The Best Oil for High Heat Cooking (and Where Olive Oil Fits)

Two things decide how well an oil handles heat. The first is its smoke point, the temperature where it starts to smoke. Once oil smokes, it is breaking down. The flavor turns harsh, and the smoke can sting your eyes and fill your kitchen. Refined oils usually have higher smoke points than unrefined ones, because refining removes the free fatty acids and tiny bits of plant matter that make oil smoke sooner.

The second is oxidative stability, or how well the oil holds up against oxygen while it sits in a hot pan. Researchers now think this matters even more than smoke point. Oils high in monounsaturated fat, like olive, avocado, and high-oleic sunflower oil, tend to stay stable. Oils high in polyunsaturated fat break down faster, especially during long frying sessions.

One 2018 lab study heated extra virgin olive oil and several other common cooking oils for hours at frying temperatures. Extra virgin olive oil formed the fewest breakdown compounds of the group, even though its smoke point wasn't the highest. The study came from a lab that tests olive oil for the industry, so more independent research would help, but its results line up with what scientists know about monounsaturated fats.

For a heart-healthy kitchen, the type of fat counts too. The American Heart Association recommends liquid, non-tropical oils with less than 4 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon in place of butter, lard, and coconut oil. You can read more about how fats fit into an eating plan in our heart healthy diet guidelines.

Not every recipe pushes oil to its limit. Here's a rough guide to how hot common cooking methods get and what that means for your oil:

• No heat. Salad dressings, dips, and a drizzle over soup or pasta don't heat the oil at all, so use the one with the most flavor.
• Low to medium heat. Gently cooking onions and garlic, scrambling eggs, or warming leftovers is a great job for extra virgin olive oil.
• Medium-high to high heat. Stir-frying, searing fish or steak, and pan-frying are where a high smoke point oil helps the most.
• Oven roasting. Even at 425°F or 450°F, the thin coat of oil on vegetables stays cooler than the oven air while the vegetables still hold moisture, so olive oil works well for most roasting.
• Deep frying. Frying oil usually sits at 350°F to 375°F for a long time. The American Heart Association doesn't recommend deep-fried foods often, so save it for special occasions or try an air fryer instead.

If your kitchen fills with smoke while you cook, your oil is telling you something. Either the pan is too hot, or that oil isn't the right one for the job.

All 8 of these heart-healthy oils handle high heat well. Smoke points change from brand to brand and with how the oil was processed, so think of these numbers as ballpark figures:

• Refined avocado oil (about 520°F). Avocado oil is mostly monounsaturated fat and has a mild, buttery flavor, which makes it one of the most heat-tolerant oils you can buy. It also tends to cost the most.
• Refined safflower oil (about 510°F). Look for a high-oleic version on the label. It has more monounsaturated fat and holds up better in a hot pan.
• Refined peanut oil (about 450°F). Peanut oil is a classic for stir-fries, with a light nutty flavor. Just check for peanut allergies before you serve the meal to guests.
• High-oleic sunflower oil (about 450°F). This neutral, affordable oil is very stable and works for searing, stir-frying, and roasting.
• Grapeseed oil (about 420°F). Grapeseed oil has a clean taste, but it's higher in polyunsaturated fat, so it's best for quick, hot cooking like searing shrimp. Skip it for long frying sessions.
• Pure olive oil (about 390°F to 470°F). Pure olive oil is refined, so it can take more heat than extra virgin, and it costs less too. Its mild olive flavor works in almost any savory dish.
• Refined canola oil (about 400°F). Canola is inexpensive, neutral tasting, and low in saturated fat. It's a good everyday choice for sautéing and stir-fries, but it breaks down faster than olive or avocado oil if you fry with the same batch again and again.
• Extra virgin olive oil (about 375°F to 405°F). Its smoke point is the lowest on this list, but its monounsaturated fat and natural antioxidants keep it stable at the temperatures most home cooks use. It's a smart pick for sautéing and roasting.

Olive oil comes in several types, and they don't all behave the same way in a hot pan. Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed, with the most flavor and antioxidants, and it's a great everyday choice for sautéing and roasting. Pure and light olive oil are refined, so they take more heat and cost less, which makes them the better pick for a very hot sear or for frying.

A handy approach is to keep 2 bottles in the pantry, extra virgin for flavor and everyday cooking and a pure or light olive oil for the hottest jobs. For a full rundown of each type, plus tips for baking and storage, see our guide on how to cook with olive oil.

Some fats smoke too soon for high heat cooking, and others don't fit a heart-healthy kitchen. These are the ones to keep off the burner when you're searing or stir-frying:

• Butter. Butter starts to smoke around 300°F and is high in saturated fat. Cook with oil instead, and if you love the flavor, add a small pat at the very end.
• Unrefined and toasted oils. Toasted sesame oil, unrefined peanut oil, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil smoke at lower temperatures and turn bitter in a hot pan. Use them as finishing oils for flavor. Our Sesame Maple Vinaigrette uses just 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil this way.
• Coconut oil, palm oil, lard, and shortening. The American Heart Association lists these as less healthy choices because they have more saturated fat than liquid vegetable oils.

Hot oil should shimmer and flow easily when you tilt the pan. That's your cue to add the food. If you see wisps of smoke, turn the heat down right away. When oil smokes heavily or smells sharp and acrid, it has gone past its smoke point, and it's best to wipe out the pan and start fresh with new oil.

If oil ever catches fire, turn off the burner and slide a lid over the pan. Never pour water on an oil fire, because it can make the flames spread.

Now that you know which oil to reach for, put that skillet to work. You might also like these:

• How to Cook with Olive Oil
• 9 Heart Healthy Stir-Fry Dinner Recipes
• The Tomato & Olive Oil Trick: How Heat Unlocks a Heart-Health Superpower
• Easy Mediterranean Diet Recipes and Guidelines