Why do so many of the vegetarian recipes I’ve been looking at add, what appears to be, unnecessary oils? Also, what’s the best option for someone that doesn’t like coconut?

I’ve only recently started eating a primarily plant based diet and have been looking at recipes to try. One thing I have noticed is that a lot of vegetarian and vegan recipes that I’ve looked at include oils that, to my limited understanding, seem unnecessary. This [slow cooker lentil chili](https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-lentil-chili/) for example adds 2 tbls of coconut oil. Since it’s in so many of the recipes I’ve looked at I assume it’s there for a good reason but why?

Also it’s frequently coconut oil. I assume that coconut oil is preferred because it’s solid at room temperature and has a thicker mouth feel but I don’t care for the taste of coconut. What’s the best alternative to use in recipes like the chili?

by Atheistic_Hillbilly