An easy 30-min. Chinese Chili Oil that is spicy, delicious, homemade of red chili flakes, garlic, ginger, onion and other fragrant aromatics!
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Chinese Chili Oil is a spicy delicious condiment with a bright red color commonly found at your local Chinese restaurant or Asian grocery store. You can serve this over dumplings, rice, noodles, protein or vegetables!
This versatile homemade Chinese chili oil is the best condiment when you want to spice up your taste buds! You can use this finishing oil on any Chinese food! My personal preference is mixing this into my favorite 3-ingredient Dumpling Dipping Sauce to pair with my Pork Cabbage Dumplings!
This simple Chinese chili oil recipe will produce about 2 cups. It will last up to 6 month in a sterilized airtight container in the fridge, as long as you always scoop with a clean spoon. Do not store this at room temperature or mold can quickly grow.
This is by far the best chili oil I've ever made. My recipe video went viral on Instagram alone with 12M+ views and so many of you have enjoyed it!
Ingredients
Please find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Whole Dried Sichuan Red Chili Peppers: You can find these dried chili peppers at most Chinese grocery stores. Using whole dried chilies creates more flavor. Or substitute with Sichuan flakes or Chinese Chili Flakes to make things easier however this is not as flavorful as using whole chilies. This is a common spice used in Sichuan Cuisine. Or substitute with red pepper flakes or normal chili flakes if you can't find the above.
- Garlic cloves: this will add a garlicky taste to your chili oil! If you're allergic to garlic, feel free to omit.
- Neutral oil:Β like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil or any heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.
- Sichuan pepper powder: or substitute with finely ground Sichuan peppercorns or a spice powder like chili powder or red pepper powder, like Gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes).
- Salt: to help flavor the oil and bring out the strong flavors from the aromatics.
Aromatics
- Fresh Ginger: to bring out that gingery flavor. Or substitute with ginger powder but add this to taste at the very end after you've added the hot oil into the chili flakes.
- Onion: Yellow or white onion will work. Please note that these will become golden brown or dark brown along the edges in the cooking oil.
- Star anise: A wonderful spice that is sweet and tastes like licorice.
- Bay leaf: Commonly used in many cuisines not just Asian. It's a leaf that has a leaf like flavor and helps to lighten any heavy flavors.
- Cinnamon stick: Adds a great cinnamon flavor.
- Cloves: These add a warmth to the chili oil.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- For best taste, use whole dried red chilis. Because the chilis havenβt been broken down, the taste and aroma remain intact better than pre-ground red chili flakes.
- For a quick and simple chili oil, use Sichuan red chili flakes but the flakes aren't as flavorful as whole chilies. This will eliminate one step from the process and a kitchen appliance to wash later!
- Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point. I can't stress this enough and I share suggestions in the Ingredient notes.
- Fry ginger, garlic and onions in oil low and slow for at least 20-25 minutes for a very aromatic chili oil. Do not be tempted to fry the dry ingredients over high temperature or high heat, this will cause them to burn.
- The heat level needs to be low to bring out the flavors slowly. The temperature of the oil should be at most 250 F. Please use a cooking thermometer to determine the temperature or set heat to level 3 out of 10 or medium low heat.
How to make Chinese Chili Oil
Grind Chilies & Create Spice Mix
Add the dried red chilis into a food processor and grind on HIGH speed until they become small flakes. Transfer the chili flakes into a large heat-proof bowl like a glass, steel or ceramic bowl (be careful not to inhale here!) To the same bowl, add minced garlic, Sichuan pepper and salt. Set aside.
Fry Aromatics on Low Heat
In a large pot or large wok on low-medium heat, add neutral tasting oil. Allow the oil temperature come to 250 F with a digital instant read thermometer or place a wooden chopstick inside to check for bubbles to know if you oil is hot enough.
When the oil is hot, add in aromatics: ginger, onion, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves. Allow this to simmer on low heat for at least 20-30 minutes for best fragrance. Stir occasionally.
Pour Aromatic Oil over Spice Mix
After itβs simmered, remove the aromatics from the oil and discard them. Carefully pour the hot oil into your red chili flakes and let it bubble. As it bubbles, stir the flakes with the oil to prevent the flakes from overcooking or burning.
Allow this to cool to touch. Transfer into a sterilized glass air-tight jar and enjoy! Note: Always use clean utensils when scooping chili oil from the jar to prevent contamination or mold growth.
Storage
- Chili oil needs to be stored in a sterilized jar and it will last up to 6 months as long as you scoop with a clean spoon.
- You can also freeze chili oil in a plastic container after it's been cooled and allow it to defrost in the fridge before using.
- Since our version contains garlic it's important to refrigerate it to prevent bacteria from growing.
