10 Easy Ways to Use Coconut Oil in Cooking

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10 Easy Ways to Use Coconut Oil in Cooking


When you cook, you probably reach for some form of cooking oil or butter on a frequent basis. But have you ever thought to try cooking with coconut oil? There are a number of reasons you may want to add it to your routine.

Refined coconut oil has a high smoke point, which makes it perfect for cooking. For instance, LouAna 100% Pure Coconut Oil has a higher smoke point (up to 350°F) than virgin coconut oil—in other words, it can handle the heat. It's great for grilling, broiling, sautéing and stir-frying, but that's not all. It can also be used as a substitute for butter, shortening and margarine in recipes. Plus, it has no coconut taste or aroma, so it won't distract from the flavor of the food you're cooking.

For grilling or broiling, you can brush fresh fish, meat or vegetables with melted coconut oil before applying your favorite seasonings to it. You can also stir melted coconut oil into a marinade before applying it to fish or meat. For sauté or stir-fry dishes, melt some coconut oil in the pan before adding your ingredients.

Here are a few other ways to incorporate coconut oil into your daily meals:

  • Smoothies: Blend it into your favorite fruit smoothie combinations.

  • Eggs: Use it to cook scrambled or fried eggs.

  • Baking: If a recipe calls for vegetable oil or butter, you can swap those ingredients out for coconut oil.

  • Frosting: In addition to using coconut oil in baked goods, it's particularly great for frostings too!

  • Dressings: Mix it into salad dressings or use it in homemade mayonnaise.

  • Grains: Pour it over cereal or hot, cooked grains like quinoa or brown rice.

  • Soups: Coconut oil can be used in soups, stews or even chili recipes.

  • Vegetables: Sauté or roast your favorite vegetables in coconut oil.

  • Fish: Use it to pan-fry or pan-sear your fresh fish over the stove.

  • Popcorn: You can also use coconut oil to pop your popcorn instead of butter!

There are a few things you should know about measuring, melting and storing it before you get cooking.

Measuring coconut oil
To substitute coconut oil in a recipe for a liquid oil (like vegetable oil), you'll want to measure it in its melted, liquid form after it has cooled. If you're cooking with coconut oil as a replacement for butter, margarine or shortening, measure the coconut oil out in its solid form.

Stove-top melting
When cooking with coconut oil, scoop out the approximate amount that your recipe calls for, then place it in a pan on the stove. Over low heat, stir oil until it completely melts. Then, remove it from heat and let it cool before measuring it exactly to your recipe requirements.

Microwave melting
Measure the approximate amount of coconut oil that your recipe calls for, then place it in a microwave-safe container. Heat the oil in your microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring in between. Once it's melted, let it cool and measure it exactly.

No need to refrigerate
There's no need to refrigerate LouAna 100% Pure Coconut Oil, since it is refined. Coconut oil melts on its own at over 76°F, so if you see it melting when you leave it out at room temperature, that's okay! It's perfectly fine for the oil to go back and forth from liquid to solid many times over the life of a jar.

Presented by LouAna.

Image Credit: Tieghan Gerard, Half Baked Harvest

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