How to Substitute Olive Oil for Veggie Oil in a Salad Dressing

Poly and monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, can provide numerous health benefits, including reducing your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, incorporating olive oil in your diet on a regular basis can help you to improve your health and ward off dangerous medical conditions. Using olive oil in your homemade salad dressing in place of vegetable oil is an easy way to increase your intake.

A woman is making salad dressing. (Image: Anetlanda/iStock/Getty Images)

Step 1

Use a one-to-one ratio when substituting olive oil for vegetable oil in salad dressing. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of vegetable oil, simply swap it with 1 cup of olive oil.

Step 2

Vary the amount of olive oil according to your taste as you continue to use it in salad dressings. Though the ratio should be about one to one, olive oil does offer a different taste than vegetable oil, so you may find that you need more or less of it, depending on your personal preference.

Step 3

Choose a strong tasting olive oil in your salad dressing, such as extra virgin olive oil. The stronger taste can add more flavors to your salads.

Step 4

Mix the olive oil and vinegar thoroughly for the best taste; use a wire whisk or shake the salad dressing if in a bottle with a top.

Step 5

Watch your portion size; though olive oil has nutritional advantages, it does contain 120 calories per tablespoon.