How to Cook with Different Oil and Vinegar

oil and vinegar

In cooking, we use a variety of oil and vinegar, and they each have their own unique uses.

I like to have a range of different oil and vinegar to help compliment my cooking, as well as enhance it.

But which ones are best to use?

It all depends on the type of dish we’re cooking.

Below, I break down the essential oil and vinegar bottles you should have in your kitchen and how to use them.

Oils

Oils can be used for cooking as well as served cold in dishes like salads.

You’ll most likely use one type of oil for your cooking, but it’s good to have a small selection on hand.

Oils have different smoking points so it’s important to know which oils you can use for various dishes.

If you burn your oil, it can ruin the taste of your cooking.

My favorite in particular are extra virgin olive oils.

Olive Oil

oil and vinegar

My go-to oil.

The Arab in me always defaults to olive oil because it’s delicious and very versatile.

Olive oil is a fantastic source of healthy fats that are much needed in your diet.

I like to use olive oil in most of my cooking.

You’ll experience that it’s perfect for sauteing and for grilling vegetables.

We tend to have salad with the majority of our meals here so olive oil is ideal for salad dressings.

An endless choice of combinations are available to you with olive oil for salad dressings.

More classically in the Middle East, we like to drizzle olive oil on a variety of dishes.

Hummus being the most popular.

It’s also fantastic for dipping bread in.

Olive oil flavors vary from country to country.

You can read here about the different types of olive oil.

 

Canola Oil

canola oil

Most vegetables have a high smoke point, which makes this the ideal oil for dishes like stir frys and general frying.

If a baking recipe requires oil, this would be the most appropriate one to use.

It doesn’t have much of a flavor but this works well in dishes where you want to avoid adding more flavor.

Amazon Brand – Happy Belly Canola Oil, 48 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
  • 48 fluid ounces of Happy Belly Canola Oil. Packaging may vary
  • Add versatility in your kitchen with this light tasting Canola oil
  • Great for cooking and frying
  • A cholesterol free food, contains 14g total fat per serving. See nutrition information for fat and saturated fat content
  • 0g Trans fats per serving. See nutrition information for fat and saturated fat content

Sesame Oil

If you’re experimenting with Asian cuisine, this is a delicious addition.

Try adding it to stir-frys, marinades or sauces.

Kadoya Sesame Oil, 22.10 Fl Oz
  • Use it as seasoning or dressing
  • Product of Japan
  • The package weight of the product is 1.5 pounds
  • The package dimension of the product is 6″ L x 5″ W x 4″H

Coconut Oil

coconut oil

Coconut oil was championed as a healthy alternative for baking and cooking, but recent research has been challenging its status.

Regardless, it is an ideal oil alternative to use in baking.

With its neutral taste, it’s a good oil to generally use.

Viva Naturals Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, 32 Oz & Organic Virgin Coconut Oil 16 ounces / 473 millilitres
  • ✔️ Naturally Nourishing Coconut Oil for Hair – With its unique combination of natural fats, coconut oil helps hydrate hair and nourish the scalp. It’s ideal for use as a conditioner, detangler, or coconut oil hair mask.
  • ✔️ Hydrate Naturally With Coconut Oil for Skin – Coconut oil organic is a naturally moisturizing body oil that can help skin feel soft, smooth and hydrated. Use our coconut oil for face as a makeup remover—or even as a natural alternative to massage oils.
  • ✔️ Perfect Coconut Oil for Cooking and Baking – An unrefined coconut oil with a naturally high smoke point (350°F), this is the perfect cooking oil for baking, frying and sautéing. Our pure coconut oil is cold-pressed from fresh, organic coconuts, delivering a rich flavor and aroma.

Avocado Oil

avocado oil

This has increased in popularity recently and I can see why.

Perfect on salads, it adds a smooth and nutty flavor to your dish.

It also combines well with chicken and fish dishes due to its delicate taste.

