Hemp oil has some amazing health benefits. Hemp oil is packed full of antioxidants, can be a great way to revitalize the skin, and can even help lower your cholesterol. Cooking with hemp is a great way to enjoy some of these benefits, and you can use hemp oil or even hemp tincture to get great results.

A word of caution

Hemp oil, such as that obtained from sources like Pure for Life is one of the finest products you can get for your health, but be careful when cooking with hemp oil. Once the oil reaches too high a temperature, it will begin to smoke. If your hemp oil reaches this point it loses most of its nutrition. It won’t taste the same, either.

This means the best recipes with hemp oil don’t actually involve a lot of cooking. Lukewarm temperatures are fine for your hemp oil, but avoid using it with any high heat cooking or baking.

What does the oil taste like?


All oil has a flavor, and hemp oil is no exception. The flavor is light like olive oil and has a nutty taste that makes it perfect in smoothies and salad dressings. It also makes a fantastic dip for breads, but it doesn’t go well in things that are sweet. Here are a few recipes that accentuate the hemp oil flavor.

Garlic hemp oil dressing

The flavor of garlic and hemp oil go well together, and you can make a delicious dressing with equal parts hemp oil and white wine vinegar, a sprinkle of dried thyme, a bit of black pepper, and as much minced garlic as you prefer. Shake well and drizzle on your salad.

Hemp oil Italian bread dip

Drizzle a small quantity of hemp oil onto a plate and crack fresh pepper and salt over it. Add a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar to jazz it up. Break freshly baked, warm, Italian bread by hand and dip in the oil as an appetizer.

Hemp marinade

Hemp makes a lovely marinade for lighter proteins such as pork, chicken, or fish. The golden rule for all marinades is a good balance of an acid, a fat, and seasoning. In this case, the hemp oil is your fat. Good acids to balance with hemp oil include red wine, balsamic vinegar, and lemon.

Some seasonings that pair well with hemp oil marinades include garlic, chili, and savory herbs. Soy sauce, onion, and ginger will also go well in your marinade.

Hemp oil pesto

Pesto is a delightful creation that goes well as a side for dipping, as a topping for burgers, on pizza, or in a lovely cream tortellini. You make a wonderful nutty pesto using hemp oil and seeds. Simply use your favorite recipe for pesto and substitute hemp oil for the olive oil and add some ground, shelled seeds.

Spice up your grains

Whether you’re enjoying a grain salad or serving rice as a side dish, a drizzle of hemp oil is a great way to kick everything up a notch and provide a flavor boost you won’t be able to get enough of.

Hemp oil salsa

Once you’ve tried fresh salsa, you’ll never go back to the stuff in jars and cans. To make your own, dice up three large tomatoes with a big handful of chopped cilantro, as much minced hot pepper as you like, a small red onion, and two garlic cloves.

Stir in three tablespoons of hemp oil and squeeze the juice of a lemon over the whole thing. Refrigerate for a few hours and then enjoy.

High protein smoothie

For a great smoothie, mix two frozen bananas, a couple tablespoons of peanut butter, fresh milk (almond if you prefer), and some hemp oil. You’ll give yourself a protein and antioxidant boost that will get your day started off right.