This homemade Chili Crisp Recipe is packed with crispy shallots, garlic, warming spices, and crunchy chili flakes. A bold, flavorful condiment for noodles, eggs, rice, vegetables, and more.
Once you make this homemade Chili Crisp, you’ll want to put it on everything! Crispy, spicy, savory, and deeply flavorful, it’s the ultimate finishing condiment.
This stuff is AMAZING! Fabulous on rice…noodles…currently enjoying it on stir fried Swiss chard from the garden. Also fab on hummus then sprinkled with feta as a dip. Thank you!
What is Chili Crisp?
Chili crisp is a spicy, flavorful chili oil with “crispy bits” that originates from the Sichuan province of China, used as a condiment. Versatile and customizable, Chili Crisp has become an essential condiment at our table. Made with dried chilis, dried onion flakes, and spices and aromatics, it adds a zippy crunch and depth to almost everything.
We use a combination of hot and mild chili varieties, dried onions, and garlic to create a deep and complex flavor profile. Using dried onion and garlic not only saves preparation time but also gives the dish a super satisfying crunch. The chilies and onions toast lightly as the oil absorbs all the harmonious flavors, resulting in a heavenly flavor bomb.
What’s the Difference Between Chili Crisp & Chili Oil?
Chili oil is traditionally made with just crushed chilies and oil, while chili crisp incorporates crunchy, aromatic ingredients like dried minced onion and garlic flakes.
How Spicy is Chili Crisp?
The good news is, you get to control the heat in this recipe. As written, this recipe is spicy, but keep in mind that this is a condiment that you can add to recipes to bring in a kick of heat, controlling the amount. See notes for milder chili flake options, or if you wish for more heat, see the hot suggestions too!
Why you’ll love this CHILI CRISP recipe!
Customization: Making chili crisp at home gives you full control over ingredient quality and quantities (no MSG!). Whether you want it to be extra spicy, mildly hot, or have a unique flavor twist, you can easily customize it to your liking.
Complex flavors: The combination of different chilies in this recipe creates deep and complex flavors. It adds a delightful kick and a hint of smokiness to any dish.
A multitude of uses: Chili crisp can be used in many ways! It pairs well with eggs, avocado toast, tossed with roasted vegetables, tossed with noodles, drizzled over rice bowls, stir-fries, and soups; the possibilities are endless.
Easy to make: With just a few simple steps, you can have a jar of homemade chili crisp ready to elevate your meals. It also makes a great gift!
Chili Crisp Ingredients
- Dried minced onion and garlic flakes (or dehydrated onion, shallot, or garlic): The onion and garlic flakes slowly fry in oil until golden and crisp for a crunchy texture and deeply savory flavor. (See recipe notes if using fresh garlic or onion.)
- Red pepper flakes: The primary source of heat, adding that classic spicy kick. Adjust to your desired heat preference.
- Gochugaru or Aleppo chili flakes: Add a milder, fruitier heat with subtle smoky, earthy notes for complexity.
- Smoked paprika: Contributes rich smokiness and depth while enhancing the vibrant red color of the chili oil.
- Coconut sugar (or brown sugar): For subtle caramel notes that round out the finished chili crisp. Optional, but the sugar really adds balance and deeper flavor.
- Soy sauce (or gluten-free liquid aminos): Just a touch adds savory umami depth and enhances the overall flavor.
- Cinnamon sticks and star anise: Gently infuse the oil with warm, aromatic spice, adding complexity and a subtle sweetness.
- Neutral oil: Avocado oil, light olive oil, expeller-pressed grapeseed oil, or peanut oil provide the rich base that carries all the flavors. (We prefer to avoid highly refined vegetable oil or “seed oils” in general, as they can be inflammatory.)
Variations
Make it your own! This recipe is yours to shape and play around with. Make it spicy or mild, and add more flavor with aromatics and other flavor additions:
- Green or black cardamom pods
- Fresh ginger slices
- Mushroom powder
- Sichuan peppercorns
- Bay leaves
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Crunchy peanuts
- Crunchy crushed soybeans
- Crispy shallots
How To Make Chili Crisp
1. Add ingredients to the pot. Add oil, dried onion and garlic, red pepper flakes, Gochugaru or Aleppo, salt, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.
2. Warm over low heat. Heat the pot over the lowest setting for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not exceed 225 degrees. If it gets too hot, it will burn the chilies and cause a bitter taste. Keep an eye on the pan, and if you smell the chilies, check the temperature with a thermometer. The oil should simmer lightly with tiny bubbles.
3. Gather remaining ingredients. In a medium bowl, add the black pepper, smoked paprika, sugar, and soy sauce.
4. Strain. Place a metal, fine-mesh sieve over the bowl. Pour the warm oil into the sieve, letting the oil strain into the bowl over the spices. Remove the bigger aromatics (cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods). Spread out the cooked chili mixture. Let cool for about 10 minutes in the strainer.
5. Combine. Mix the cooled toasted chilis back into the oil and cool completely.
Storage
Store in an airtight container either at room temp or refrigerate. Chili Crisp is shelf-stable for 3 months.
Ways to Use This Chili Crisp Recipe
- Spoon chili crisp over avocado toast!
