Fried rice is certainly many people’s favorite dish from Asian cuisine. We like enjoying it in restaurants. But when it comes to making fried rice at home, many questions need answers. One of them is about the oil to be used in fried rice.
What are the best oils for fried rice? Peanut oil, sesame oil, canola oil, avocado oil, and macadamia oil are all good oils to use for fried rice. All of these oils have a high smoke point which can withstand the heat of a highly heated pan or wok.
Whether you like neutral-flavored oils or aromatic ones, you will find an option that works for you. Read on to learn more about these oils and find out what we recommend you to try.
What Oil Is Best for Fried Rice?
Choosing the right oil for fried rice is an important part of making this Chinese dish come together nicely.
When choosing oil for fried rice, pay attention to two things – the smoke point of the oil and the flavor.
The oil you choose to cook fried rice with should have a high smoke point because when making fried rice you deal with lots of high heat.
As far as the flavor is concerned, you can choose from unflavored/neutral and flavored oil varieties.
Some cooks recommend going for neutral-flavored oils as they don’t interfere with the taste of the ingredients in the dish. In fact, many Chinese restaurants use neutral oils for fried rice, including vegetable oils.
Others, however, think that oils with slight hints of flavor do this dish justice by adding layers of taste and richness. So really it’s a matter of preference.
But if you want your dish to be flavorful, we recommend you to drizzle the finished dish with toasted sesame oil if you have used neutral oils for frying rice. This will add depth to the dish and give it a true Asian feel.
5 Best Oils for Fried Rice
Whether you want to use a neutral-flavored oil to make fried rice or slightly aromatic ones, we have got you covered. Here are the five best oils you can use to make fried rice:
| Rank | Product | Flavor |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Happy Belly Peanut Oil | Neutral to light, mildly nutty |
| 2. | Kadoya Sesame Oil | Nutty |
| 3. | Happy Belly Canola Oil | Neutral |
| 4. | La Tourangelle Avocado Oil | Grassy, buttery, nutty |
| 5. | Roland Virgin Macademia Oil | Buttery and slightly nutty |
All of them have high smoke points and flavors which will work perfectly for fried rice. You can check them out by type with more information below.
1. Peanut Oil
- Smoke Point: 450°F
- Flavor: Neutral to light with a very mild nutty flavor
If you are looking for an almost flavorless oil to make fried rice, then peanut oil it is. While the flavor of peanut oil ranges from neutral to slightly nutty depending on the brand, it is always a safe option for fried rice.
The smoke point of peanut oil is very high. It will not break down even in an extremely heated wok or pan.
If it is your first time cooking fried rice and you are not sure how the flavors will come together, you will be on the safer side using peanut oil. It won’t affect the flavor of other ingredients in the dish.
Recommended: Happy Belly Peanut Oil
Happy Belly Peanut Oil is, in a word, awesome, so we recommend you give a try to. It is suitable for frying and you get a lot of oil for the price. Considering the versatility of peanut oil, it is certainly worth a go.
Here is why the Happy Belly’s peanut oil is a good choice:
- It contains 0 grams of trans fat per serving.
- A bottle of this peanut oil with provide you with 256 servings. Thus, it will last you a long time.
- It is higher in monounsaturated fats which makes it a healthier option for frying.
2. Sesame Oil
- Smoke Point: 410 °F
- Flavor: Nutty
Light varieties of sesame oil are considered to have a neutral flavor with slight nutty undertones. But still, it is hard to classify sesame oil as neutral.
Sesame oil is a popular choice for fried rice. It has a high smoke point that makes it suitable for high heat cooking.
If you enjoy Asian-style cooking, we recommend you have a bottle of toasted sesame oil at hand. It is not used as a cooking oil but as a final touch on many dishes, including fried rice.
This is also a great oil to add flavor to fried rice if the latter has been cooked in neutral-flavored oil.
When buying sesame oil for high heat cooking, don’t buy the unrefined varieties as their smoke point is considerably lower.
Recommended: Kadoya Sesame Oil
Kadoya Sesame Oil is one of the best sesame oils you can find on the market. It is great for high heat cooking. This sesame oil will take your fried rice from regular to restaurant quality. It will make it more flavorful and aromatic.
Here are some things you should know about the Kadoya sesame oil:
- It is pure sesame oil produced in Japan.
