What oil should I use for cooking? - Ingredient Guide

May 29, 2026

Stop guessing in the kitchen. We dip in to the best cooking oils for every type of recipe.

There are so many different cooking oils available now, it can be hard enough to decide which ones to buy, let alone which ones to use for which task. But once you understand a few basics, it will be easy to choose the best oils to suit your tastes and cooking style.

Before we get down to specific types of oil, it’s important to understand the two main factors that will ultimately determine the oil you need. The first is smoke point, and the second is flavour profile.

High smoke point — A smoke point is the specific temperature at which heated oil breaks down.

What does oil smoke point mean?

Smoke point is the temperature at which an oil stops ‘shimmering’ and starts to burn. When an oil reaches its smoke point, it breaks down, releasing bitter flavours and producing harmful compounds called free radicals – unstable molecules that roam through your body, looking for healthy cells to feed off.

In a nutshell, you need high-smoke-point oils for high heat, and low-smoke-point oils for gentle heat, or no heat at all (like for salad dressings).

What does oil flavour profile mean?

Oils are either neutral in flavour, or distinct in flavour. In other words, a neutral oil will let the other ingredients’ flavours shine through without adding any flavour of its own; a more distinct oil will add its own flavour to the mix.

Vegetable oil — High heat requires a high smoke point to prevent burning.

Best cooking oils for high heat

High heat cooking includes deep-frying, stir-frying and searing. The best oils for this type of cooking have a high smoke point. They include:

Avocado oil
Peanut oil
Canola oil
Rice brain oil
Sunflower oil
Vegetable oil
Mustard oil
Ghee (clarified butter)

Olive oil — EVOO is suitable for for both lower-heat cooking and adding flavour to dishes.

Best cooking oils for medium heat

Medium heat cooking includes sauteeing, roasting and baking. The best oils for this type of cooking have a medium smoke point. They include:

Extra virgin olive oil
Refined coconut oil
Refined sesame oil
Grapeseed oil
Butter

But I heard olive oil isn’t good for cooking!

You may have heard that you shouldn’t cook with olive oil because it has a low smoke point. But an Australian study from 2018 found that extra virgin olive oil was the safest and most stable oil to cook with – the oil’s fatty acid profile and natural antioxidant content allowed the oil to remain stable when heated. Of all the oils tested, the study authors said, extra virgin olive oil produced the lowest number of harmful byproducts after being heated.

What is ‘refined’ oil?

Refining an oil (usually with heat or chemicals) removes impurities, which raises the smoke point and neutralises the flavour, but also strips away some of the nutrients naturally found in oil. Unrefined or ‘cold-pressed’ oils retain their nutrients and flavour, but have lower smoke points.

Sesame oils — A drizzle of toasted sesame oil is all you need.

Best cooking oils for low heat or no heat

This type of cooking involves using oil only for very light sauteeing, as a drizzle to finish a dish, or as a marinade, sauce or salad dressing. Here, you want an oil that will add to or enhance the flavour of your dish. The best oils to use here are:

Extra virgin olive oil
Toasted sesame oil
Walnut oil
Flaxseed oil

When to use neutral oils

You should use neutral oils – like canola, vegetable, grapeseed or sunflower oil – when you want the benefits of oil without the flavour getting in the way of your recipe. Neutral oils are perfect for baking, for making delicate sauces like aioli or mayonnaise, and for spice-driven dishes and marinades.

When to use flavoured oils

You can think of flavour-rich oils – like extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, coconut oil, walnut oil or mustard oil (this one has quite a spicy kick to it) – as an extra seasoning. Use them to add extra flavour by drizzling over stir-fries or roasted vegetables or meats, or use them as a base for salad dressings. Think about the flavour profile of the oil, and consider how it could enhance each particular dish.

Mediterranean tuna salad — EVOO is one of the reasons why the Mediterranean Diet is so healthy.

How to store cooking oils

Store your cooking oil in a cool, dark place in an airtight container, ideally made of metal or dark-coloured glass. Never store your cooking oil by the stove or oven, and always make sure the cap is screwed on tight after using. Heat, light and oxygen all make oil oxidise and turn rancid.

More delicate oils – like walnut, flaxseed and toasted sesame oil – should be stored in the fridge. They may become cloudy or thick, but this should resolve after sitting at room temperature for a few minutes.