Cooking Oils 101

Chefs have cooked with oil for centuries, but knowing which oils to use for specific purposes still continues to mystify many culinary academy chefs. As you become more immersed in preparing dishes, you will quickly see how the type of oil you choose can make or break a dish.

Whole Foods Market agrees that oils are an important part of our diet, and are essential in our ability to cook, whether we are trying to master baking & pastry arts or simply want to saute​e onions. Here’s a list of oils and their distinct place in the culinary world:

Dressings and marinades: For salad dressings and sauces, you need to think about flavor, which means that the best options would be toasted sesame, flax, peanut, olive or walnut oil, depending on the type of cuisine.

Frying: Peanut, palm, sesame and avocado oil are great for frying because they can work well in high temperatures.

Baking: For working with baked goods, canola, high oleic safflower, coconut and palm oil are perfect.

Saut​eeing: Here you can take your pick, as many oils are great for saut​eeing, especially olive, sesame, sunflower, canola and grapeseed varieties