Ingredient hub

Oil, Mustard

Mustard oil is a pungent, golden-yellow cooking oil cold-pressed from mustard seeds. With a density of 0.921 g/ml, it sits in the typical range for vegetable cooking oils—lighter than water and close to sunflower (0.918), canola (0.916), and olive oil (0.911–0.919). A cup of mustard oil weighs approximately 218 g; a tablespoon weighs about 13 g. Mustard oil is widely used in South Asian and Eastern European cuisines for tempering spices, pickling, and high-heat frying; it has a smoke point around 250 °C. In some markets (including the US), bottles carry an "external use only" label due to its erucic acid content, though it is a staple cooking oil in many South Asian households. For conversion purposes, it behaves identically to other cooking oils.

Use for tempering whole spices at the start of a curry, in pickles and chutneys, or for high-heat frying. In Eastern European cooking, it appears in salad dressings and preserved vegetables.

Condiments

Viscous condiments like ketchup, BBQ sauce, or dips tend to cling stubbornly to measuring cups. This leads to waste and messy cleanup. Weighing directly into your dish or pan is the professional, clean, and accurate method.

Storage & tools

• Refrigerate perishable foods within 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F/32°C).
• Keep the refrigerator at or below 40°F (4°C) and the freezer at 0°F (-18°C).
• Cool hot foods in shallow containers so they chill faster and more safely.
• Use an appliance thermometer to verify fridge and freezer temperatures.

Sources: CDC · FDA

FAQ

Does mustard oil weigh the same as other cooking oils per cup?

Very close. Mustard oil (0.921 g/ml) is within 1% of sunflower oil (0.918), canola oil (0.916), and light olive oil (0.911–0.919). The mass difference per tablespoon is less than 0.1 g—negligible for any cooking recipe. Use the gram values from this page for precision, but substituting another oil by volume will not meaningfully change the result.

Is mustard oil the same as prepared mustard condiment?

No. Mustard oil is pure oil pressed from mustard seeds—it is a fat. Prepared mustard (yellow, Dijon, whole-grain) is a condiment made from ground seeds, water, vinegar, and spices; it is mostly water and is far denser (~1.0–1.1 g/ml). This page covers pure mustard oil only.

Why is mustard oil labeled 'for external use only' in some countries?

In the United States and Canada, mustard oil sold for food use must carry this label because of its erucic acid content, which exceeded limits set in those jurisdictions. However, it is approved and widely used as a cooking oil in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and parts of Eastern Europe, where it is a traditional culinary staple. The density and conversion values on this page are accurate regardless of regulatory jurisdiction.

All conversions for this ingredient

• Cup → g /en/convert/oil_mustard/cup-to-grams/
• g → Cups /en/convert/oil_mustard/grams-to-cups/
• Tbsp → g /en/convert/oil_mustard/tbsp-to-grams/
• Tsp → g /en/convert/oil_mustard/tsp-to-grams/
• mL → g /en/convert/oil_mustard/ml-to-grams/
• oz → g /en/convert/oil_mustard/oz-to-grams/