- Toss with noodles or make this Spicy Cold Noodle Salad
- Drizzle over chili crisp cauliflower
- Drizzle over roasted veggies
- Swirl into ramen or Wonton Soup
- Add to cucumber salad
- Spoon over hard-boiled eggs with tinned sardines (my favorite!)
Chef’s Tips
- Mix and match the chilies. We highly recommend combining different types of chilies for a more complex flavor. You can use ready-made flakes and powders or grind them up from whole peppers.
- Use dried aromatics for maximum crunch. Dried minced onion and garlic fry up beautifully crisp with very little effort. Fresh garlic or shallots work too, but require more careful cooking and won’t stay quite as crunchy.
- Keep the heat low. Patience is key! Gently infuse the oil over low heat (under 225F) to allow the onions, garlic, and chilies to toast without burning. Burnt chilies will cause the entire batch to taste bitter.
- Use a thermometer if possible. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out and helps ensure perfectly toasted aromatics every time.
- Let the crispy bits cool before mixing back in. After straining, allow the onion, garlic, and chili mixture to cool for about 10 minutes. This helps it stay crisp instead of softening in the hot oil.
- Taste and customize. Chili crisp is incredibly adaptable. Prefer it milder? Use Aleppo, guajillo, maras, ancho chili flakes, Kashmiri, or gochugaru chili flakes. Want extra heat? Add Sichuan chili flakes, red pepper flakes, japones, arbol chilies, or chipotle peppers.
- The flavor improves overnight! While delicious immediately, chili crisp becomes even more balanced and flavorful after sitting for 12-24 hours, allowing the spices to fully infuse the oil.
We can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe! In the comments, let us know your favorite dish to enjoy chili crisp with! Enjoy!
More favorite Condiments
After you try this Chili Crisp recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Tonia
Chili Crisp Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/8 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment, sauce
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade Chili Crisp Recipe is packed with crispy shallots, garlic, warming spices, and crunchy chili flakes. A bold, flavorful condiment for noodles, eggs, rice, vegetables, and more.
Ingredients
- 1 cup oil avocado oil, peanut oil, or light olive oil
- 1/3 cup dried minced onion flakes or dehydrated shallots
- 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic flakes
- 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes (*see notes for alternative suggestions)
- 1 tablespoon Aleppo chili flakes or dried gochugaru (*see notes for alternative suggestions)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Optional Aromatics: green or black cardamom pods, fresh ginger slices, Sichuan peppercorns, and bay leaves.
Optional flavor additions: toasted sesame seeds, crushed peanuts, or crunchy soy nuts.
Instructions
- Gather ingredients. In a small saucepan, add oil, dried onion and dried garlic, red pepper flakes, gochugaru or Aleppo, salt, and cinnamon sticks and star anise.
- Heat on low. Heat on the lowest heat for 30 minutes, stirring a few times. Do not exceed 225 degrees. (Too high a heat will result in burning the chilies, which will make them bitter.) Watch closely, and if you smell the chilies, check the temperature with a thermometer. The oil should just very lightly bubble with tiny bubbles.
- Gather the remaining ingredients. To a medium bowl, add black pepper, smoked paprika, sugar, and soy sauce.
- Strain. Place a metal (plastic will melt!) fine mesh sieve over the bowl. When the chili oil has finished cooking, pour it into the sieve, letting the oil strain into the bowl over the spices.
- Cool. Spread the cooked chili mixture out in the sieve to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the larger aromatics (cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods).Â
- Add the toasted chilis back. Mix the toasted chilis from the strain back into the oil in the bowl. Cool completely. Â
- Store. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerate. Chili Crunch is shelf-stable for 3 months.
Notes
This recipe is pretty spicy, so adjust accordingly. Keep in mind it is a condiment, and you want it to be lively and flavorful, as you drizzle it on food, the heat is nicely distributed.
Hot Chili Varieties: Sichuan chili flakes, red pepper flakes, japones, arbol chilies, or chipotle peppers.Â
Mild to Medium Heat Chili Options: Aleppo, guajillo, maras, ancho chili flakes, Kashmiri or gochugaru chili flakes. We highly recommend combining different types of chilies for a more complex flavor. You can use ready-made flakes and powders or grind up from whole peppers.
It’s important to note that if you want Chili Crisp to be shelf-stable, you should use dried onion and garlic. However, if you prefer using fresh garlic, shallots, or onion, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 7 days. Or alternatively, slow cook the alliums separately until fully crisp, as garlic and shallots that still have water content carry the risk of botulism.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 teaspoons
- Calories: 36
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 91.7 mg
- Fat: 2.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.3 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 6.2 mg
Make this chili crisp — it is sinfully delicious and I am now addicted!! I used a combination of Aleppo, Hatch and Red chiles, cardamon pods, coconut sugar, and it is WAY better than expected. I’m now having rice with black beans, topped with a fried egg and a hefty portion of Chili Crisp for breakfast most mornings – not sure I’ll ever get tired of it.
Awesome Denise!
Amazing flavor! I used fresh garlic and a shallot along with Kashmiri, gochugaru and Aleppo peppers for a milder version.
Sounds great! So helpful to hear, thanks for taking time to review.