What Is Neutral Oil?

If you have a recipe that calls for neutral oil, you might be wondering what exactly that means. Simply put, it's referring to cooking oils that have very mild flavor and won't impact the taste of the final product. Neutral oils are often called for in baked goods, when deep frying, or during sautéing. Read on to learn about the best neutral oils for cooking, neutral oil substitutes, and what "refined" and "unrefined" labels mean.

Best Neutral Oils for Cooking

You have several options when it comes to picking a neutral oil. Some of the most popular choices are vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil. All of these have a relatively high smoke point, somewhere between 420 to 450 degrees F (216 to 230 degrees C), which means they'll work equally well for deep frying chicken or mixing into muffins.

Neutral Oil Substitutes

If you're in a pinch, and have limited options of oil in your pantry, don't panic! There are a few other milder tasting oils that can get the job done. Peanut oil and light olive oil will impart some taste to your finished dish, but won't overwhelm the other flavors.

Refined vs. Unrefined

Oils that are labeled as "refined" mean that they've gone through extra processing after extraction, such as deodorizing or heating. Meanwhile, unrefined oils are unaltered and taste closer to the original plant the oil was created from. If you're trying to find the most neutral oil possible, we recommend using an already mild tasting option and buying a refined version.

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