How do I sterilize a glass jar?
There are different ways to sterilize a glass jar but I will share the way that my mom taught me:
- In a large pot of hot boiling water, carefully lower your cleaned glass jars (meaning: you have given them a wash with soap and water) in a single layer. Do not pile them on top of each other.
- Lower the heat to low and boil for 10 minutes. Remove them from the hot boiling water to air dry.
- As for the lids, boil them in a sauce pan with hot boiling water for 10 minutes on low heat. Remove and allow them to air dry.
FAQ
This red oil is very similar except chili crisp has crispy bits. The crisp recipe contains deep fried thin shavings of garlic in it making the delicious chili oil crispy! My favorite brand of chili crisp is Lao Ga Man.
It's a spicy condiment that you can add on top of noodles, rice, meat, veggies, dumplings, soup, hot soupy noodles, or stir fries.
Other recipes you may like!
π Recipe
Quick & Easy Chinese Chili Oil
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried whole red chilies or substitute with 1.5 cups of red chili flakes and skip grinding process
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 Β½ cups vegetable oil or neutral oil
- ΒΌ teaspoon Sichuan pepper powder
- 3 teaspoon salt
Aromatics:
- 4 slices ginger
- 1 small yellow onion quartered
- 4 star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
Instructions
- Add the dried red chilis into a food processor and grind on HIGH speed until they become small flakes. Transfer the chili flakes into a large heat-proof bowl like a glass, steel or ceramic bowl (be careful not to inhale here!) To the same bowl, add minced garlic, Sichuan pepper and salt. Set aside.
- In a large pot or large wok on low-medium heat, add vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil. Allow the oil temperature come to 250 F with a digital instant read thermometer or place a wooden chopstick inside to check for bubbles to know if you oil is hot enough.
- When the oil is hot, add in aromatics: ginger, onion, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves. Allow this to simmer on low heat for at least 20-30 minutes for best fragrance. Stir occasionally.
- After itβs simmered, remove the aromatics from the oil and discard them. Carefully pour the hot oil into your red chili flakes and let it bubble. As it bubbles, stir the flakes with the oil to prevent the flakes from overcooking or burning. Allow this to cool to touch to enjoy!
- Storage:Transfer into a sterilized glass airtight jar. Please read my blog post on how to sterilize glass jars and lids. Store the jar in the fridge sealed and it can last up to 4-6 months. It's very important to always use clean utensils when scooping chili oil from the jar to prevent contamination or mold growth from the garlic. If you see that the oil becomes murky over time, this is a sign of contamination and the oil should be discarded.
Katherine Dalton
I keep this stocked in my fridge at all times
Nana
My go to recipe. I like that the ingredients are healthier, no inflammatory seed oils and the likes.
christieathome
Thank you so much for your kind review, Nana! I am so glad I could share this recipe with you.
Jaime Rosales
Recipe was easy follow and nicely improved with the aromatics.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jaime! Happy you enjoyed it π
Najeeb
Looks like a wonderful site. I especially like your preference for spicy foods ( going a little out on a limb here).
Will try many of them for sure.
Najeeb
Question the Sichuan powder you mention is it also known as the βnumbing spice β?
If so can we do without it?
christieathome
Thanks so much for the kind words Najeeb! I hope you enjoy my recipes. As for the Sichuan powder, yes you can definitely do without it.
Frances
Wonderful condiment and the easiest instructions thank you
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe and leaving a kind review, Frances! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Have a lovely day!
Arlene Morales
I love this chile oil, goes great with everything π
christieathome
Thank you so much for sharing this kind review, Arlene! I am so glad you enjoy it with everything π
Alessia
This was very easy to make and it makes a lot! I have some to my mum and we both loved having it on our dumplings
Julia R.
So easy, that I might never buy it from the Asian market again. I just made this and it is amazing! The erjingtiao peppers have such a great flavor without being overwhelmingly hot. I used a mortar and pestle instead of a food processor, since I was already grinding my own Sichuan peppercorn powder. I also used cassia bark instead of cinnamon. I love this and I'm going to put it on EVERYTHING.
christieathome
Hi Julia! Thanks so much for your kind review and I am so thrilled to hear that you enjoy my Chili Oil! I love that you use your mortar and pestle as that is the authentic way to do it! Have a wonderful day!
Christie
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
I am really loving all of the flavors you've incorporated into this chili oil. This is such a huge flavor upgrade over anything I could find at the store! π
Jan
Great flavour I use on almost anything including pizzas and pastas. Also easy to make-thanks for this great receipes! Jan
Rosemary
OOO I bet that cinnamon added soo much flavor and fragrance to this!!