- Made from high-quality sesame seeds, this oil has a rich aroma and a smooth taste.
- A small amount of this sesame oil goes a long way.
3. Canola Oil
- Smoke Point: 400 °F
- Flavor: Neutral
If aromatic oils are not your thing, then canola oil might be your best bet. Thanks to its high smoke point and neutral flavor, canola oil can be used in a range of dishes. And fried rice is not an exception.
Canola oil is a popular oil choice for Chinese restaurants. It is easy to find, affordable, and does the job well.
Canola oil contains a higher amount of monounsaturated fats and a slightly lower amount of polyunsaturated fats. The higher amount of monounsaturated fats removes canola oil from the list of unhealthy cooking oils.
Recommended: Happy Belly Canola Oil
Happy Belly Canola Oil is what we recommend giving a try to. This is an affordable option for an oil you will be using a lot for various cooking purposes.
You can use canola oil not only for frying but also for grilling, sautéing, and even baking.
Here are a few things you should know about the Happy Belly Canola Oil:
- There are 0 grams of trans fat per serving in this oil.
- This is a light-tasting oil that will work in any fried rice recipe.
4. Avocado Oil
- Smoke Point: 520 °F
- Flavor: Grassy, buttery, nutty
Avocado oil is a healthy oil option for fried rice. It has a high smoke point and contains a good amount of monounsaturated fats. These fats make avocado oil stable and suitable for high heat cooking.
While avocado oil is by no means a neutral-tasting oil, you can find many fried rice recipes where this oil does the job perfectly.
Recommended: La Tourangelle Avocado Oil
La Tourangelle Avocado Oil is unrefined avocado oil. It is produced from avocado pulp that is expeller-pressed and filtered.
While refined avocado oil has a much higher smoke point, the unrefined varieties don’t fall behind.
The avocado oil by La Tourangelle is suitable for medium to high heat cooking. The smoke point of this oil 375 °F which even fits the common deep-frying temperature range.
La Tourangelle Avocado Oil is a premium oil worth giving a try. Here’s why:
- This a 100% pure and all-natural avocado oil.
- It is very versatile. You can use this oil for stir-frying, sautéing, salad dressings, sauces, etc.
- The taste is mild which will be just right for fried rice.
5. Macadamia Oil
- Smoke Point: 410 °F
- Flavor: Buttery and slightly nutty
If you have always cooked fried rice with regular neutral-tasting oils and are now looking for something more, macadamia nut oil is certainly what you should try next.
A tablespoon of macadamia oil will add a nice nutty hint to the dish. You can even enhance the nutty flavor by adding macadamia nuts to your fried rice for added texture and taste.
The monounsaturated fat content of macadamia oil is very high – from 80 to 85%. This makes macadamia oil very stable and healthy for high heat cooking.
Recommended: Roland Virgin Macadamia Oil
Try the Roland Virgin Macadamia Oil next time you decide to make fried rice with a nutty twist. This is a cold-pressed virgin oil with a milder taste and aroma.
It is enough to take a look at the reviews of this product to learn that people enjoy using it for its high smoke point property.
Here is what makes Roland Virgin Macadamia Oil so good:
- It is gluten-free.
- It doesn’t contain any trans fats.
- This macadamia oil is a great alternative to regular non-aromatic oils.
Related Questions
Can You Use Olive Oil for Fried Rice?
Technically, you can use olive oil for fried rice. But it’s not the best option.
The flavor and aroma of olive oil are not exactly neutral. They’re a little strong and will change the way your rice tastes. But if you try making fried rice with olive oil and are satisfied with the result, there is nothing wrong with using it.
Extra virgin olive oil is a big ‘no-no’ for fried rice as it is highly aromatic. Additionally, extra virgin olive oil generally has a lower smoke point. This makes it an unsuitable choice for making fried rice.
Can You Use Butter for Fried Rice?
Yes, you can use butter to make fried rice. In fact, Japanese-style fried rice is known for using butter in conjunction with oil.
Using butter will certainly add flavor to the dish. Some people like it, some people don’t. Many cooks believe that butter adds richness to the dish. It also helps to brown the rice perfectly.
Thus, if you are not vegan and it fits into your diet, give it a try and see what fried rice made with butter is all about.
Up Next: How To Reheat Fried Rice – The Best Way
