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Coconut oil

Oils & fats · Cooking oils

Coconut oil

Oil from coconut flesh that is solid below about 24 °C; virgin coconut oil tastes of coconut, refined is neutral.

Also called: virgin coconut oil, nariyal tel

A kind of cooking oil

39 recipes with it

Photo: Phu Thinh Co, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-2.0)

What it is

Coconut oil is extracted from coconut kernel. It sets to a white solid in cool weather and melts to a clear oil when warm. Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil has a clear coconut aroma; refined coconut oil is odourless. It is the traditional cooking fat of Kerala and coastal South India.

Cocos nucifera

How it’s used

  • Kerala and Goan curries and thorans
  • Tempering mustard seeds and curry leaves
  • Frying banana chips
  • Vegan baking in place of butter
  • Southeast Asian sweets

Characteristics

Taste
Coconutty (virgin) or neutral (refined).
Texture
Firm and white when cool, liquid when warm.
Sold as
liquid
Cooking uses
Suitable for frying, Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keeps well at room temperature; it is normal for it to solidify and melt with the seasons. Discard if sour or soapy-smelling.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
892 kcal
Protein
0 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
99.06 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Oil, coconut.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Neutral vegetable oil — Fine for frying; loses the coconut aroma.
  • Butter — In baking, melted butter swaps roughly one-for-one but adds dairy.

Related ingredients

Recipes with coconut oil

See all 39

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