ml/14fl oz vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a neutral-flavored cooking fat derived from the seeds or fruits of various plants, most commonly soybean, canola, sunflower, safflower, and cottonseed. These oils are extracted through mechanical pressing, solvent extraction, or a combination of both, then typically refined, bleached, and deodorized to remove impurities and flavor compounds. The result is a pale yellow liquid with a high smoke point (typically 350-450°F / 175-230°C), making it suitable for most cooking applications. Refined vegetable oils contain polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, with composition varying by source crop.

The term "vegetable oil" often refers to blended oils or those from specific crops depending on regional availability and agricultural production. In North America, soybean oil dominates; in Europe, rapeseed (canola) oil is prevalent; in other regions, sunflower or palm oil may be primary. Unlike specific oils (olive, coconut, sesame), vegetable oil is intentionally neutral to avoid competing with other flavors in dishes.

Vegetable oil serves as the workhorse fat in most professional and home kitchens due to its neutral flavor and high smoke point. It is essential for frying (deep-frying, stir-frying, pan-frying), baking (cakes, muffins, quick breads), making mayonnaise and vinaigrettes, sautéing vegetables and proteins, and roasting. Its blandness makes it ideal when the focus should remain on other ingredients. Vegetable oil is also used in margarine production, for greasing pans, and in commercial food manufacturing. Because of its versatility, it appears across nearly all culinary traditions—from Asian stir-fries to American baked goods to Mediterranean vegetable preparations—wherever a neutral fat without assertive flavor is needed.