What Oils Chefs Cook With

Oils take up a large section of the grocery aisle, but how do you pick? We share what our chefs' go-to oils are and what they use them for.

From avocado to canola to coconut and more, the list of oil options can seem endless and impossible to decipher. Here's a simple guide to cooking oils from our trained chefs.

For cooking with heat, our chefs go-tos are avocado and olive oils. (Note, we mean regular olive oil here, not Extra Virgin Olive Oil.) These are neutral, healthy oils that work well with most foods. 

For finishing dishes, making dressings and marinades, or other cold uses, our chefs coconut oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and avocado oil. Even hazelnut and walnut oils can be great for these uses and nut oils are good for heart health (although they lack the fiber that would come with eating the nuts whole). 

Ghee, although not an oil, is a clarified butter that has a high smoke point without the saturated fat of using regular butter. Ghee is a great choice for cooking, too! And, if you do use butter for cooking, grass-fed butter offers more Omega-3s for a healthier diet. 

TLDR; avocado oil is our number one pick for all-round uses. It works well with heat or going on straight for finishing or in dressings. 

Need help navigating the world of cooking oils?