Ghee vs Coconut Oil: Which Should You Cook With?

Coconut oil had its moment, didn't it? For a while there it was in everything, cooking, coffee, hair masks, the lot.

So how does it actually stack up against ghee? Like most of these things, it comes down to what you're cooking, what you're cooking it at, and what your body prefers. Let's walk through it properly.

Handling the heat

This is the clearest difference between the two.

Ghee has a high smoke point (around 250 degrees), so it holds up beautifully to searing, roasting and frying without breaking down. Coconut oil is happier at medium heat, it's more of a gentle-cooking fat than an aggressive-searing one, and it'll start to smoke well before ghee does.

So if you're doing a proper hot sear or a big tray roast, ghee is the more reliable choice. For lower-heat cooking, coconut oil does the job perfectly well.

Flavour is the big one

Here's what really separates them: taste.

Coconut oil brings a sweet, tropical coconut note to whatever it touches. That's gorgeous in a curry or a coconut-forward bake, but it's not always what you want on your morning eggs or a savoury roast. And unless you buy the refined kind (which loses some of coconut oil's appeal), that flavour comes along for the ride whether you invited it or not.

Ghee is nutty, rich and savoury, and it plays nicely across almost anything, sweet or savoury, without imposing a strong flavour of its own. That neutrality-with-richness is a big part of why it ends up being the everyday jar in so many kitchens.

How they're made

The two fats start life about as differently as you can imagine.

Coconut oil is extracted from the flesh of coconuts, either cold-pressed (which keeps more of that tropical aroma) or refined (which strips a lot of it out for a more neutral, higher-heat oil). It's entirely plant-based, which is its big selling point for vegan kitchens.

Ghee starts with Australian certified organic, grass-fed butter, which we simmer slowly in small batches for around seven hours. The water evaporates, the milk solids gently brown and are filtered away, and what's left is pure golden butterfat. That slow process is where ghee gets both its rich, nutty flavour and its ability to handle high heat. It also means the lactose, casein and whey, the parts of dairy most people react to, are removed along with the milk solids.

A simple side-by-side

The health side

Both are good fats with different strengths, and you'll see plenty of strong opinions online in both directions.

Coconut oil is a plant fat, naturally dairy-free, and rich in medium-chain fats, which is part of why it became popular with the vegan and keto crowds. It's worth noting it's high in saturated fat, so like any fat it's best enjoyed as part of a balanced diet rather than by the spoonful.

Ghee brings butyric acid, which feeds the good bacteria in your gut and supports digestion, plus the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K from proper grass-fed butter. And because the milk solids are removed in the making, it's naturally lactose- and casein-free, so it suits people who don't get on with dairy while still tasting properly buttery. If you'd like the full rundown, here are the health benefits of ghee, and if dairy's your worry, more on ghee and lactose here.

One's not "healthier" than the other in a blanket sense, they suit different needs. If you're vegan, coconut oil (being plant-based) is your pick. If you want a buttery, savoury, gut-friendly fat that handles high heat, ghee wins.

Everyday practicality

Both store well without refrigeration, which is a tick for each, no fighting with a rock-hard block from the fridge. Ghee keeps in the cupboard for ages, and its neutral-but-rich flavour means you're not committing every dish to a coconut theme.

There's also the texture quirk to know about. Both fats change with temperature, coconut oil turns solid and white when it's cool and liquid when it's warm, and ghee does something similar, softening or firming depending on your kitchen. With coconut oil that shift is quite dramatic; with ghee it's gentler. Neither is a problem, it's just worth knowing your jar might look different in winter than in summer.

That versatility is why, for a lot of households, ghee ends up being the everyday jar and coconut oil the occasional one, brought out when a recipe specifically wants that tropical note.

Ghee's also popular with the keto and bulletproof-coffee crowd, if that's your thing, here's our bulletproof coffee recipe.

What about the "trendy superfood" claims?

Coconut oil got a huge amount of hype a few years back, hailed as a cure-all for everything from weight loss to brain health. Some of that was overblown, and the science has since become a lot more measured. The honest takeaway is that coconut oil is a perfectly good fat with real uses, but it's not magic, and it's high in saturated fat, so moderation is sensible.

We'd say the same about ghee, funnily enough. We're not here to tell you it'll fix your life. It's a genuinely good, traditional cooking fat that's been used for thousands of years, tastes wonderful, handles heat brilliantly and suits people who avoid lactose. That's plenty to recommend it without any wild promises. Good food, made well, used sensibly, that's the whole idea.

Which one for which job?

• Hot searing and frying: ghee.
• Roasting: ghee, for a crisp, golden finish.
• Curries and coconut-forward dishes: coconut oil, where the flavour fits.
• Vegan cooking: coconut oil, being plant-based.
• Everyday savoury cooking and baking: ghee, for its neutral richness.
• Bulletproof coffee: either works, ghee gives a more buttery result.

Like most things in the kitchen, it's less about one winner and more about the right tool for the job.

A few quick questions

Is ghee healthier than coconut oil?

Neither wins outright, they bring different things. Ghee offers butyric acid and fat-soluble vitamins; coconut oil offers plant-based medium-chain fats. The right one depends on your diet and what you're cooking.

Can I use ghee instead of coconut oil in baking?

Usually yes, and it works beautifully, though you'll lose the coconut flavour. If a recipe leans on that tropical note, keep the coconut oil; otherwise ghee gives a lovely rich, nutty result.

Which has a higher smoke point?

Ghee, comfortably. That's what makes it the better choice for high-heat cooking.

Can I use ghee in coffee like coconut oil?

Absolutely. Ghee is a favourite for bulletproof coffee, blended in it gives a smooth, buttery richness. Plenty of people prefer it to coconut oil for exactly that reason.

Does ghee go solid like coconut oil?

It can firm up in a cool kitchen and soften or liquefy in a warm one, similar to coconut oil but usually less dramatically. It's completely normal and doesn't affect quality at all.

So, which should you use?

If you love a coconut flavour or you're cooking plant-based, coconut oil has its place. For everyday high-heat cooking with a rich, buttery, gut-friendly fat, ghee is hard to beat.

Our Australian Certified Organic, grass-fed ghee is made in small batches right here in Adelaide, if you'd like to give it a go.

Same food. Same kitchen. Change what you cook it in.