How to Use Olive Oil instead of Vegetable Oil?
Can I use Olive Oil instead of Vegetable Oil?
Yes, you can use olive oil instead of vegetable oil, and it’s a substitute you should try and make often. This is because the nutritional value of olive oil is substantially higher than that of vegetable oil. The key difference between the two oils is that vegetable oil is a refined oil, meaning that it is a blend of various vegetables that undergoes much more processing and chemicals to create a smooth product. Contrary to Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is simply produced by cold pressing the olives without any heat or chemicals.
This is important to the nutritional value of the two oils, plants & vegetables at their core are packed with micronutrients and healthy antioxidants and polyphenols. When you then use heat to extract oil from the plants, as you would do with vegetable oil, these beneficial nutrients disappear as they cannot withstand the heat. However, olive oil will retain all these nutrients as no heat is needed when extracting it. Read more about the health benefits of EVOO here.
So, not only will the flavor improve when you substitute vegetable oil for olive oil, but you’re also enriching your food and baking with healthy nutrients that will benefit you more in the long run! Read more about swapping Olive Oil for vegetable Oil here.
CAN I USE OLIVE OIL INSTEAD OF VEGETABLE OIL ON THE CAKE?
Baking a cake with olive oil might seem like an estranged concept, but we highly recommend it. Olive oil leaves your cake sponge incredibly delicate, moist, and spongy and removes the chance of the sponge being heavy or dense. The swap from vegetable to olive oil is a very simple one and is one you should make, for both flavor and health reasons. Olive oil contains many more heart-healthy fats and antioxidants, unlike refined vegetable oil which loses most of its beneficiary qualities during its production.
Olive oil works particularly well for flavored cakes, such as chocolate or fruit cakes, as the subtle aromas of the olive oil enhance the flavors in the cake, here are some examples of different olive cake recipes for you to enjoy:
Chocolate Souffle with Olive Oil
Orange and Pistachio Yoghurt Cake
CAN I USE OLIVE OIL INSTEAD OF VEGETABLE OIL IN BAKING?
Olive oil is an extremely versatile type of cooking oil and can be used for anything from baking to frying to sautéing. When recipes call for the use of either butter or any other type of refined oil, such as vegetable oil, we highly recommend substituting this for olive oil instead. Not only will it bring new aromas to your baking, but it is also the healthiest source of cooking fat and contains healthy nutrients that refined cooking fats do not.
USE OLIVE OIL IN PLACE OF BUTTER
In most baked goods, extra virgin olive oil can be substituted for butter or margarine. You will have to carefully add the oil to the recipe using the ratio of three parts extra virgin olive oil being equal to four parts butter. If the baking recipe calls for eight tablespoons of butter, you will substitute six tablespoons of olive oil.
BUTTER TO OLIVE OIL CONVERSION TABLE:
| BUTTER/MARGARINE | OLIVE OIL |
| 1 teaspoon | = 3/4 teaspoon |
| 1 tablespoon | = 2 1/4 teaspoons |
| 2 tablespoons | = 1 1/2 tablespoons |
| 1/4 cup | = 3 tablespoons |
| 1/3 cup | = 1/4 cup |
| 1/2 cup | = 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons |
| 2/3 cup | = 1/2 cup |
| 3/4 cup | = 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon |
| 1 cup | = 3/4 cup |
HOW TO SUBSTITUTE VEGETABLE OR CANOLA OIL FOR OLIVE OIL?
If your recipe calls for vegetable or canola oil, you should substitute those oils with gourmet extra virgin olive oil. Any dessert recipe that calls for vegetable oil as an ingredient is a perfect chance to swap it for olive oil. In these recipes, the swap would be a one-to-one ratio. In other words, if the recipe calls for one cup of vegetable oil, you would simply use one cup of extra virgin olive oil. Imagine how the smooth, delicious flavor of gourmet olive oil will enhance the flavor of a chocolate or a carrot cake!
CHOOSE PREMIUM EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OILS
Incorporating gourmet olive oil in your baking recipes is best if you’re using high-quality extra virgins such as those offered at Oliviers&Co. Using low-quality olive oil is akin to cooking with a wine that you wouldn’t want to drink. As chefs know, low-quality oils can bring an overpowering taste that can noticeably change the flavor of your baked goods.
Experiment with adding extra virgin olive oils to your recipes and gauge the reaction of your diners when they sample your baked goods with the delicious, nuanced flavor that only gourmet olive oil can bring.
What's in your oil?
Check the list below to see how the other vegetable & nut oils hold up against Oliviers&Co's extra virgin olive oils.
|
Olive Oil Commonly used in cooking, for frying, or as a finish like salad dressing |
Avocado Oil High smoke point that’s good for frying |
Beech-Nut Oil The Fagus sylvatica nut, can be used for salad or cooking |
Brazil Nut Oil Good as a possible substitute for olive oil due to its mild & pleasant flavor |
Cashew Oil Also comparable to olive oil |
Coconut Oil Extracted from the kernel or ‘flesh’ of the coconut palm plant |
|
Corn Oil One of the most common oils sold in processed foods |
Cottonseed Oil Used for both salads & cooking, both domestically & industrially |
Hazelnut Oil Mainly used for its flavor in cooking |
Macadamia Oil A mild nutty flavor with a high smoke point for frying |
Palm Oil The most widely produced tropical oil & also used to make biofuel |
Peanut Oil Has a high smoking point & mainly used for frying |
|
Pistachio Oil Strongly flavored oil with a very distinctive green color |
Rapeseed Oil One of the most used cooking oils |
Safflower Oil Used in the paint industry up until the 60s, now used as cooking oil |
Sesame Oil Cold pressed for a light cooking oil; hot pressed for a darker/stronger flavor |
Soybean Oil Produced as a by-product of processing soy |
Sunflower Oil Also a common cooking oil & used for biodiesel |
Different vegetable & nut oils have different applications as well as different flavors, textures & uses. Oliviers&Co produces the best olive oils in the world from the highest quality olives grown in the Mediterranean. We found that vegetable oil like olive oil is the best option when it comes to cooking as well as many other health-benefiting applications.
Discover which of these oils are the best and worst for your health.
Baking with Aromatic Olive Oils
Oliviers&Co has created unique Aromatic Olive Oils by especially fusing herbs, spices, & other flavoring agents with freshly harvested olives during the crushing process.
Your daily dose of antioxidants & a little bit of flavor
The higher the pressure used, & the faster it is released, the more quickly the infusion takes place & the more flavor is extracted.
Most Oliviers&Co producers use a traditional grinding method, the stone mill, to extract the oil from the olives. This is done within 24 hours in a cold press to reduce oxidation & retain the highest quality in the content of the polyphenols, antioxidants, vitamins & most importantly flavor.
Molten chocolate cake with Mandarine Olive Oil
To create this masterpiece, Oliviers&Co takes whole mandarin oranges from Puglia & presses them with olives at peak ripeness to produce a bold & fragrant olive oil. This fresh & citrusy olive oil specialty is versatile & bold, holding its own in this simple, elegant rich & gooey chocolate cake.
>> DISCOVER ALL OLIVIERS&CO BAKING OLIVE OILS <<
