Can Vegetable Oil Substitute for Olive Oil?
When you're in the middle of cooking and realize you're out of olive oil, you might wonder: can vegetable oil substitute for olive oil? The short answer is yes, but there are important considerations to keep in mind depending on your cooking method and recipe. Let's explore when and how to make this substitution effectively.
- Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil: Yes!
- Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil: Yes!
“While it doesn’t offer the same richness as olive oil, its neutrality can come in handy when you want the flavor of other ingredients to shine through.”
- Keiry Palma, instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City
The Main Differences Between Vegetable Oil & Olive Oil
Before making any substitutions, it's important to understand that olive oil and vegetable oil have distinct characteristics. Olive oil, especially EVOO, is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which contribute to heart health and have anti-inflammatory properties.
Vegetable oil, on the other hand, is typically a blend of refined oils from sources like soybeans, corn, or sunflower seeds. Its refinement process often removes natural antioxidants and alters its nutritional profile.
Substituting for Olive Oil in Different Cooking Applications
Substituting Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil in Baking
When it comes to baking, vegetable oil can substitute for olive oil (and vice versa) at a 1:1 ratio. While the flavour will differ, the texture of baked goods remains consistent. This substitution works particularly well for quick breads, cakes, muffins, and brownies. If the recipe relies on olive oil for its unique taste, such as in Mediterranean-style breads, consider adding herbs or spices to mimic its flavour profile.
What happens if you use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in baking?
If you use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in baking, you will have the same result in terms of texture and overall recipe success. However, you may have slightly different flavours, as olive oil (especially extra virgin olive oil) has more pronounced flavour than vegetable oil.
Can you use olive oil in cake mix?
Yes, you can use olive oil in cake mix. Most generic cake mixes call for vegetable oil or a similar more neutral oil. Substituting olive oil for vegetable oil won’t affect the texture, but may lead to a slightly more pronounced flavour in the cake. If the flavour is particularly delicate or you’re looking for a specific result, it may be better to use a more neutral oil or opt for refined olive oil.
Substituting Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil for Roasted Vegetables and Potatoes
Vegetable oil can effectively replace olive oil for roasting vegetables. Its higher smoke point allows for crisper results when roasting at higher temperatures. Adding dried herbs or garlic can help compensate for the flavour difference.
As Reddit user Lordarshyn explains, “It will cook just fine but will lack the flavor. 9/10 people won’t won't even notice a difference...but for those who use oils a lot and pay attention, it's quite noticable.”
Substituting Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil for in Pizza Dough
Pizza dough recipes often call for olive oil for its flavour, but vegetable oil can achieve similar texture results. Consider adding dried Italian herbs to the dough to replicate olive oil’s Mediterranean notes. While the crust may be slightly less crispy, the overall result is still satisfactory.
Substituting Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil for in Salad Dressings
For cold applications like salad dressings, vegetable oil’s neutral flavour might result in a noticeable difference. Mixing in a splash of lemon juice, mustard, or herbs can compensate for the lack of olive oil’s distinctive taste.
How to Sub Vegetable Oil for Olive Oil (and Vice Versa)
The question of substituting vegetable oil for olive oil, or olive oil for vegetable oil is more about taste than anything else.
So, how can you sub vegetable oil for olive oil in the best way for your recipe? We’ve gathered recipes, tips, and advice from chefs and experts to help you.
Chefs on the Seasoned Advice forum explain that “[...] the other way round (using olive oil instead of vegetable oil) may be more problematic, because it can introduce unwanted flavors. Recipes usually call for vegetable oil when they don't want the oil adding much, if any, flavor.”
Vegetable Oil vs. Olive Oil in Savoury Recipes
If you’re substituting vegetable oil for olive oil in a savoury recipe, it’s likely that you’ll miss out on some of the flavour notes that the olive oil would have provided. To resolve this, you can add additional herbs and spices to add a bit more dimension to the recipe.
On the other hand, if you’re substituting olive oil for vegetable oil, you should consider the new flavours that olive oil will be adding into the mix. Normally, this is a plus!
Vegetable Oil vs. Olive Oil in Sweet Recipes
In many baking recipes, replacing olive oil with vegetable oil will simply let the other flavours shine through. You typically won’t notice a big difference, unless olive oil plays a main role in the recipe (like an olive oil cake).
On the other hand, replacing vegetable oil with olive oil can have a bigger impact on some sweet recipes. For example, a vanilla cake may be impacted by the stronger flavour of olive oil and be noticeable in the final product. However, recipes with stronger flavours to begin with (ex. chocolate cake) will likely be less impacted by the olive oil flavour.
Conclusion
While vegetable oil can substitute for olive oil in most cooking applications, understanding the differences between these oils is key to achieving the best results. Whether you're baking, roasting vegetables, or making pizza dough, vegetable oil can work as an alternative, though you may need to adjust temperatures, cooking times, and seasonings for optimal outcomes.
