Canola, peanut, corn, safflower, soybean oil, and other blends are the most common vegetable oils available in grocery stores. Their neutral flavor, high smoke point, and light body make them the ghost of the culinary fats–you never notice that they are there. There are a number of reasons you may want to substitute an EVOO or other culinary oil for a grocery store vegetable oil, the primary reason is that these oils are extracted using chemicals like hexane. Only oils pressed without chemicals are considered virgin. In addition to ensuring there are no chemicals in your oils, using our EVOOs provides greater nutritional value than traditional vegetable oils.

Finger Lakes Organic Sunflower Oil

You can substitute our Finger Lakes Organic Sunflower Seed Oil at a 1:1 ratio for any grocery store vegetable oil. Most seed-based cooking oils are heavily refined, non-organic, and stripped of the numerous health benefits inherent in pure seed oils. This oil is an unrefined, expeller pressed cooking oil, suitable for all food preparation. It has a mild flavor of fresh sunflower seeds and pairs well with all foods. Use for general cooking and baking, up to medium-high heat.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Substitute EVOO at a 1:1 ratio for recipes that require sauteing. For sauteeing, our EVOOs have a smoke point of around 400 degrees F and provide a more robust flavor and greater body.

Substitute EVOO at a 1:1 ratio for dressing and marinade recipes. Our EVOOs are almost always preferred to neutral vegetable oils for this use, they provide a more robust flavor and greater body.

You can substitute a mild EVOO at a 1:1 ratio for all or part of vegetable oil in baking recipes; this takes advantage of EVOO’s excellent nutritional profile. Our flavored EVOOs are especially useful to add flavor to baked goods – for example, you can substitute our Fresh Pressed Blood Orange EVOO for vegetable oil in your brownie recipe for Blood Orange Brownies.

A note on frying: While EVOO has a high enough smoke point to allow for even high temperature frying (which normally takes place at 350-370 degrees F) it still may not be your first choice for this cooking method. Cost is always a consideration, with high quality EVOOs being generally more expensive per ounce than other more neutral oils. Also, any flavors present in the oil are concentrated in this high temperature environment. If you’re frying mozzarella sticks you may welcome a stronger flavor, but those same flavors are less desirable in doughnuts or funnel cakes. Selecting a mild olive oil or one that more appropriately matches the flavors of your dish is even more important if you plan on using frying as a cooking method.

Finger Lakes Fabulous Squash Seed Oil

You can substitute the squash seed oil at a 1:1 ratio for vegetable oil in dressings, marinades, finishes, and when roasting or sauteeing. The toasted nut flavor of this oil makes it perfect as a finishing oil or for grilling or roasting meats and vegetables or drizzling on pasta. It also makes a wonderful vinaigrette when paired with F. Oliver’s Orchard Ripe Red Apple, Autumn Cinnamon Pear, or Honeyed Ginger balsamic. It’s high smoke point (over 450 degrees F) make it a great oil for sauteeing.

Finger Lakes Pure Pumpkin Seed Oil

You can substitute the pumpkin seed oil at a 1:1 ratio for vegetable oil in dressings, marinades, finishes, and in baking. Its complex flavor, reminiscent of toasted sesame seeds and roasted mushrooms, makes it the perfect complement as a finish for roasted or grilled vegetables, sautéed greens, pasta, and flavorful fall soups. It makes a wonderful vinaigrette when paired with F. Oliver’s fine balsamic and wine vinegars.  Because it has a low smoke point, it is not appropriate for grilling or sautéing.

Avocado Oil

You can substitute avocado oil at a 1:1 ratio for vegetable oil in dressings, marinades, finishes, and in baking, roasting, and sauteeing. It has a light but distinct avocado taste so you want to be sure that it melds well with the other ingredients. It as a high smoke point so is ideal for sauteeing and roasting and is a healthy replacement for vegetable oil in baked goods. It makes a great mayonnaise when substituted for traditional vegetable oils.