Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is a mild, buttery oil pressed from avocado flesh, valued for its high smoke point and clean flavor in both high-heat cooking and finishing.
How to buy
Look for 'extra virgin' or 'cold-pressed' for the most flavor and nutrients; refined versions are more neutral and better suited to high-heat cooking. Check the color -- deep green to golden is typical -- and avoid bottles that smell rancid or overly bitter.
How to store
Keep in a cool, dark pantry away from heat and light. Refrigeration can extend shelf life and prevent rancidity, though it may cause cloudiness or thickening that clears again at room temperature. Use within 6 months to a year of opening.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild, buttery, and faintly grassy in unrefined versions; refined avocado oil is nearly neutral, making it versatile for high-heat cooking without competing with other flavors.
- Texture
- A smooth, medium-weight liquid that stays liquid at room temperature but can turn cloudy or thicken slightly when chilled.
- Aroma
- A mild, faintly green, buttery aroma in unrefined versions; refined versions are nearly odorless.
How to prepare
- High-heat searing — Used for pan-searing or frying thanks to its high smoke point.
- Whisked into vinaigrette — Combined with vinegar or citrus for a clean, mild-flavored salad dressing.
- Drizzled as finishing oil — Poured over finished dishes for a buttery richness without strong flavor.
- Used in mayo or aioli — Blended as the neutral base fat for homemade mayonnaise or aioli.
Classic dishes
American
- High-heat seared steak — Steak seared in avocado oil, which withstands high heat without smoking.
- Avocado oil mayo — Homemade mayonnaise built on avocado oil's neutral, buttery flavor.
- Salad vinaigrette — A simple dressing whisking avocado oil with vinegar or citrus and seasoning.
- Pan-seared fish — Fish fillets seared in avocado oil for a clean flavor and crisp skin.
- Roasted potatoes — Potatoes tossed in avocado oil before roasting for a crisp, golden exterior.
- Popcorn drizzle — Popcorn tossed with avocado oil as a neutral base for seasoning to cling to.
- Oil-based cakes — Baked goods using avocado oil in place of butter for a moist, neutral-flavored crumb.
- Deep frying — Foods fried in avocado oil thanks to its high smoke point and mild flavor.
Italian
- Pesto — A basil sauce sometimes made with a neutral oil like avocado oil for a milder base.
Mexican
- Guacamole — Mashed avocado sometimes finished with a drizzle of avocado oil for extra richness.
- Marinade for grilled meats — A citrus and spice marinade using avocado oil as its neutral fat base.
Chinese
- High-heat stir-fry — Vegetables and meat stir-fried quickly in avocado oil for its high smoke point.
French
- Hollandaise sauce — A classic emulsified sauce sometimes made with avocado oil in place of butter.
Mediterranean
- Grilled vegetables — Vegetables brushed with avocado oil before grilling and finished with a drizzle.
Spanish
- Chimichurri — A bright herb sauce sometimes built on avocado oil in place of olive oil.