Don’t Just Use Any Cooking Oil On Your New Ceramic Pan! Instead, These Are The Best Cooking Oil For Ceramic Pans To Keep Yours Pristine For The Years To Come

Ceramic pans all the rage these days. They are not only visually stunning with its sleek design, allowing you to serve in style from cooktop to table, but they also make your cooking and cleaning experience a breeze with its brilliant non-stick cooking surface.

Some even love it because of how the non-stick coating needs little to no oil to cook, and food still slides right out effortlessly just like the carefully crafted ceramic non-stick cookware from Cosmic Cookware.

With all the advantages offered by ceramic pans, it’s only normal that some would naturally ask “so, what’s the catch?”. Because it does seem a little too good to be true.

Well for starters, ceramic pans need proper care to preserve its nonstick ceramic coating in tiptop shape for the years to come. That includes using it only for low heat to medium heat cooking, and seasoning it once in a while and using a bit of cooking oil for food that naturally turns into or forms sticky residue. 

Which is why choosing the right cooking oil is crucial. But with so many options in the market, biases to what our familial households have used in the past, and how cooking oils are not created equal - which ones are the best for ceramic pans? You’ll also have to factor in how some oils have their own natural flavours which may leave your food tasting less than desirable.

Taking everything into account, we’ve compiled a list of the best cooking oil for ceramic non-stick cookware based on their flavour profile, smoke points, and versatility to clear up the confusion and guide you only to the types of cooking oil that will keep your ceramic pans in top shape, while keeping your meals truly flavoursome.

11 Best Cooking Oils For Ceramic Cookware To Keep The Non-Stick Surface In Top Shape For The Years To Come

1. Refined Olive Oil

Whenever someone mentions olive oil, most of us would almost automatically think of extra virgin olive oil. But did you know that there are several variations of olive oils that depend on how processed it is?

Refined olive oil is not to be confused with extra virgin olive oil, even though it is derived from olives. This particular type of olive oil is put through a refining process to remove impurities and increase its smoke point up to approximately 240°C.

The high smoke point makes it fantastic because it allows individuals to carry out medium heat cooking on their ceramic pans, without causing its non-stick properties to break down or leave any residue buildups.

Ideally, refined olive oil is best for recipes that require sautéing, stir-frying, and shallow frying at low to medium heat.

2. Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin olive oil is simply a less processed version of oil extracted from olives. It’s the preferred choice for homecooks looking to do healthier cooking because it retains more of its natural flavours and nutrients compared to refined olive oil.

But because it hasn’t been processed as much as refined olive oil, virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point of 200°C, making it suitable only for low to medium heat cooking. That said, the lower heat requirement makes it one of the better choices out of the high smoke point oils as it encourages the usual recommended temperature range of only low to medium heat for ceramic non-stick pans.

Those looking to use virgin olive oil are recommended to keep it only to recipes that call for light cooking techniques such as sautéing, light stir-frys, and gentle sauce reductions.

3. Canola Oil

When it comes to cooking versatility, few can beat the humble canola oil. Canola oil is essentially oil made by crushing canola seeds, making it a plant-based oil that is also one of the most neutral cooking oils out there.

Studies have also shown that canola oil is a fantastic source of vitamins E and K, and it contains low levels of saturated fat, but high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. It has a high smoke point of approximately 204°C, so cooking with it on low to medium heat is definitely no problem. The best part? Its naturally neutral flavour ensures that the taste of your recipe won’t be altered!

It’s a go-to everyday cooking oil for most households because it is highly affordable while being one of the more healthier oils that are perfect to lightly coat your ceramic non-stick pan’s surface before you pan-fry or sauté any dish.

4. Refined Avocado Oil

Refined avocado oil is obtained by first extracting oil from the flesh of avocados, followed by putting it through a refining process to increase its smoke point while removing impurities.

After the refining process is done, refined avocado oil becomes one of the most robust types of cooking oil for ceramic cookware because of its high smoke point at approximately 271°C.

This makes it great for medium to high-heat cooking without breakdown ingredients or leaving food residue, making it ideal for grills, stir-frys, sautés, and oven baked dishes. That said, its versatility also extends to the fact that you can use it raw for salads and dressings.

5. Refined Coconut Oil

While most would baulk at the use of coconut oil for cooking because of its naturally strong flavour, refined coconut oil has already been processed enough to remove its strong coconut-taste while raising its smoke point to a much higher level.

Refined coconut oil is derived from raw coconut flesh and processed, giving it a high smoke point of approximately 230°C. It’s a household favourite for vegans and vegetarians as a dairy-free alternative to butter that is odourless and tasteless.

One thing to note however, is that refined coconut oil solidifies at room temperature or when chilled but melts easily when heated. Just like butter! You’ll want to use refined coconut oil for recipes that require baking or sautéing as it's one of the most suitable cooking oils for those cooking techniques thanks to its high smoke point.

