Crispy Chili Oil {My Chinese Grandma’s Recipe!}
This homemade crispy chili oil is the recipe I grew up watching my Nai Nai (grandma) and my dad make over and over again in our kitchen in China. The whole house would fill with the smell of warm spices slowly sizzling in oil. 😌 Once you make it at home, store-bought will never be the same. Drizzle it over spicy smashed cucumber salad, toss it with homemade Chinese dumplings, or honestly just spoon it over a bowl of steamed rice… it makes everything better.
Authentic Chinese Crispy Chili Oil
If you’ve ever bought a jar of chili crisp at the store and thought I could put this on everything – you realy can, and making your own is super easy and so worth it. You control the heat level, the depth of flavor, and every ingredient that goes into it. My dad drizzles it over noodles. My mom stirs it into shrimp egg foo young. I put it in my spicy Chinese cucumber salad and eat it with a spoon over steamed rice on nights when I don’t feel like cooking. My grandma’s version of meal prep? A jar of chili oil and a bowl of rice. No notes.
Tips for the Best Crispy Chili Oil
Don’t mince the garlic too finely. Roughly chopped pieces crisp up beautifully. Finely minced garlic burns before it crisps and turns bitter — the opposite of what you want.
Low and slow is everything. Don’t rush the infusion by cranking up the heat. Medium-low gives the aromatics time to release all their flavor into the oil without scorching.
Adjust the heat level to your taste. Use 1/2 cup chili flakes for a milder oil, up to 2/3 cup for real heat. Adding cayenne to the chili flake mixture pushes it even spicier — add it in small amounts and taste as you go.
Use a heatproof jar. When that hot oil hits the chili flakes, it sizzles aggressively. A regular glass jar or plastic container can crack from the heat. A mason jar works perfectly.
A Note on Hard-to-Find Ingredients: One of the real challenges of making authentic Chinese recipes at home is that some ingredients aren’t easy to find depending on where you live. I’ve tested this recipe many times in my American kitchen to simplify the ingredient list as much as possible without losing the flavor. Every optional ingredient came from my grandma’s original recipe notes – use what you can find, skip what you can’t. The result is still a jar of homemade crispy chili oil that beats anything from the store. Everyone deserves that.
Ingredients You Should Know About
Most of the ingredient list is flexible — here’s what actually matters:
The optional aromatics (cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom pods) are what take this from good to my grandma’s recipe. If you can find them at an Asian grocery store or online, use them. If you can’t, the chili oil is still delicious without them.
Sichuan peppercorns add a tingly, slightly numbing sensation specific to authentic Chinese chili oil. Worth trying at least once — but the recipe works without them.
Coconut aminos vs. soy sauce — I use coconut aminos because my husband is sensitive to soy, but regular soy sauce works in a 1:1 swap. Either way, it adds depth and umami to the chili flake mixture that you don’t want to skip.
How to Make Crispy Chili Oil From Scratch
Ways to Use Homemade Crispy Chili Oil
This is where it gets fun. Once you have a jar in the fridge, you’ll find yourself putting it on everything:
- Toss with noodles for a quick spicy Asian noodle bowl
- Use as a dipping sauce for homemade Chinese dumplings
- Drizzle over shrimp egg foo young or a soft fried egg
- Stir into spicy smashed cucumber salad — this combo specifically is incredible
- Dip air fryer rice paper egg rolls straight out of the air fryer
- Spoon over steamed rice — my grandma’s move, still undefeated
I recently saw someone mixing chili oil into matcha!! I have thoughts, but I’ll keep them to myself (for now). 🤣 Drop a comment if you’ve tried it, and what you tried it on! I love hearing about new ways to enjoy my favorite spread!
Get the recipe:Crispy Chili Oil
Ingredients
Chili Oil
- 1 cup neutral cooking oil
- 6-7 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped, not minced
- 1/2 small onion, chopped, or 1 shallot
- 5-6 dried chili peppers or serrano peppers
Optional Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3-4 star anise pods
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
- 2-3 cardamom pods (crushed)
Chili Flake Mixture
- 1/2 cup red chili pepper flakes, up to 2/3 cup if you prefer spicier
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, or soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional – this will really add some heat!
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the oil, garlic, onion or shallot, dried chili peppers, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, and cardamom pods, if using.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic and shallots are golden brown and crispy.
- While the oil is cooking, add the chili pepper flakes, sugar, salt, coconut aminos or soy sauce, and cayenne pepper, if using, to a heatproof jar or bowl.
- Once the garlic and shallots are crispy and golden brown, turn off the heat.
- Carefully strain the hot oil directly into the jar with the chili flake mixture. The oil will sizzle as it blooms the chili flakes.
- Transfer the crispy garlic and shallot pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to cool and crisp up further.
- Discard the cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and any other whole spices.
- Once slightly cooled, stir some of the crispy garlic and shallot pieces back into the chili oil.
- Let the chili oil cool completely before sealing and storing in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Do not mince the garlic too finely, or it may burn before it becomes crispy.
- Cook the aromatics low and slow for the best flavor.
- Use 1/2 cup chili flakes for a milder chili oil and 2/3 cup for a spicier version.
- Sichuan peppercorns add a tingly, numbing flavor, but the recipe is still delicious without them.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.
