How to Make Chili Oil (辣椒油)

Chili oil is a staple of Sichuan cuisine. In Sichuan, chili oil is commonly called 红油, which literally means “red oil” (Mandarin: hong you; Cantonese: hong yau). Chili oil can also be called 辣椒油, which translates to “chili oil” (Mandarin: la jiao you; Cantonese: laht jiew yau). Over the past few years, chili oil and similar products like chili crisp have surged in popularity. Although Lao Gan Ma is probably still my favorite of all the chili oils/crisps, more often than not, I tend to make my own chili oil at home.

How to Make Chili Oil - easy chili oil recipe made with 6 ingredients only

The very first chili oil recipe that I shared in 2018 simply involved pouring hot oil over chili flakes alone. I thought that version lacked flavor, so I started developing a different version. I experimented with recipes where I simmered oil with whole spices (such as cinnamon and star anise) on low heat before pouring over the pepper flakes. While this method imparts a subtle flavor to the oil, it took a long time to prepare. Finally, taking inspiration from my garlic, ginger, and scallion oil, I came up with a versatile chili oil that has great flavor.

HOW TO MAKE CHILI OIL

PEPPER FLAKES

In my recipe, I use two types of chili flakes: gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) and generic red pepper flakes (or chili flakes). Gochugaru doesn’t have a high spice level but it has a lovely bright and fruity flavor. I love using gochugaru in my chili oil for their flavor, and the flakes give the oil a beautiful bright red hue. You can find gochugaru in Korean grocery stores or on Amazon (affiliate link). If you can’t find gochugaru, you can substitute it with Aleppo pepper, which has a smoky flavor that will be nice for the oil. Note however, that Aleppo pepper is spicier than gochugaru, so you may want to halve the amount.

To give the chili oil a bit of spice, I use generic chili flakes that one usually finds in grocery stores. These flakes are usually of a medium spice level. I usually buy chili flakes from The Allspicery, which is a Sacramento spice shop.

Chili oil comparison — The chili oil on the right uses gochugaru from a freshly opened bag

THE FRESHNESS OF GOCHUGARU AFFECTS THE COLOR OF THE OIL

If you used gochugaru from a package that you have opened for a while, the pepper flakes likely will have oxidized. As a result, the pepper flakes won’t be as vibrant red, which will affect the overall color of the chili oil (see photo above). The chili oil on the right was made with a recently opened package of gochugaru, so the oil looks more vibrant. Overall, the flavor between both batches is about the same.

OTHER FRAGRANT SPICES

To make the oil more fragrant and flavorful, I like adding finely minced ginger and garlic. The fresh ginger and garlic add so much flavor that I don’t feel like I need to add anything else to the oil except a bit of salt.

If you want to add other spices like ground Sichuan peppercorns or a bit of ground coriander, feel free to do so! To ensure that these ground spices don’t burn, I recommend mixing them in after you’ve done the hot oil pour.

WHY POUR HOT OIL OVER SPICES?

To make the chili oil, I usually place all the spices into a heat-proof bowl. Then, I heat oil inside a saucepan for several minutes before pouring the hot oil over the spices. Many people have asked me why I don’t throw all the spices into the saucepan with the heated oil. That’s because the saucepan retains a lot of heat. Consequently, when you pour the spices into the hot saucepan, some of the spices can burn, especially the gochugaru, making the oil bitter.

WHAT KIND OF BOWL TO USE FOR HOT OIL POUR

Because you’ll pour very hot oil (about 325ºF to 340ºF) into a bowl, you want to hold the spices in a bowl that can handle high heat. I generally use hand-crafted ceramic bowls that have been fired at incredibly hot temperatures. I know not everyone will have these bowls in their kitchen, so a stainless steel mixing bowl or another saucepan will work very well too.

HOW LONG DOES THE OIL KEEP?

Because of the amount of fresh ginger and garlic I use in the oil, I try to use it within 2 to 2.5 weeks. Store leftover oil in a jar and refrigerate.

WAYS TO USE CHILI OIL

The oil is a fantastic dipping sauce for my pork potstickers or chicken potstickers. I also like to mix a bit of the chili oil (and sediment) with teriyaki sauce and use it to season my cheung fun (rice noodle rolls) and my mixed mushroom cheung fun.

This oil is also a main ingredient in the sauce for my smashed cucumber salad. It’s also great as a topping for whipped brie.

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Servings: 0.5 cup

Author: Lisa Lin

How to Make Chili Oil

This simple chili oil recipe requires only several ingredients: oil, pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, and salt. The chili oil is perfect for dumplings, noodles, salads, and pretty much any dish that you think can use a bit of spice. 2024 Note: I’ve modified the recipe below from a previous version to create a smaller batch of chili oil. If you want to see the previous version of the recipe, see note 1.

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time10 minutes

Inactive Time30 minutes

Equipment

heat-proof vessel (stainless steel bowl, a thick ceramic bowl, or a saucepan; do not use a glass or thin porcelain bowl)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), see note 2
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, medium spice (use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for a less spicy chili oil)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or use 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup (78mL) canola, safflower, or any neutral oil

Instructions

Add the gochugaru and then the chili flakes into your heat-proof vessel. Then, add the minced garlic, ginger, and salt. I like to put the chili flakes at the bottom to keep them from burning later.
Pour the oil into a saucepan and heat on medium to medium-high heat for 3 minutes. The temperature should reach somewhere between 325ºF to 340ºF. When you gently swirl the oil inside the saucepan, the oil should look thin, just like the consistency of water. Turn off the heat.
Carefully pour the hot oil into the bowl with the spices. The oil will sizzle a lot when it first hits the spices and then fizzle as it cools. Let the oil reach room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes). If you are apprehensive about pouring hot oil into a bowl, add the spices into another saucepan and pour the hot oil into the second saucepan. (See note 4 for explanation about why I pour hot oil over spices)
Give the oil a stir before serving. See headnote for serving suggestions. To store, transfer the oil into a clean jar and refrigerate. Try to use the oil within 2 weeks.

Notes

Older Version: Ingredients: 3 tablespoons red pepper flakes; 5 tablespoons gochugaru, (Korean pepper flakes); 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger; 5 to 6 cloves garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 cup canola or other neutral oil. Because of the larger quantity of oil, it may take up to 4 minutes to heat up.
Where to Find Gochugaru: You can find gochugaru in Korean grocery stores or on Amazon. If you can’t find gochugaru, you can substitute it with Aleppo pepper, which has a smoky flavor that will be nice for the oil. Note however, that Aleppo pepper is spicier than gochugaru, so you may want to halve the amount.
Chili Flakes: The chili flakes are the red pepper flakes that you can find in the spice aisles of your grocery store. They should have a medium level of spice. I usually buy chili flakes from The Allspicery, which is a Sacramento spice shop.
Why Hot Oil Over Spices: Many people have asked me why I don’t throw all the spices into the saucepan with the heated oil. That’s because the saucepan retains a lot of heat. Consequently, when you pour the spices into the hot saucepan, some of the spices can burn, especially the gochugaru, making the oil bitter.