The Best Peanut Oils for Cooking, Baking, or Deep-Frying (2024)

There are a lot of cooking oils to choose from, and each has certain benefits and reasons for using them. One of the major appeals of peanut oil is that it has a higher smoke point than others, so you can use it for high-heat cooking and deep-frying without worrying about the oil smoking and burning.

In addition to its high smoke point, peanut oil has a neutral flavor, making it very versatile and a great multipurpose oil to keep in the kitchen. To make choosing a peanut oil easier, we created this list, outlining the best peanut oils for cooking, baking, deep-frying, and even popcorn-making.

Here are the best peanut oils to have in your cupboard.

What to Look for When Buying Peanut Oil

Varieties

There are several varieties of peanut oil, and each has a different use. Refined peanut oil is the most common. The refining process creates a more neutral taste, removes allergens, meaning anyone with a peanut allergy can consume it. "It is safe to consume because the peanut protein is processed in a way that removes the proteins that cause allergic reactions," says Markita Lewis, MS, RD, Marketing and Communications Associate for the National Peanut Board. She adds that you should read the label carefully to decipher if it is refined or not. This type of oil also has the highest smoke point (averaging 450 degrees Fahrenheit), making it ideal for high-heat cooking.

Unrefined (or virgin) peanut oil has a nuttier flavor and lower smoke point. Similar to olive oil, it's best for medium heat, up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For even more taste and low-heat uses, roasted peanut oil is a good option for dressings, sauces, or drizzling over foods. Cheaper peanut oil may be blended with other types of oil.

Additives

For the purest option, look for 100 percent peanut oil on the label. Some peanut oil includes preservatives, such as TBHQ (tertiary butylhydroquinone) and citric acid. Others may also have an antifoaming agent, which can make deep-frying cleaner because the oil won't bubble as much as regular peanut oil.

Packaging

Peanut oil can be purchased in large or small containers. Refined peanut oil is often sold in larger quantities, which makes it an economical choice for frying. The gourmet peanut oils—virgin and roasted—are typically available in smaller bottles, some of which look great sitting on the countertop.

FAQs

How is peanut oil made?

Peanut oil is also called groundnut oil because the peanut is a variety of groundnut and member of the legume family. After harvest, peanuts intended for peanut oil are sent to special manufacturing plants where they're shelled and prepared for pressing. In the press, the peanuts undergo extreme pressure to extract the oils. Cold-pressed peanut oil is produced at low temperatures to retain more flavor and nutrients. Most refined peanut oil is hot-pressed at very high temperatures. This increases the amount of extracted oil and produces oil that can withstand higher cooking temperatures.

What is the shelf life of peanut oil?

Unopened peanut oil has a shelf life of up to two years when stored in a cool, dark place. Once you open the container, plan to use it within six months for the best results. You can also reuse deep-frying peanut oil as long as it doesn't get heated above the oil's smoke point. Be sure to filter out any food particles. Keep it in a sealed container, preferably in the refrigerator, for up to six months.

What's a good substitute for peanut oil?

How you intend to use the peanut oil determines what type of oil works best as a substitute. You want a similar neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point for deep-frying, such as refined canola oil. High-temp oils like avocado or sunflower oils will work, but they're more expensive and not very economical. Peanut oil is popular in Asian cuisine, and for stir-frying, vegetable or canola oil are both suitable substitutes. If you want to replace peanut oil in low-heat, small-volume applications, you might try avocado, coconut, or olive oil. These will change the taste of your food, and olive oil is the most neutral of the three.

How We Selected

To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best peanut oils on the market, evaluating their key features—like origins, added ingredients, and price—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

Lindsay Boyers is a certified holistic nutritionist with extensive nutrition knowledge and food and beverage-testing experience. She’s developed over 1,000 original recipes and is constantly on a mission to find the healthiest, best-tasting options and ingredients across all food and drink categories.

Amanda McDonaldis an editor at The Spruce Eats and has over seven years of experience researching, writing, and editing about all things food — from what new products are at the grocery store to chef-approved hacks that keep tricky leftovers fresh for days. She updated this article to include the most up-to-date information.

Sources

• Markita Lewis, MS, RD, Marketing and Communications Associate for the National Peanut Board