How to Substitute Coconut Oil in Your Favorite Recipes
If you’ve spent any time on the BubbForest Health Products blog, you know by now that we are huge fans of coconut oil.
It’s a staple in our kitchens, and it has likely found its way into yours as well. However, you might not know how to use it in your kitchen. We are here with some coconut-flavored tips!
Coconut oil serves as an excellent substitute for other oils such as shortening, butter, margarine, or vegetable oil. If you’re curious about how to replace these options with nutrient-rich coconut oil, we’ve gathered some useful tips for using it in cooking and baking.
General Coconut Oil Cooking Tips
- Coconut oil is solid at room temperature. If there is a layer of liquid oil on top, stirring it into the solid will help soften it as needed when you prepare to use it for baking or cooking.
- It can also be helpful to measure the oil in the state that it will be used.
Baking with Coconut Oil
- You can substitute coconut oil in a 1:1 ratio for vegetable oil or butter. Before measuring, melt the oil and cool it to just above room temperature.
- It can also be useful to ensure that the other ingredients in the recipe are at room temperature so as not to harden the coconut oil when mixed together.
- You can use ¾ cup of coconut oil for 1 cup of shortening. Alternatively, use ½ coconut oil and ½ butter as a substitute for shortening. Again, you may melt it first before measuring or, in this case, it’s fine to leave it solid.
Pan-frying or Sautéing with Coconut Oil
- Coconut oil works excellently in the pan because it melts quickly, even faster than butter.
- To manage its smoke point of 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you can mix it with oils that have higher smoke points. Safflower oil (510° F), corn oil (450° F), sunflower oil (450° F), or canola oil (400° F) are all suitable options for cooking over high heat. Use a mix of half coconut oil and half conventional oil for this purpose.
Benefits of Cooking with Coconut Oil
- Combine coconut oil with other oils to balance bitter flavors. For instance, coconut oil and vegetable oil are a great combination to offset the bitter taste of sautéed kale or spinach.
- Coconut oil with a robust flavor also adds a delightful tropical twist to dishes such as shrimp scampi.
- Extra virgin coconut oil will impart a stronger flavor than expeller-pressed coconut oil.
- Although coconut oil and other alternatives have similar calorie and total fat content, coconut oil is rich in medium-chain triglycerides that the body can metabolize quickly and use for energy.
If you’re looking to switch up some of your favorite recipes, consider using coconut oil as an alternative to other oils in your kitchen.
We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results!
Let us know if you’ve used coconut oil as a substitute in your favorite recipes – what did you think?
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