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Vegetable shortening

Vegetable shortening is a solid cooking fat used for frying, baking, and producing flaky pastry.

Vegetable shortening — illustrative ingredient image

About Vegetable shortening

Vegetable shortening is a solid or semi-solid cooking fat made from processed vegetable oils. It is used for frying, baking, biscuits, pie pastry, and other preparations where a solid fat helps produce tenderness or flaky layers. The term covers several formulations made from one or more vegetable oils.

It is generally pale, smooth, and neutral in flavour. Its firmness is designed for easy measuring and mixing at room temperature, while melting behaviour varies with formulation. Creamed into dough, cut into flour, or melted for frying, it contributes different textures to the finished food.

Vegetable shortening is commonly sold in tubs or wrapped blocks. It may be blended, fractionated, or otherwise processed to adjust firmness and handling. Warming softens it and sufficient heat melts it into a clear or lightly coloured frying fat. Solid shortening is distinct from liquid vegetable oil in ordinary kitchen use.

Ingredient type
oil

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Where vegetable shortening appears

2 linked foods

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Showing 1–2 of 2

Desserts

Breads

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for vegetable shortening

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

vegetable shortening

English

vegetable shortening (artificially-colored)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

English

vegetable shortening (hydrogenated)

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Vegetable shortening nutrition & diet

Vegetable shortening nutritional value

Shortening, vegetable, household, composite

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the recorded food form.

Calories
884kcal
Protein
0.0g
Carbs
0.0g
Fat
100.0g

Reference values for the specific food form shown. Other varieties, brands and preparations can differ.

Portions & preparation

Use the actual solid shortening portion and identify whether it is hydrogenated, non-hydrogenated, flavored, or blended. Baking, frying, and pastry distribute the fat differently, and some remains in the pan or dough. A shortening product should not be treated as equivalent to liquid vegetable oil without confirming formulation and use.

Compare the right form: Match references to the exact solid vegetable-shortening formulation, including hydrogenation status, blend, salted status, and whether measured before or after cooking.

Diet considerations

Vegetable shortening is generally plant-oil-derived, but the formulation and manufacturing context determine compatibility. Flavorings or blends may include animal-derived ingredients, while pastry, batter, and fried foods can contain dairy, eggs, or cereal ingredients. The shortening itself does not establish the carbohydrate pattern of the finished food.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central — Shortening, vegetable, household, composite ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .