What oil does Sweetgreen fry in?
Sweetgreen cooks with No deep fryer; proteins and vegetables are roasted in extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil after the company-wide switch off soybean/canola oil in 2023, and the Ripple Fries are air-fried in avocado oil. The dressings did NOT all follow: the chain's own ingredient statements on sweetgreen.com/nutrition (Sept 2026) list SUNFLOWER OIL first in six of fifteen dressings (Caesar, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Pesto Vinaigrette, Miso Sesame Ginger, Spicy Cashew, Hot Honey Mustard), canola oil in the hummus and crispy rice, palm oil in the crispy onions, and soybean plus hydrogenated soybean oil in the crispy noodles. EVOO in the tortilla and focaccia..
The 5 cleanest things to order at Sweetgreen
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 |
|---|---|
| Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Bar | 0.8g |
| Rosemary Focaccia | 0.8g |
| Hu Cashews + Vanilla Bean Hunks | 1.1g |
| Hummus + Focaccia | 2.9g |
| BBQ Chicken Salad | 4.0g |
Lower PUFA is cleaner. These are estimates from published nutrition data and disclosed oils; preparation varies by location.
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 Sweetgreen report card, or where it lands on the Seed Oil Index.
Frequently asked
Does Sweetgreen use beef tallow?
No. Sweetgreen cooks with No deep fryer; proteins and vegetables are roasted in extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil after the company-wide switch off soybean/canola oil in 2023, and the Ripple Fries are air-fried in avocado oil. The dressings did NOT all follow: the chain's own ingredient statements on sweetgreen.com/nutrition (Sept 2026) list SUNFLOWER OIL first in six of fifteen dressings (Caesar, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Pesto Vinaigrette, Miso Sesame Ginger, Spicy Cashew, Hot Honey Mustard), canola oil in the hummus and crispy rice, palm oil in the crispy onions, and soybean plus hydrogenated soybean oil in the crispy noodles. EVOO in the tortilla and focaccia., not beef tallow. See which chains fry in real fats on Tallow Watch.