice for a neutral oil.
10. 10. Vegetable oil: Generally, vegetable oils contain different nut and seed oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil, or palm kernel oil. Vegetable oils have a neutral flavor, making them a highly versatile cooking oil.

When you enter a market, the options for oils seem endless. They are not all interchangeable, and some choices might even be inappropriate, depending on the dish you’re cooking. Beyond a smoke point, consider these primary cooking oil characteristics the next time you reach for a bottle or can:

• Flavorful vs. neutral oil: Many oils also impart their own distinct flavors. Sometimes, this is a desirable quality—for example, sesame oil imparts a distinctly Asian flavor to dishes. Walnut oil, virgin coconut oil, and hemp seed oil each impart a strong, savory flavor of their own. If you are making a salad or a low-heat dish, experiment with non-neutral oils to see which flavors suit you best. In other cases, extra flavor in the pan will muddle the final dish’s composition and harmony. In these cases, opt for neutral oils like peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, or corn oil. In addition to their flavor difference, neutral oils also tend to have higher smoke points, making them suitable for frying.
• Unrefined vs. refined oil: After oils are extracted or pressed, they can either be bottled immediately or refined and processed. Oils left in their natural state are labeled as unrefined, cold-pressed, raw, virgin, or unrefined. These oils tend to retain flavors, as well as beneficial minerals, nutrients, and enzymes. However, unrefined oils tend to have lower smoke points and can turn rancid on the shelf, so they’re best used for very low heat cooking or raw applications like salad dressings or finishing drizzles. Meanwhile, refined oils are thoroughly processed through filtering bleaching, or heating to remove the volatile compounds that break down in virgin oils. The resulting product offers a neutral taste, long shelf life, and high smoke point.
• Omega-6 vs. Omega-3 fatty acids: Fat is not necessarily a bad thing: in fact, certain fatty acids, including Omega-9 and Omega-3 fatty acids, are healthy for the human body. Oils high in these beneficial fatty acids include avocado oil, flaxseed oil, and extra virgin olive oil. On the other end of the spectrum are Omega-6 fatty acids, which can cause inflammation in the human body. Oils high in Omega-6 (like almond oil) should be consumed in smaller quantities.
• Saturated vs. unsaturated fats: Saturated fats are commonly found in meat, cheese, butter, and many processed foods. Saturated fats should be used sparingly. Conversely, unsaturated or monounsaturated fats, commonly found in nuts and seeds, are much better for you. In general, oils that are liquid at room temperature contain more unsaturated fat, making them a healthier overall choice than products like butter or lard, which contain more saturated fat.

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