Neutral Cooking Oil

A neutral cooking oil has little flavor and does not overpower the taste of other ingredients in the kitchen. For example, rapeseed oil distorts the taste of poppy seeds or vanilla far less than olive oil. Most neutral oils are suitable for baking, cooking, and frying. The production process influences how hot vegetable oils can get without smoking.

Cold-pressed vegetable oils have a more intense flavour and a lower smoke point. Refined cooking oils contain fewer nutrients, which also explains the milder taste. If unsaturated fats are lost during production, the smoke point of the oil increases. Chefs today carefully check how much they can heat cooking oils without harmful substances forming. Please check the oil labels for information on use and temperature resistance.

Neutral Oil Varieties

Rapeseed Oil

Rapeseed oil is considered healthy and environmentally friendly. It is grown in domestic fields. The seeds are pressed in various ways to produce oil. Refined rapeseed oil has a neutral flavour and a smoke point of around 220 °C.

Peanut Oil

It is best to opt for refined peanut oil, which is made from peanuts with a high fat content. The smoke point is around 230 °C.

Soybean Oil

Soybean oil is widely used in the United States and is suitable for baking and salads. It is relatively flavorless and has a smoke point of around 210 °C.

Grape Seed Oil

As a cold-pressed oil, it is very fine but not particularly cheap. Hot-pressed, it is nearly tasteless and has a smoke point similar to soybean oil at around 210 °C.

Safflower Oil

Safflower oil should not be heated much. It quickly splatters when frying, making it more suitable for salads and steaming. Cold-pressed oil can have a rough taste, which is why it is usually used hot-pressed. The smoke point is around 150 °C.

High Smoke Point

Refined cooking oils are made by pressing seeds, which heats the press cake. Unwanted substances are then removed from the oil by neutralizing, degumming, and bleaching it, stripping it of flavours and aromas. This increases the smoke point compared to cold-pressed oil.

Usage

Neutral oils are suitable for dishes with delicate flavours that should not be overpowered. They can also be used for blending oils, such as rapeseed, sunflower, or soybean oil with chilli oil or pumpkin seed oil.

Oils with subtle aromas are also used to make herbal oils. Neutral oil is ideal for recipes with mild-tasting vegetables.