Margarine is a spread used for flavoring, baking, and cooking, and is most often used as a substitute for butter. It is usually made of plant-based fats and other ingredients, and can be made from different varieties of animal and plant-based fats. However, those containing vegetable oils like soybean oil, palm oil, cottonseed oil, and canola oil have become more popular due to growing interest in vegan diets. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat. Although originally made from animal fats, most margarine consumed today is made from vegetable oil. The spread was originally named oleomargarine from Latin for oleum (olive oil) and Greek margarite ("pearl", indicating luster). The name was later shortened to margarine. Margarine consists of a water-in-fat emulsion, with tiny droplets of water dispersed uniformly throughout a fat phase in a stable solid form. Nearly all kinds of margarine are salted, and most manufacturers add vitamins, colorants, emulsifiers, thickeners, and flavor to make margarines nutritional value, taste, and texture similar to that of butter. Some margarines may contain animal-derived ingredients like milk, lactose, whey, or casein, making them unsuitable for vegans.

In summary, margarine is made mostly from vegetable oils, including corn, cottonseed, safflower, soy, and sunflower oils, and may contain other ingredients like salt, colorings, and natural or artificial flavorings.