How to Reduce Fat in Your Cooking

If you're trying to lose weight, lower your cholesterol, or just eat healthier, there are lots of ways you can reduce fat in your diet. Consider how you already cook and try a few new techniques that use less fat. Then, find ways to make simple low-fat substitutions when you cook or bake. You'll find that you can still enjoy flavorful food without the added fat!

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:
Trying Lower-Fat Cooking Techniques

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    Roast or broil meat and vegetables to get rich flavor that's low in fat. Start by trimming the meat of visible fat and place it in a roasting dish with vegetables. If you're making a large piece of meat, cook it at low heat for a long time so the meat tenderizes. To cook thinner cuts of meat or vegetables, place them on a sheet about 3 inches (7.6 cm) below a broiler and broil them until they're as cooked as you like.
    • Keep in mind that thin cuts of lean meat should usually be cooked quickly so they don't become tough.
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    Grill lean meats and vegetables to add a smoky flavor. Grilling is a great low-fat technique since any fat from the food will drip through the grates instead of being reabsorbed by the food. You can also add a handful of woodchips to the grill to enhance the flavor of the smoke.[1]
    • To make it easier to grill vegetables, place them in a grill basket which you can set directly on the grates.
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    Stir-fry to quickly make a low-fat meal. Skip the batter and slice lean meat or vegetables into thin strips while you heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Spritz a little cooking spray into the pan and add the prepped food. Keep stirring as the food cooks so it heats evenly and doesn't stick. This is a great way to get caramelized flavor without adding a lot of fat.[2]
    • If the food starts to stick to the pan, add a few spoonfuls of water or vegetable stock.
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    Steam meat and veggies to create tenderness without the fat. Instead of cooking meat and vegetables in fat, such as butter or oil, cook it in water! Heat about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in a pot until it starts simmering and producing steam. Then, put your food into a steamer basket and set it into the pot. Put the lid on and steam the food until it's tender and cooked throughout.[3]
    • The bottom of the steamer basket shouldn't be touching the water or the food will boil instead of steam.

    Variation: If you don't have a steamer basket, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 44 ml) of water in a covered skillet. Once it starts to steam, add the food so it's in a single layer. Then, put the lid on and steam the food until it's tender.

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    Avoid deep-frying or pan-frying foods. Foods that are battered or fried in oil and grease are high in saturated fat. This is because the food absorbs some of the fat as it fries. Instead of using these methods to get crispy foods, try coating foods, such as chicken pieces or fish, in panko breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes before baking them.[4]
    • If you choose to stir-fry foods instead of deep-frying them, you can add extra crunch by sprinkling some toasted nuts over the food just before serving.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:
Making Healthy Substitutions

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    Use healthier oils instead of butter or vegetable shortening. Limit the amount of saturated fat you cook with, but recognize that your body does need nutritious forms of monosaturated fat, such as canola oil, olive oil, safflower oil, and sunflower oil. For example, instead of spreading margarine or butter on your baked goods, drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil.[5]
    • Avoid eating foods made with hydrogenated oils and trans fats. These will raise your bad cholesterol while lowering good cholesterol.
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    Substitute fruit or vegetable puree for the fat in a baking recipe. Cut back on fat while adding moisture and flavor to your baked goods. Try substituting puree, such as applesauce, pear sauce, or canned pumpkin, for all of the butter or oil in cakes, muffins, and quick bread.[6]
    • Applesauce is a great fat replacer in cake, muffins, and cookies.
    • Try shredding zucchini to use in brownies or chocolate cake.
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    Swap plain yogurt for sour cream or mayonnaise. You can use low-fat, nonfat, or Greek yogurt in most recipes that call for sour cream or mayonnaise. If you're not ready to give up sour cream yet, try switching to a reduced-fat version.[7]
    • Yogurt even works as a substitute for mayonnaise in cold salad recipes, such as tuna or chicken salad.
    • You could also try low-fat ricotta instead of full-fat sour cream.
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    Use soft or reduced-fat cheese instead of hard or full-fat cheese. Fresh or soft cheese, such as feta, goat cheese, or cottage cheese, contains less fat than hard aged cheese like Parmesan or cheddar. If you don't want to compromise flavor, you could use reduced-fat versions of these cheeses.[8]
    • You should also try to reduce the amount of cheese you use when you cook. For example, save it for a garnish instead of adding it to a sauce.
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    Go with lean meats and other protein sources instead of red meat. Red meat is higher in fat than lean meat, such as skinless chicken or ground turkey breast, so try to substitute or replace some of the red meat you eat. Incorporate other forms of protein, such as seafood, beans, or tofu, that are lower in fat, for instance.[9]
    • For example, instead of making chili with ground beef, you could use ground turkey breast or use half of the recommended amount of ground beef with black beans.

