Coconut oil, nut oil, and seed oils: Oils from seeds, kernels, and nuts

Kernel, nut, and frying oils such as coconut oil, cedar nut oil, or black seed oil are pressed from oil-rich seeds, kernels, and nuts rather than from olive pulp. Cold-pressed, they have a distinct taste characteristic of their raw material – nutty, tart, or coconutty. Once deodorized, they become neutral and heat-stable. In this category, you will find both: oils for seasoning and fats for frying.

Coconut oil and coconut fat: the difference

Both come from copra, the dried flesh of the coconut. Virgin coconut oil is mechanically pressed and neither refined, bleached, nor deodorized, which preserves its delicate, slightly nutty coconut note. At cool room temperature, it is solid and spreadable; on warm summer days, it becomes liquid. Coconut fat is deodorized and tastes neutral; the Ölmühle Solling achieves this purely using steam. For fried potatoes, schnitzel, and deep-fried dishes, the neutral fat is the right choice; for curries, pancakes, or banana bread, the virgin oil with its coconut note is preferred.

Nut and seed oils for cold dishes

Cedar nut oil is pressed from the seeds of the Siberian stone pine, which are marketed as cedar nuts. It is amber-colored, tastes delicately nutty and mild, and belongs on salads, soups, and bread. Black seed oil comes from the seeds of Nigella sativa. Botanically, the plant belongs to the buttercup family and shares nothing with caraway other than the name; the oil is golden yellow, tart, and peppery-spicy. Walnut oil brings a robust nuttiness to lamb's lettuce and winter salads. For all three, the rule is: use cold or add at the very end, as heat ruins their flavor.

Frying oil from High-Oleic sunflowers

High-Oleic sunflowers are varieties bred to have a particularly high oleic acid content in their seeds. The Ölmühle Solling presses hulled seeds from EU cultivation and deodorizes the oil with steam. The result is a mild organic frying oil that is highly heat-stable and suitable for frying, baking, sautéing, and deep-frying.

Our producers

Our top seller in this category is the Vinegar & Oil Gourmet Set from Lang Weinessig in the Southern Palatinate: four 50 ml bottles with balsamic vinegar, vinaigrette, organic walnut oil, and organic mountain pepper oil. Both oils are produced by the Wasgauer Ölmühle.

Most oils here come from the Ölmühle Solling in Boffzen in the Weser Uplands. Very popular is the Organic Virgin Coconut Oil in a liter jar; for those needing less, there is the Organic Coconut Oil (500 ml) made from Philippine copra. In addition, there is the Extra Mild Coconut Fat, the Organic Frying Oil with a pouring spout, and the Organic Black Seed Oil from Egyptian organic cultivation, cold-pressed in Boffzen at below 40 °C and only filtered. For comparison, there is the "Nutty and Seedy Favorites" Oil Tasting Set with five cold-pressed organic oils (20 ml each): roasted argan oil, roasted pumpkin seed oil, plum kernel oil, mustard oil, and walnut oil.

Also very popular is the Organic Cedar Nut Oil from TAIGA Naturkost. The cedar nuts come from certified organic wild harvesting in the Altai region; according to the manufacturer, it is pressed fresh every week in their own oil mill in the Palatinate.

Ideas for the kitchen

A teaspoon of cedar nut oil over pumpkin or potato soup, a dash over lamb's lettuce with pear, or simply on fresh bread with salt – that is all you need. Stir black seed oil into hummus and yogurt dips, drizzle it over warm flatbread, or use it to season oriental vegetable dishes. Walnut oil from the gourmet set pairs perfectly with balsamic vinegar on lamb's lettuce and cheese, while the roasted pumpkin seed oil from the tasting set enhances pumpkin soup. Use virgin coconut oil for stir-fries, vegetable curry, pancakes, and as a butter substitute in baking. Coconut fat and frying oil handle everything that gets really hot: fried potatoes, schnitzel, deep-fried fries, and baked goods without a coconut flavor.

Buying advice and storage

• Cold or hot: Cedar nut, black seed, and walnut oil for cold dishes; coconut oil, coconut fat, and frying oil for the pan, oven, and deep fryer.
• With or without coconut note: Virgin coconut oil tastes slightly of coconut; deodorized coconut fat is neutral.
• Size: Cedar nut oil comes in a 100 ml bottle because you use it drop by drop; coconut oil in 500 or 1000 ml jars for daily cooking.
• Storing nut oils: Keep in a cool, dark place; after opening, it is best kept in the refrigerator and consumed within a few weeks to months.
• Storing coconut oil: Keep in the kitchen cupboard; whether it is solid or liquid depends solely on the temperature and does not affect quality.

More oils for your kitchen

Kernel, nut, and frying oils are part of our Oils category. For salads, bread, and vegetables, you can find extra virgin olive oil from Molise under Olive Oil. Truffle oil, lemon oil, and garlic oil for drizzling can be found under Seasoning Oils.

Order kernel, nut, and frying oils online

Whether it’s coconut oil in a liter jar for the frying pan or a small bottle of cedar nut oil for soup: at Leni & Hans, you can order coconut oil, nut oil, and seed oils online, and your package will arrive in 1–3 days.