Substitute Olive Oil for Butter

Olive oil offers so much more nutrient value with no downside, unlike the alternatives.

You can substitute olive oil for butter, margarine or other oils in almost any recipe. The basic rule is to use an equal amount of olive oil if the recipe calls for vegetable oil. The variety of olive and harvest time are major factors affecting the flavour of olive oil. If you want to replace butter with olive oil, to use in baking or on delicately flavoured foods, you don't want an olive oil that is described as "grassy, peppery, or pungent". An olive oil described as "smooth, mellow, and buttery" is what you're looking for and these fit the bill.

This chart shows the substitution amounts for butter or margarine in imperial and metric measurements.

olive oil vs butter or margarine

Imperial Metric

Butter	Olive Oil	Butter	Olive Oil
1 teaspoon	¾ teaspoon	5 mls	3 mls
2 teaspoons	1 ½ teaspoons	10 mls	7.5 mls
1 tablespoons	2 ½ teaspoons	15 mls	12.5 mls
2 tablespoons	1 ½ tablespoons	30 mls	22.5 mls
¼ cup	3 tablespoons	60 mls	45 mls
⅓ cup	¼ cup	80 mls	60 mls
½ cup	¼ cup + 2 tablespoons	125 mls	90 mls
⅔ cup	½ cup	160 mls	125 mls
¾ cup	½ cup + 1 tablespoon	185 mls	140 mls
1 cup	¾ cup	250 mls	175 mls
2 cups	1 ½ cups	500 mls	375 mls