Yay for you that you’ve committed to an oil-free diet! The next question is: How do I eat oil-free plant-based at restaurants? This is a great question because most restaurants do not prepare their food without oil. In fact, I don’t know of any restaurants at this time of writing that intentionally make their food oil-free.
Don’t worry though, because it’s not as difficult as you might think. Here’s a few tips for eating oil-free plant-based at restaurants.
Wondering why you should eat oil-free in the first place? Learn why >
Learn how much oil restaurants use when they cook food >
How to eat oil-free plant-based at restaurants
Oil-free appetizers
Most appetizers contain oil, such as fried appetizers, dips and spreads. However, some appetizers are naturally oil-free such as spring rolls wrapped in rice paper, vegetable crudite, and anything else that is served raw or steamed.
Oil-free soups
Most soups are made with oil and cannot be ordered without oil. However, an exception is that generally gazpacho soups are plant-based and do not contain added oils.
Oil-free salads
Salads are a great option for eating oil-free at restaurants. Most salads can be ordered without dressing that is usually packed with oil. Instead of the restaurant’s salad dressing, ask for a side of vinegar and use this as your salad dressing. Most restaurants carry balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar and rice vinegar, all of which make delicious salad dressings.
Look out for salad toppings that may contain added oil, such as croutons, fried onions, and similar toppings. Make sure you request your salad be prepared plant-based as well, without cheese sprinkled on top. Instead, request olives or avocado be used instead of cheese to prepare your salad.
Oil-free entrees
Stir-fry dishes
Often times restaurants that serve stir-fry can prepare their stir-fry dishes without oil upon request. This is a great go-to option for most people and this type of dish can be found at a variety of types of restaurants. Request that your dish be prepared using water to saute instead of oil and enjoy your stir-fry over steamed brown rice for a hearty entree. Order your meal with steamed tofu if you prefer, this is also usually naturally free of added oils.
Pasta dishes
Most pasta that is served at restaurants is made from dry pasta that has been boiled. If this is the case, you can order most plant-based pasta dishes to be prepared without added oils. If the sauce has been prepared ahead of time, it’s usually not possible to order the dish oil-free. However, you can still request that a restaurant prepare water-sauteed vegetables over pasta and enjoy a hearty dish.
Taco dishes
Most corn tortillas are naturally oil-free if they aren’t deep fried, which makes tacos a great option when eating oil-free plant-based at restaurants. Most often beans are cooked without oil as well. Ask your server for a plate of soft corn tortillas, steamed brown rice, steamed or oil-free sauteed vegetables, beans and mixed greens. Load up on salsas and hot sauce which are usually naturally oil-free and are usually packed with healthy fruits and vegetables.
Oil-free desserts
Dessert can get a little tricky when ordering oil-free plant-based. Watch out for anything made with a crust or a crumble, most of these types of desserts contain oil, butter or shortening. However, most sorbets are plant-based and generally don’t contain added oils. Another options is to order a bowl of fruit which is always oil-free and a great way to take care of your sweet tooth.
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