What Is a Substitute for Olive Oil?
QUICK ANSWER
The best olive oil substitutes: avocado oil (1-to-1, closest flavor and health profile), vegetable or canola oil (1-to-1, neutral), grapeseed oil (1-to-1, similar smoke point). For baking, melted butter works at 1-to-1 with richer flavor. For finishing applications like salad dressings, walnut or sesame oils add character.
Olive oil comes in several grades (extra-virgin, virgin, light, pomace), each with different uses. The right substitute depends on the grade and the application. For sauteing and roasting, many oils work; for finishing and dressings, the choice matters more because the flavor is on display.
What's the best olive oil substitute?
Avocado oil is the closest 1-to-1 substitute. Both are Mediterranean-tradition oils with similar mild fruity flavors and comparable nutritional profiles (high in monounsaturated fats). Use 1 cup of avocado oil for 1 cup of olive oil.
For neutral cooking applications, vegetable oil or canola oil (both 1-to-1) work as substitutes. The result loses olive oil's fruity notes but works fine when olive oil is just being used as a cooking medium rather than a flavor.
Can you use butter instead of olive oil?
For baking: melted butter substitutes 1-to-1 for olive oil in cakes, muffins, and quick breads. The result is richer and slightly more dense. For pizza dough and bread recipes, the substitute changes the flavor noticeably (more buttery, less Mediterranean).
For sauteing: butter substitutes 1-to-1 but has a lower smoke point (about 350 degrees F) than olive oil (about 400 degrees F for extra-virgin, 470 degrees F for refined). For medium-heat sauteing, butter works fine; for high-heat cooking, butter burns and needs to be combined with a higher-smoke-point oil.
What works for finishing oils and dressings?
For salad dressings and finishing applications where the oil's flavor matters, other flavored oils work as substitutes. Walnut oil and hazelnut oil (1-to-1) bring nutty notes; sesame oil (1-to-1, light not toasted) brings mild sesame flavor; pumpkin seed oil (1-to-1) brings a unique earthy taste.
For Mediterranean-style salads specifically (Greek salad, Caprese), other Mediterranean oils like grape seed or sunflower work as 1-to-1 substitutes that don't add competing flavors. The salad won't taste exactly like the olive oil version, but it'll work without seeming wrong.
When does the olive oil substitute fail?
For olive oil-forward recipes (bread dipping, finishing pastas, traditional Greek and Italian dishes), olive oil is the defining flavor. Substitutes work but produce dishes that taste subtly off from authentic versions.
For specific applications where extra-virgin olive oil's flavor is the main attraction (pesto, certain Italian sauces, finishing on focaccia), no other oil matches. For these, the best substitute is a lower-grade olive oil (light olive oil) rather than switching to a completely different oil type. For everyday cooking where olive oil is just a cooking medium, any neutral substitute works fine.
Olive oil substitutes: avocado oil (1-to-1, closest match), vegetable or canola oil (1-to-1, neutral), grapeseed oil (1-to-1), or melted butter (1-to-1 for baking). For finishing oils and dressings, walnut or hazelnut oils provide flavored alternatives. For olive oil-forward Italian and Greek recipes, the substitute changes the dish's character.
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