Can You Fry Foods in Coconut Oils?

Cooking with coconut oil

Unlike many other cooking oils, coconut oil is very stable and can withstand high cooking temperatures (thanks to its high constitution of saturated fats). It’s perfectly suitable for sautéing, baking, roasting, and even frying.

Unrefined coconut oil has a strong “coconutty” flavor and aroma, which is great to use in your recipes if you’re a fan of that profile. If not, go for the refined coconut oil, which is extremely neutral in both taste and aroma. (And if you’re wary of buying refined oils, look for a coconut oil brand that is naturally refined and unbleached.)

To sauté and stir-fry with coconut oil, simply use it in place of the oil called for in your recipes and you’ll be able to kick up the heat a bit higher than if you were using olive oil. Of course, if your oil ever starts to smoke intensely or turn gray/black while cooking, you can assume that it’s been overheated and needs to be refreshed with new oil. Note that refined coconut oil will withstand cooking temperatures up to around 450°F, whereas unfiltered (virgin) coconut oil has a smoke point around 350°F.

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