If while cooking an Indian dish or a recipe that calls for ghee, you realize that you are short of this nutty, aromatic, type of butter, fret not. You may select the most suitable ghee substitute from the alternatives mentioned below and see no discernible difference in your dish!
Best Ghee Substitute
Butter is a great ghee substitute. You can also cook with alternatives like clarified butter, olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil. Any of these oils can be easily used as a clarified butter substitute also.
Clarified Butter
Ghee is a class of clarified butter and can be nutty in flavor. To obtain the same caramel-like flavor you can add some olive oil to your clarified butter and enjoy the dish.
Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil might be the healthiest option for substituting ghee while cooking. It adds a lovely flavor to all the preparations that require sautéing and roasting.
What do you use more often – ghee or butter? Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Butter
Regular butter is salty in taste and can complement your dish that calls for ghee. Also, fry with regular butter after adding olive oil to it, to avoid over-browning of food. [1]
Coconut Oil
While baking, if you want to substitute ghee with a better option for a rich flavor, coconut oil can be a good choice. It gives the dish an enriched aroma.
Canola Oil
Canola oil is a versatile oil that can be used in grilling, stir-frying, and baking. Also, for sautéing vegetables or making curries, canola oil is a great ghee substitute. Use it in the same quantity as ghee for the best taste.
Sesame Oil
Sesame oil is a fragrant edible oil that can be used as a ghee substitute for salad dressings or sprinkling over the food. You can also use it in stir-fries as its aroma might enhance the taste of the dish.
Soybean oil is used in cooking and frying foods. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Soybean Oil
You can replace ghee with soybean oil while making mayonnaise for a healthy boost and change in flavor. It can be a good alternative for ghee for baking as well.
Sunflower Oil
Sunflower oil can be used for pan frying in case you are falling short of ghee or wanting to add a new twist to your dish. Sometimes can be also used for salad dressings.