BetterBody Foods Refined Non-GMO Cooking Oil, Kosher, Keto and Paleo Diet Friendly, for High-Heat Cooking, 100% Pure Avocado Oil, 1 Liter, 33.8 Fl Oz
  • COLD WEATHER WARNING: Avocado Oil has natural sediment and waxes, making the oil appear cloudy or thick when exposed to cold temperatures. This cloudiness does not affect the flavor or quality of the oil. The cloudiness can be resolved by placing the bottle of oil in a hot tap-water bath (not boiling water) until the cloudiness dissipates. The oil will then remain in that state if kept at room temperature.
  • GREAT FOR COOKING: Our naturally refined avocado oil is the perfect all-purpose cooking oil. It is great for fried dishes, and it makes a nice base for a homemade salad dressing when cold
  • HIGH SMOKE POINT: With a smoke point of 500°F, this pure cooking oil is useful for just about anything, making it olive oil’s match in every way. Use it for frying, sauteing, baking, and more
  • LIGHT FLAVOR ENHANCER: This useful cooking oil has a subtle and smooth flavor compared to traditional vegetable oil, enhances the flavors of food, and has only 10 g of monounsaturated fat per serving
  • NATURALLY REFINED: Non-GMO and gluten-free, this oil contains no additives. It delivers a clean flavor because it’s made from clean ingredients, and it is perfect for keto and paleo diets

Vinegars

Most people think of the standard white vinegar but there’s a wide variety of vinegars that each add their own flair to cooking.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking vinegars just belong in salad dressings.

They are an ideal counterpart of vegetables and fruit in enhancing flavor.

Red Wine Vinegar

An ideal choice for salads and marinades.

It also specifically pairs excellently with heartier dishes that include beef or pork.

Mantova Italian Red Wine Vinegar 16.9 Fl Oz (Pack of 2)
  • HIGHEST QUALITY: Authentic Italian Red Wine Vinegar is made through a classic process in which wine is aged in wooden casks to obtain the depth of flavor. Like wine and cheese, only time, process, and patience can create a quality product.
  • GREAT TASTE: This high-quality red wine vinegar has the proper balance of sweet and acidic tones. Phenomenal mixed with extra virgin olive oil for a salad dressing that is healthy and delicious. Add to fish, salad, and chicken or use to tenderize meat and pan-simmer mushrooms.
  • HEALTHY INGREDIENT: Red wine vinegar calories are very low, making it a great way to add flavor without guilt. In addition, red wine vinegar health benefits are well-known. Acetic acid helps to reduce appetite and stimulate digestion. Anthocyanins and antioxidants protect the heart and the all of the body’s functions.

White Wine Vinegar

This has a fruity flavor compared to its red sibling.

It’s also less punchy which makes it perfect for lighter vinaigrettes.

An additional benefit is that it won’t change the color of the dishes, unlike red wine vinegar.

Balsamic Vinegar

One of my favorite vinegars!

It’s sweet and syrupy taste is delightful in the dishes it marries.

Like olive oils, balsamic vinegars range widely in quality and price.

My advice would be to buy the best balsamic vinegar your budget can afford.

You won’t regret it.

The most popular component to make is a balsamic vinaigrette for salads.

But I like to go past this and boil it down to a thick syrup which I use to glaze over meat.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This is the golden child of the health food movement so I’m sure you’ve at least heard of this vinegar.

It’s incredibly versatile and can be utilised in dishes ranging from dressings to marinades.

In particular, it makes a delicious partner for pork based dishes.

It can also be a good addition to your baking toolkit.

Because of its sweet and fruity flavor, and its ability to puff up baking, it makes sense to choose it.

Sale
Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar With the Mother– USDA Certified Organic – Raw, Unfiltered All Natural Ingredients, 16 ounce, 2 Pack
  • Rich in enzymes & potassium.
  • Support a healthy immune system.
  • Promotes digestion & ph Balance.

Rice Vinegar

I’ve become more familiar with rice vinegar over the previous year as I’ve experimented with more Asian cooking.

In particular, dishes from ‘Japan: The Cookbook’.

Ideal for pickling, marinades and dipping sauces.

If you’d like to delve further into Japanese cooking, rice vinegar is essential for making the most delicious sushi rice.

Marukan Seasoned Gourmet Rice Vinegar, 1 Gallon (Pack of 1)
  • Seasoned Rice Vinegar: This carefully blended rice vinegar can be used to prepare sushi rice in your own home. Because it does not contain any fat, it also serves as a healthy ingredient for marinades by mixing it with your choice of oil.
  • Gourmet Cooking Ingredient: Our rice vinegars are certified Kosher, Vegan, Gluten Free and Non GMO Project Verified. Try all of our varieties: Seasoned, Unseasoned, Organic, Lite and Original
  • Finest Ingredients: Our vinegars are made from scratch using select California grown rice and acetic acid bacteria from Japan, where it is delicately cultivated to be used in the fermentation process

Which oil and vinegar are your favorite to use?

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *