There is a particular kind of cooking that happens when the pan is properly hot. The oil shimmers, the garlic goes in and the whole kitchen changes. That moment — the sizzle, the smell, the colour that starts developing almost immediately — is what peanut oil is built for. It handles heat in a way that most oils don’t, and it brings a warmth to whatever goes in the pan that is hard to get any other way.
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil is the one we keep within reach when the wok comes out. The flavour is mild and nutty — present without being aggressive — and the smoke point is high enough to handle serious heat without breaking down or smoking out the kitchen. Stir-fries, marinades, roasting trays, quick sauces. It earns its place in all of them.
Below is everything worth knowing about cooking with peanut oil — what it does, how to use it, and a handful of recipes to start with.
We Use Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil has a smoke point of around 230°C — high enough for deep frying, wok cooking and high-heat roasting without breaking down or producing acrid smoke. That makes it genuinely versatile in a way that lower smoke point oils aren’t. You can push the temperature when a dish needs it, and the oil stays stable throughout.
The flavour is mild and nutty — think roasted peanuts in the background rather than peanut butter in the foreground. It adds warmth without taking over. That quality makes it a good match for bold flavours like garlic, ginger, chilli, soy and lime, where you want the oil to support the dish rather than compete with it. It also works beautifully in dressings and marinades where a subtle nuttiness rounds out the other flavours.
Let the pan heat before the oil goes in, and let the oil heat before the food goes in. That sequence matters. The first sizzle when the food hits the pan is what starts the colour, and colour is where the flavour lives.
A Few Tips
Get the pan hot first — add the oil to a hot pan rather than a cold one. Peanut oil likes heat, and starting in a properly hot pan means the food sears immediately instead of sitting and stewing.
Cook in batches — too much food in the pan at once drops the temperature and everything steams rather than fries. Two smaller batches are always better than one crowded pan.
Keep sauce for the end — add it once the vegetables or protein have colour. Sauce added too early prevents browning and dilutes everything.
Slice everything before you start — stir-fries move fast. There is no time to prep once the pan is going. Have everything ready and within reach before the oil goes in.
Use it in marinades too — peanut oil in a marinade adds a background nuttiness that works well with soy, lime and ginger. It also helps the marinade cling to the protein rather than sliding off.
Finish fresh — lime juice, coriander, sliced spring onion or a small handful of toasted peanuts over the top just before serving. These things take thirty seconds and make a real difference to a finished dish.
How to Cook With It
The wok or wide frying pan is where peanut oil feels most at home. A splash of oil, a hot pan, garlic and ginger going in first until the kitchen smells like it should, then vegetables or protein in batches with the sauce following at the end. The oil handles the heat without fuss, and the nutty warmth it brings ties everything together.
It also works well in the oven. Toss vegetables in a small amount of peanut oil before roasting — sweet potato, carrots, butternut, baby marrow — and the natural sugars in the vegetables caramelise against the oil in a way that plain vegetable oil doesn’t quite achieve. The nuttiness in the oil deepens as it roasts.
For dressings, use it sparingly alongside sesame oil, lime juice and soy sauce. A small amount goes a long way and rounds out the sharpness of the lime and vinegar without flattening the dressing. It’s also worth trying in a peanut sauce — a little peanut oil in the base before the peanut butter and coconut milk go in gives the sauce more depth than making it in a dry pan.
More Ways to Use Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil works across more ground than just stir-fries. Here are five places to start:
Sweet and Sour Peanut Stir-Fry — the oil gives you the heat and the nutty base that fast cooking in a wok needs. Get the recipe.
Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken — peanut oil in the pan before the chilli and peanut sauce goes in gives the dish a richer, more cohesive flavour than a neutral oil. Get the recipe.
Light and Zesty Sesame Oil Asian Salad — a small amount of peanut oil alongside sesame oil in the dressing rounds out the sharpness and adds body. Get the recipe.
Coconut and Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars — peanut oil adds moisture and a background nuttiness that works with the peanut butter and chocolate without making the bars heavy. Get the recipe.
Deep frying — the high smoke point makes peanut oil a solid choice for deep frying. It stays stable at the temperatures required and adds a subtle warmth to the finished result. Use it for hush puppies, fritters, doughnuts or anything that needs to hit the oil hot and come out golden.
The Good Stuff
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil has a smoke point of around 230°C — one of the highest of any commonly available cooking oil — which makes it suitable for deep frying, wok cooking, stir-frying and high-heat roasting. It is naturally dairy-free and vegan, contains no artificial flavourants, and the nutty flavour comes from the peanuts themselves rather than any added ingredient.
Peanut oil is rich in monounsaturated fats, which are stable at high temperatures and less prone to oxidation than polyunsaturated fats — a practical advantage in an oil used primarily for hot cooking. One allergy note worth stating clearly: peanut oil is derived from peanuts and is not suitable for anyone with a peanut allergy. Highly refined peanut oil has most of the protein removed and may be tolerated by some people with peanut allergies, but always check with a medical professional first.
Ways to Change It Up
Turn up the heat — add fresh chilli, chilli crisp or a spoon of sambal oelek to the pan alongside the garlic and ginger for a version with more fire.
Swap the protein — chicken, prawns, thinly sliced beef or firm tofu all work well cooked in peanut oil. The oil’s flavour is neutral enough to suit all of them.
Go fully plant-based — use tofu or tempeh in place of meat, mushrooms for depth, and a soy-lime dressing to finish. Peanut oil handles the high heat tofu needs to brown properly.
Use what is in season — broccoli, cabbage, sugar snap peas, peppers, baby marrow, spinach — whatever looks good at the market cooks quickly and well in a hot peanut oil pan.
Add crunch at the end — roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, crispy fried onions or a drizzle of toasted sesame oil over the finished dish. Texture makes the difference between a good stir-fry and a great one.
Try it in baking — a small amount of peanut oil in place of vegetable oil in muffins, quick breads or energy bars adds a subtle nuttiness that works particularly well with chocolate, banana and oat-based recipes.
Questions You Might Have
What is the smoke point of peanut oil?
Around 230°C for refined peanut oil — one of the highest of any commonly available cooking oil. This makes it well suited to deep frying, wok cooking and high-heat roasting where other oils would start to smoke and break down.
Does peanut oil taste strongly of peanuts?
Refined peanut oil has a mild, warm nuttiness rather than a strong peanut flavour. It adds background warmth without making everything taste like peanut butter. Unrefined or cold-pressed peanut oil has a stronger flavour — Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil is refined and on the milder end.
Can I substitute peanut oil for vegetable oil?
Yes, in most cases. Peanut oil has a higher smoke point than most vegetable oils and a mild flavour that works in similar applications. In baking, the subtle nuttiness adds something that plain vegetable oil doesn’t — worth trying in recipes where that note is welcome.
Is peanut oil safe for people with peanut allergies?
Highly refined peanut oil has most of the peanut protein removed and may be tolerated by some people with peanut allergies — but this is not a blanket clearance. Anyone with a peanut allergy should consult a medical professional before using any peanut-derived product.
How should I store peanut oil?
Keep it sealed in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove and direct sunlight. Peanut oil keeps well at room temperature and does not need refrigeration. Once opened, use it within the best-before period on the bottle.
Why are my stir-fried vegetables going soft instead of staying crispy?
Two likely reasons — the pan isn’t hot enough before the vegetables go in, or there’s too much in the pan at once. Both cause the temperature to drop and the vegetables to steam rather than fry. Get the oil shimmering before anything goes in, and cook in batches rather than all at once.
Where can I buy Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil?
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil is available online at oliveoil.co.za and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Get the Pan Hot. The Rest Follows.
Wilson’s Foods Peanut Oil is available online and at leading retailers across South Africa.
Shop Now More RecipesMore From Our Kitchen
Sweet and Sour Peanut Stir-Fry — Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken — Light and Zesty Sesame Oil Asian Salad — Coconut & Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars — All Recipes
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