Which Oil Is Suitable For Frying?

To find out which oil is suitable for frying, pay particular attention to the smoke point. Since it indicates the temperature at which the oil starts to smoke – and the fatty acids it contains oxidize and toxic acrolein forms – it should be as high as possible. Especially since smoking oil also loses its taste. As a rule of thumb, hot-pressed oils generally have a higher smoke point than cold-pressed ones and are therefore more suitable for frying. Put simply, like refined oils, they contain fewer of ingredients that can burn at higher temperatures. They are filtered out using various processes during the production of the oil. As an answer to the question of which oils are the healthier option for frying, refined oils are often mentioned. You can of course use any variant for cold use. Taste is what counts here. We have compiled recipes with high-quality oils for you for all options.

Oil for frying: temperatures – which oil can be heated to a high temperature?

The smoke point determines whether oils are suitable for frying. At the same time, it is also at different levels for varieties that you can put in the pan with a clear conscience. Here you can read the approximate smoke points of different frying oils:

• Argan oil (250 degrees Celsius)
• Soybean oil (230 degrees Celsius)
• Peanut oil (230 degrees Celsius)
• Sesame oil (230 degrees Celsius)
• Hot-pressed olive oil (230 degrees Celsius)
• Palm oil (220 degrees Celsius)
• Sunflower oil (220 degrees Celsius)
• Coconut oil (200 degrees Celsius)
• Grape seed oil (190 degrees Celsius)

Incidentally, butter and margarine are only suitable for frying to a limited extent. Their smoke point is around 170 degrees Celsius. If you don’t want to heat oil, you should instead opt for lard or clarified butter, which has a smoke point of 200 degrees Celsius. Our experts will also explain whether you can fry without any fat at all.

Which olive oil to use for frying?

Refined olive oil only reaches its smoking point at around 230 degrees Celsius and is therefore also suitable for searing meat. This is because all healthy ingredients have been removed from the oil during processing. But it is particularly heat-stable. Extra virgin olive oil – in other words: cold-pressed olive oil, which is called “extra virgin” in Italy – smokes at 160 to a maximum of 180 degrees. Deep-frying and searing are therefore taboo. You can still fry and steam vegetables, for example, or sauté onions for the tomato sauce. It is also good for garlic. After all, it doesn’t tolerate too much heat either. Simply add extra virgin olive oil to the cold pan and heat before frying. If it shimmers, the fried food is added. Like other healthy oils, such as walnut oil, linseed oil, safflower oil, or pumpkin seed oil, you can of course use it even better for preparing salads. Our expert knows which cooking oils are particularly healthy.