    Tip: Canadian bacon is a great low-fat substitute for bacon or pepperoni.

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    Replace fried snacks with whole grains or fresh produce. If you frequently snack on chips, crackers, or pastries, try to eliminate them from your diet and eat healthy snack instead. Keep healthy choices, such as chopped fruit, vegetable sticks, plain pretzels, or unbuttered popcorn.[10]
    • If you like to snack on nuts, limit yourself to a small handful since these are naturally high in fat.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:
Adding Flavor without Fat

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    Marinate food before you cook it. Coat meat, fish, or vegetables with a simple vinaigrette for at least 2 hours before you cook it to add a lot of flavor. It's fine to use a marinade that contains healthy oil, such olive or canola oil, as long as it also has other flavorful ingredients, such as:
    • Fresh herbs
    • Mustard
    • Minced garlic
    • Vinegar
    • Citrus juice

    Tip: If you don't have time to marinate the food, massage a flavorful dry rub into it before cooking.

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    Use fresh herbs as a seasoning or garnish. Fresh herbs add color, nutrients, and bright flavor to food, so get a few sprigs to use in your cooking. To keep their bold color, chop or mince them and add them to food just before serving. Experiment with different herbs to see what flavor combinations you enjoy. These are popular herbs to cook with:[11]
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    Use broth or cooking sprays instead of oil or butter. If you frequently melt butter or shortening in a pan before you start cooking or you finish a dish with a pat of butter, make a few minor adjustments to cut some of the fat. Spritz your pan with healthy oil and then season the food at the end with a little chicken or vegetable broth instead of butter.[12]
    • Try substituting broth for butter in mashed potatoes, stir-fries, marinades, and steamed vegetables.
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    Put dressings or sauces on the side. If you're ordering food, ask to have the dressing or any sauces served next to the salad or dish. This will give you more control over how much you eat. Try spearing some of the salad or food on your fork and dipping a little of it into the dressing or sauce. You'll probably find that you use less than if you poured the dressing or sauce over your food.[13]
    • To make lower-fat choices, pick vinaigrettes instead of very sweet or creamy dressings. If you really enjoy creamy dressing, look for one made with yogurt or buttermilk.
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    Flavor pasta or casserole with marinara instead of cream sauce. Many decadent pastas or casseroles are high in fat because they're loaded with cream, cheese, and red meat. Swap out tomato-based marina sauce for the creamy cheese sauce. You'll get brighter flavor and a serving of vegetables while cutting back on the fat.[14]
    • Add extra vegetables by stirring in sautéed mushrooms or steamed spinach.
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Community Q&A

  • Question
    I steamed Octoberfest sausages and loved them. Is the fat content of 27g reduced substantially?
    WikiHow Editor 284648
    WikiHow Editor 284648
    Community Answer
    No, it won't really be reduced, the fat will stay inside of the sausage because of the casing.

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/healthy-recipes/art-20047004
  2. ↑ https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/tips-eating-well/low-fat-cooking-techniques
  3. ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/eat-less-saturated-fat/
  4. ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/healthy-cooking-tips
  5. ↑ https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/14-simple-ways-to-reduce-saturated-fat/
  6. ↑ https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/prevention-and-treatment-of-high-cholesterol-hyperlipidemia/cooking-to-lower-cholesterol
  7. ↑ http://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Cooking-And-Food/Recipe-Makeover/Recipe-Makeover-Reducing-the-Fat-in-the-Kitchen.aspx
  8. ↑ https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/14-simple-ways-to-reduce-saturated-fat/
  9. ↑ https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/14-simple-ways-to-reduce-saturated-fat/
  1. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17155-fats-know-your-fats
  2. ↑ https://www.texasheart.org/heart-health/heart-information-center/topics/14-simple-ways-to-reduce-saturated-fat/
  3. ↑ https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/tips-eating-well/low-fat-cooking-techniques
  4. ↑ https://www.eatright.org/health/weight-loss/eating-out/7-tips-for-healthy-dining-out
  5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17155-fats-know-your-fats

About This Article

Jessica Gibson
Co-authored by:
Jessica Gibson
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Jessica Gibson is a Writer and Editor who's been with wikiHow since 2014. After completing a year of art studies at the Emily Carr University in Vancouver, she graduated from Columbia College with a BA in History. Jessica also completed an MA in History from The University of Oregon in 2013. This article has been viewed 16,064 times.
1 votes - 80%
Co-authors: 9
Updated: December 21, 2021
Views: 16,064
Categories: Basic Cooking Skills
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