6. Butter

Butter needs little to no introduction, but for the beginner cooks amongst us - let’s get to know butter. Butter is a dairy product made by churning cream or milk to a fat-rich spread. Unlike most of the recommended cooking oils here, butter has a relatively low smoke point at approximately 170°C, which is why you will notice how quickly and easily it burns.

The fact that it has a low smoke point makes butter a double-edged sword when it comes to cooking. It’s great for cooking because it enhances the flavours of your dish while adding a rich depth to it (we love a good scrambled eggs cooked with butter!), and it is suitable for low to medium-heat cooking, which is the ideal heat range for ceramic pans.

But because it has a low smoke point, you’ll have to consistently keep a close eye on your dish to prevent it from burning, or keep an eye on the temperature to prevent it from going above a certain degree. That’s why butter is commonly recommended only to intermediate to veteran homecooks who are more familiar with intricate temperature controls while cooking.

7. Ghee

Ghee is clarified butter that is commonly used in cooking Indian cuisine. It’s essentially butter that has been processed to have its water content and milk solids removed, resulting in pure fat. This process also leaves it with a smoke point that is far higher than butter at approximately 232°C.

Ghee’s high smoke point makes it suitable for medium heat cooking on ceramic pans. On top of that, it has a lower risk of burning and reduced chances for residue buildup on your non-stick pan while cooking because it no longer contains milk solids.

The only downside to ghee is that it has a naturally distinct fatty flavour with a hint of nuttiness, making it perfect for dishes that are already rich in flavours.

8. Refined Peanut Oil

Refined peanut oil is one of the best types of cooking oil for ceramic pans thanks to its incredibly high smoke point at approximately 230°C and non-dairy characteristics. But unfortunately, it has one major downside - it’s made from peanuts. With almost 20% of the Australian population having a nut allergy, this puts refined peanut oil at a disadvantage that knocks it down a few pegs off the list of best cooking oils for ceramic cookware.

But for those who aren’t allergic to peanuts, this particular cooking oil is worth trying out on your non-stick cookware. Yes, that includes ceramic too!

Refined peanut oil is naturally light with a neutral flavour profile, making it fantastic to stir-fry, deep-fry, or shallow-fry a variety of dishes in various flavours without interfering with the flavours of your food.

9. Grapeseed Oil

Extracted from the seeds of grapes as a byproduct of winemaking, grapeseed oil is a relatively new contemporary cooking oil that is favoured for its light flavour and high smoke point. The only flaw about grapeseed oil is that it tends to be expensive because grape seeds typically contain very little oil.

Grapeseed oil has a high smoke point of up to 216°C, making it great for use on ceramic nonstick cookware. Grapeseed oil may have a light fruity or nutty flavour with a brighter greenish hue if it is cold-pressed, which is the one you want for your ceramic pans.

Thanks to its naturally light flavour most homecooks prefer to use it to make salad dressings and marinades over sautés and stir-frys at low to medium heat. That’s also because of its heftier price tag.

10. Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil is perhaps one of the more commonly used cooking oils for ceramic pans and cookware in general, but also one of the least favourable ones because of its makeup as a blend of various plant-based oils that sometimes include soybean, corn, and sunflower oil.

However, its high smoke point at approximately 204°C makes it safe for use on ceramic non-stick cookware while its neutral flavour makes it a reliable choice when it comes to frying, roasting, sautéing, or baking a variety of dishes at low to medium heat.

11. Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is extracted from sunflower seeds and is loved by some households because of its healthy benefits; namely its low level of saturated fat and richness in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

But health benefits aside, its high smoke point at approximately 227°C and anti-residue properties also makes it one of the better choices to be used on ceramic pans without compromising the integrity of the pan's coating.

How Do You Keep Food From Sticking to Ceramic Pans?

Though it sounds a little bit like rocket science due to conflicting information around the internet, preventing food from sticking to the ceramic pan is actually quite easy.

Firstly, you have to preheat your ceramic pan for a couple of minutes before adding anything on it. This includes oil, liquids, or ingredients of any sort. Make sure to avoid high heat to prevent thermal shock!

Then you’ll want to add in a very small amount of oil or butter and spread it evenly across the ceramic pan’s cooking surface with a brush or paper towel. Now you’re ready to start cooking, just remember not to overcrowd your ceramic non-stick pan and cook in batches - cooking too much at a go will lower the temperature and make it more likely for ingredients to stick.

Once you’re done, hand wash your pan thoroughly with warm, soapy water while using the soft end of your dish sponge. The key is gentle cleaning here. If food gets stuck, just soak it up to 30 minutes with a solution of baking soda and warm water to loosen the stuck bits.

Bonus Tip: Avoid using spray oils as it does not evenly distribute oil across the ceramic pan's cooking surface, leading to unwanted hot spots across its nonstick surface.