Ghee Substitute

About Ghee

Ghee has been a staple in Indian cuisine FOREVER.  More recently the Western world has caught on and is learning about its health benefits and delicious flavor.

It has a rich, deep flavor often described as nutty.  It takes the flavor of Indian dishes to another level.  The best example I can give is dal.  Try Dal Fry with ghee and then try it with a substitute.  While both will be delicious, the flavor of dal made with ghee is richer and different.

It is a key ingredient for me, ingrained in daily Indian cooking, and culture and even used for religious traditions. So, I wanted to give some perspective from an Indian cook as I see many blog posts on this from people who are not familiar with Indian cooking, which leads to misleading information and advice.

Particularly, I’d like to note the types of recipes in which ghee substitutes can be used in a pinch.

I always say there is no perfect substitute for any ingredient like in mine, but I think we can get close to a replacement for ghee that you can use in a pinch.

It’s not dairy-free and is made from cow’s milk. Though ghee may be a good choice for lactose-intolerant people. That’s because it contains extremely low levels of lactose and casein (a milk protein).

Uses For Ghee

It is used in much of everyday Indian cooking -in every day savory dishes and Indian sweets. OTher uses inclue:

• A little can be slathered on Indian bread like Bhakri

• Deep frying: You can fry food in it (high temperatures, higher smoke point)

• Temper spices for a delicious infusion of flavor.

What Makes A Good Ghee Substitute

A good ghee substitute includes many or most of the characteristics of ghee:

High smoking point

Rich flavor, nutty aroma

Versatile

Exists in different textures/forms: Solid, Creamy, and Liquid

One tablespoon solid ghee is equal to one tablespoon melted ghee.

So, cooking oils can be used in a 1:1 ratio of replacement for ghee.

The States Of Ghee

At room temperature, ghee is firm but soft

Refrigerated, ghee is solid

Heated, ghee is liquid-like oil

So, What Is the Best Alternative?

FAQ

Note, homemade ghee is very easy to make and can be found readily in your local grocery store or online.

The traditional way to make ghee

Make your ghee if you have regular butter!! It’s not hard at all.  In a deep pot similar simmer melted butter sticks for about 10 minutes.  The water content will evaporate, milk solids will float to the top, and then sink a bit.  Let cool and strain the milk solids or milk proteins.  You have ghee! I’ll have a post up soon and link it here.

Alternatives to Ghee

The higher smoking point allows for greater versatility in cooking methods.

One tablespoon melted ghee is equal to one tablespoon creamy ghee. So, cooking oil can be used in a 1:1 ratio of replacement for ghee.

“Many unrefined oils are packed with minerals, enzymes, and other compounds that don’t play well with heat.”

Table of Ghee Alternative Options

#	Name	Flavor	Smoking Point	Use For Indian Savory	Use For Indian Sweet
	Ghee	Very rich, Nutty flavor	465F	X	X
1	Butter (unsalted)	Creamy	350F	X	X
2	Coconut Oil	Coconut, Buttery	350F	X
3	Canola Oil	Neutral	400°F	X
4	Avocado Oil (Virgin)	Light avocado	375-400°F	X
5	Olive Oil*	Fruity notes, light texture	465F	X
6	Toasted Sesame Oil	Nutty	350-410°F	X
7	Mustard Oil	Mustard seeds	480F	X
8	Sunflower Oil	Mild to little flavor	440°F	X
9	Margarine*	Light buttery	410-430°F	X	X
10	Vegan Margarine/Butter*	Light buttery		X	X
11	Clarified Butter (cooked less than ghee, used in France)	Light nutty	450°F	X	X
12	Soybean Oil	Mild, neutral	450-495°F	X
13	Olive Oil Extra Virgin Olive Oil*	Peppery, bitter	325-375°F	X
14	Peanut Oil	Nutty	450°F	X
15	Crisco (Dalda in India)	Neutral flavor	360°F	X	X
16	Safflower Oil	Mild, neutral	510F	X
17	Vegetable Oil	Neutral	400F	X

Best Substitutes

I use coconut oil the most often as a replacement for ghee in savory Indian dishes.  We used canola oil in savory Indian dishes growing up. Primarily use Coconut and Avocado Oil in place of ghee. But, ghee itself has benefits so it is good to use it.

Unsalted Butter

This is the best option for a ghee substitute in terms of buttery flavor and versatility. I would use it in a one-to-one ratio.

Make your ghee if you have regular butter!! It’s not hard at all.  In a deep pot similar simmer melted butter sticks for about 10 minutes.  The water content will evaporate, milk solids will float to the top, and then sink a bit.  Let cool and strain the milk solids or milk proteins.  You have ghee! I’ll have a post up soon and link it here.

Similar consistency

In terms of flavor, it provides a rich taste as ghee does

Normally any type of butter can work, highly recommend unsalted.  Organic, grass-fed is great.

Solid fat

Canola Oil

Neutral flavor

Used on high heat

Great substitute

Olive oil

I use it often in Jeera Rice as a healthier alternative to ghee.  It tastes DELICIOUS! Jeera rice is made primarily with Indian Basmati Rice, cumin seeds, and Ghee.

It is best used for mid to low-heat cooking with a low smoke point, so I don’t use it for tadka or frying.

Best substitutes are always what you have on hand.  Highly encourage you to make ghee on your own or source it from a store/online if you are an Indian cuisine enthusiast.