What oil does Chipotle fry in?
Chipotle cooks with high-oleic sunflower and canola oil.
In detail: High oleic sunflower oil and canola oil, the only two oils on Chipotle's official "53 Real Ingredients" list (chipotle.com/ingredients, read 2026-10-16). The per-recipe breakdown names high oleic sunflower oil in the chips, white and brown rice, chicken, steak, carnitas, barbacoa, sofritas, both beans, fajita veggies and the Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette; canola oil appears only in the flour tortilla. Rice bran oil, used in earlier years, is no longer listed. High-oleic sunflower is a low-PUFA oil.
Ordering at Chipotle? Build your meal in the app and see its seed oil total before you pay.
Build my orderChipotle at a glance
| Fry oil (US) | High-oleic sunflower and canola oil |
| Seed oils | Yes |
| Beef tallow | No |
| Peanut oil | No |
| Seed oil grade | A (2.9 g average per item, 124 items) |
| Is it a seed oil? | High-oleic sunflower oil: Yes · Canola oil: Yes |
The 5 cleanest things to order at Chipotle
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| High Protein Cup - Steak | 0.4g |
| Crispy Corn Taco with Fajita Veggies | 0.4g |
| Crispy Corn Taco with Chicken | 0.6g |
| Crispy Corn Taco with Steak | 0.6g |
| Crispy Corn Taco with Barbacoa | 0.6g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
Build your Chipotle order
Pick your meal, sides, sauces and drink in the app and see your seed oil total before you order. It logs to your day in one tap. Free on iPhone and Android.
Build my orderHow Chipotle has changed its frying oil
Chipotle announced on April 27, 2015 that it had removed GMO ingredients from its food, and part of that was dropping soybean oil. Chips and taco shells moved to sunflower oil and the rest of the cooking moved to rice bran oil, both picked because there are no GMO versions of those crops. Source
Every documented oil switch across the industry lives on the Oil History timeline.
What oil do other chains like Chipotle use?
- What oil does Taco Bell use? Canola oil
- What oil does Qdoba use? Canola and soybean oil
- What oil does Moe's Southwest Grill use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Del Taco use? Soybean and canola oil
- What oil does Taco John's use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Taco Cabana use? Soybean oil
- What oil does Torchy's Tacos use? Soybean oil and vegetable oil blend (estimated)
- What oil does Fuzzy's Taco Shop use? Soybean oil
Why the frying oil matters
Most fast-food chains fry in seed oils like soybean, canola, corn, or a blend of them, which are high in polyunsaturated fat (PUFA). A handful still use beef tallow or other stable fats, which are far lower in PUFA. The oil a kitchen fries in is the single biggest driver of how much seed oil ends up on your plate. See the full breakdown on the Chipotle report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.
Frequently asked
What oil does Chipotle fry in?
Chipotle cooks with high-oleic sunflower and canola oil. In detail: High oleic sunflower oil and canola oil, the only two oils on Chipotle's official "53 Real Ingredients" list (chipotle.com/ingredients, read 2026-10-16). The per-recipe breakdown names high oleic sunflower oil in the chips, white and brown rice, chicken, steak, carnitas, barbacoa, sofritas, both beans, fajita veggies and the Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette; canola oil appears only in the flour tortilla. Rice bran oil, used in earlier years, is no longer listed. High-oleic sunflower is a low-PUFA oil.
Does Chipotle use seed oils?
Yes. Chipotle cooks with high-oleic sunflower and canola oil. Its seed oil grade is A, about 2.9 g of polyunsaturated fat per menu item.
Does Chipotle use beef tallow?
No. Chipotle cooks with high-oleic sunflower and canola oil, not beef tallow.
Does Chipotle use peanut oil?
Not that we can find. Chipotle cooks with high-oleic sunflower and canola oil. If you have a peanut allergy, ask the restaurant directly, because oils and suppliers can vary by location.
What is the lowest seed oil order at Chipotle?
High Protein Cup - Steak (0.4 g of polyunsaturated fat). Next: Soft Flour Taco with Steak (1.3 g) and Soft Flour Taco with Carnitas (1.3 g).
Which Chipotle item has the most seed oil?
Chips and Guacamole (Large), at about 10.3 g of polyunsaturated fat as listed.