When to Cook with Avocado Oil

The avocado's reputation lends avocado oil some major street cred. But does a bottle of unrefined avocado oil retain the fruit's health benefits? Should you use it in place of all other oils? Does it TASTE good?! Find out below.

Is avocado oil good for you?

Avocado oil contains a lot of monounsaturated fat. You'll also find this "good" fat in olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and nuts. Choosing monounsaturated fats over saturated fats can be protective of heart health, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What kind of avocado oil is best?

First things first: Refined avocado oil comes bleached or deodorized, as it's a popular skincare ingredient. Go with unrefined avocado oil instead.

Next, it comes down to expeller-pressed and cold-pressed. Compared to expeller-pressed avocado oil, cold-pressed avocado oil loses less of its flavor and nutritional benefits in the extraction process. So, consider cold-pressed (extra virgin) avocado oil the best kind.

What does avocado oil taste like?

Avocado oil tastes like (you guessed it) an avocado, but milder. Its smooth flavor falls between nutty and grassy.

How do you use avocado oil?

Unrefined avocado oil has a smoke point of around 480 degrees F (250 degrees C). You can heat it to much higher temperatures than extra virgin olive oil before it starts to smoke. In fact, avocado oil can sustain higher temps than most popular cooking fats, including canola oil, corn oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil.

This high smoke point means it's perfect for pan-frying, roasting, barbecuing, and baking. Versatile, right? Plus, because it's an unsaturated fat, avocado oil remains liquid at room temperature. Use it in place of olive oil in unheated recipes like salad dressing or homemade mayo.