Fat Magic – Mastering Oils, Nuts & Seeds for Better Cooking

Fats are essential in plant-based cooking. They enhance flavour, create rich textures, and improve nutrient absorption—but not all fats work the same way.

Ever wondered why some oils smoke too quickly? Why do nut-based sauces feel creamy without dairy? Or how to use fats effectively for roasting, sautéing, or baking?

This guide breaks down plant-based fats so you can use them strategically for better flavour, texture, and nutrition. 🚀

🔥 The Role of Fats in Cooking

✔ Flavour Enhancer – Fats carry and intensify flavour molecules, making food taste richer.
✔ Texture Creator – Crispy, creamy, or smooth? Fat controls it all.
✔ Nutrient Absorption – Many vitamins (A, D, E, K) are fat-soluble, meaning they need fat for proper absorption.
✔ Cooking Performance – Different fats work better for different heat levels.

🔥 Pro Tip: Using the right fat for the right purpose improves every dish! 🥑✨

🛠️ Choosing the Right Oil for Cooking

1️⃣ High-Heat Oils – Best for Frying & Roasting

✔ Best Picks: Avocado oil, peanut oil, refined coconut oil, rice bran oil.
✔ Why? These oils have high smoke points (200°C+), meaning they won’t burn easily under high heat.
✔ Best Uses: Stir-frying, pan-searing, deep-frying, roasting at high temperatures.

🔥 Pro Tip: Avocado oil has a mild flavour and works for everything from frying to dressing! 🥑

2️⃣ Medium-Heat Oils – Best for Sautéing & Baking

✔ Best Picks: Extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, unrefined coconut oil.
✔ Why? These oils add rich flavour while handling moderate heat (150-190°C).
✔ Best Uses: Sautéing, baking, marinating, finishing dishes.

🔥 Pro Tip: Toasted sesame oil adds depth—use it at the end of cooking for the best flavour! 🥢

3️⃣ Low-Heat & Raw Oils – Best for Dressings & Dips

✔ Best Picks: Flaxseed oil, walnut oil, hemp seed oil.
✔ Why? These oils are delicate and should not be heated to preserve nutrients and flavour.
✔ Best Uses: Salad dressings, cold dips, drizzling over cooked foods.

🔥 Pro Tip: Flaxseed oil is rich in omega-3s—perfect for a nutritional boost in dressings! 🥗

🥜 Nuts & Seeds: How to Use Them as Fats

Nuts and seeds provide natural fats that create creamy textures and deepen flavour without refined oils.

1️⃣ Nut Butters – Creamy & Versatile

✔ Best Picks: Cashew butter, almond butter, peanut butter, tahini.
✔ Best Uses: Thickening sauces, making dairy-free creams, baking.

🔥 Pro Tip: Blend cashew butter with water for an instant creamy sauce! 🥜

2️⃣ Whole Nuts & Seeds – Crunchy & Nutrient-Dense

✔ Best Picks: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds.
✔ Best Uses: Topping salads, making pesto, blending into smoothies.

🔥 Pro Tip: Toasting nuts before adding them to dishes enhances their flavour! 🌰

3️⃣ Coconut – A Unique Plant-Based Fat

✔ Best Uses: Coconut milk for creamy curries, shredded coconut for baking, coconut oil for frying.
✔ Why? Naturally rich in saturated fat, making it ideal for creamy, rich textures.

🔥 Pro Tip: For lighter coconut milk, dilute full-fat coconut milk with water! 🥥

🍳 Matching Fats to Cooking Techniques

🥢 Stir-Frying & Sautéing: Avocado oil, peanut oil, sesame oil.
🔥 High-Heat Roasting: Avocado oil, rice bran oil, refined coconut oil.
🥗 Dressings & Dips: Flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil, walnut oil.
🥣 Creamy Sauces & Baking: Cashew butter, tahini, coconut milk.

🔥 Pro Tip: Blending nuts with a little water creates ultra-creamy sauces without dairy! 🍲

❌ Common Fat Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

🚫 Using olive oil for high-heat frying? → Stick to high-smoke-point oils like avocado or peanut oil.
🚫 Coconut milk splitting in curries? → Simmer gently and don’t boil at high heat.
🚫 Dressings tasting bitter? → Store delicate oils in the fridge to prevent rancidity.
🚫 Nut butters separating? → Stir well before use, or store upside down to keep the oil evenly distributed.

🔥 Pro Tip: Oils degrade with heat—store them properly and use them for the right purpose! 🥄

🌟 Final Takeaway: Fats Make Food Shine

Plant-based fats enhance every dish, but knowing which fats to use and how to use them makes all the difference.

✔ High-heat oils (avocado, peanut) for frying and roasting.
✔ Medium-heat oils (olive, sesame) for sautéing and baking.
✔ Raw oils (flax, hemp) for dressings and dips.
✔ Nuts, seeds & coconut add natural richness and texture.

🔥 Your Turn: What’s your favourite plant-based fat to cook with? Share your go-to techniques below! 🥑✨