How to Make Chili Oil (Chili Oil Recipe)

Homemade Chili Oil Recipe

I use chili oils for all sorts of recipes. They're pretty standard in certain parts of the world. They figure prominently in Chinese and Japanese cooking, and in many parts of Asia, although the Italians enjoy their own version as well.

There are many great brands on the market, but I find it best to make my own when I need a small batch, or even to give as a gift, and to really customize what I'm looking for.

Making chili oil from scratch is incredibly easy, and it's also fun to make your own variations with flavors you'll never find anywhere else. All you need are 3 ingredients (oil, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt if want), and it’s ready in about 5 minutes. I’ll also show you how to make it with fresh chilies or chili powder.

What is Chili Oil?

Chili oil is made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers of choice. You can use any type of chili pepper, from mild to superhot peppers. Other ingredients are sometimes included.

You can use most types of vegetable oil, though a neutral oil is ideal for highlighting the chili pepper flavor.

Let's discuss how to make chili oil, shall we?

Homemade Chili Oil Ingredients

You only need two ingredients to make chili oil:

• Oil.
• Chili Flakes or Crushed Dried Chilies. You can also make it with fresh chilies. See my homemade chili flakes recipe.

I like to include a pinch of salt with mine, so you can say 3 ingredient chili oil, as well as a small amount of other preferred dried seasonings. More on that below.

Best Oil for Making Chili Oil

Any neutral oil is best for making homemade chili oil. Peanut oil, canola oil, corn oil, avocado oil, or a simple vegetable oil make the best chili oil with real chili flavor. I do not recommend oils with stronger flavors, such as olive oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil, as they can affect the flavor of your final oil.

They can be used, however, depending on your final flavor preferences and preferred application.

How to Make Chili Oil - the Recipe Method

First, gather up the following ingredients:

• 1 cup canola oil – or any neutral oil such as peanut oil
• 3 tablespoons crushed dried peppers 
• Dash of salt if desired

Prepare Your Chili Flakes & Spices. Add the chili flakes and your additional spices to a heat proof bowl. Mix well.

Heat the Oil. Heat the oil over medium high heat in a small pot. Do not allow the oil to smoke. If it smokes, remove it from the heat to reduce the temperature.

Mix the Hot Oil & Chili Flakes + Spices. Pour the hot oil carefully over the chili flakes. It will sizzle up nicely. Mix well. Cool and strain if desired.

Transfer to a glass container. Use immediately or store.

BOOM! Done! Super easy, isn't it? Soon you'll be making chili oils of your own and drizzling it over anything and everything.

What Other Ingredients Can Be Used to Make Chili Oil?

Other ingredients might include granulated garlic, white pepper, salt or msg, cayenne pepper, paprika or other chili powders, cinnamon, shallots, peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns (for a Sichuan style or Chinese chili oil), ginger, soy sauce, sesame seed, bay leaves, star anise, crushed red pepper flakes, and so much more.

You can essentially infuse your oil with any number of ingredients and creative combinations. Feel free to dream up your own personal creation.

Different Types of Chili Oil

You can make many different types of chili oil, depending on the ingredients used to infuse the oil. Possibilities include:

• Chinese Chili Oil. Use Chinese chili peppers or Sichuan chili flakes, along with Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon stick, and Chinese vinegar or black vinegar.
• Japanese Chili Oil. Use gochugaru and shichimi togarashi to make Rayu (Japanese Chili Oil).
• Calabrian Chili. Use Calabrian chili peppers to infuse the oil.
• Garlic Chili. Use garlic and spicy chili flakes.
• Nashville Hot Sauce. Nashville hot sauce is essentially a hot oil infused with cayenne and other spices.

There are many, many possibilities to explore your creativity.

How to Make Chili Oil with Fresh Chilies

You can absolutely make chili oil with fresh chilies, but the method is a bit different. Fresh peppers are full of water, and water and hot oil don’t play nice. So instead of pouring hot oil over them, you gently cook the chilies in the oil to drive off that moisture and infuse it.

What you’ll need:

• 1 cup neutral oil (canola, peanut, vegetable)
• 4-6 fresh red chilies, finely chopped (about ½ cup). Fresnos, red jalapeños, cayennes, or Thai chilies for more heat.
• Optional: 2 cloves minced garlic, a pinch of salt

How to make it:

1. Pat the chopped chilies as dry as you can with paper towels.
2. Add the oil and chilies to a small pot and heat over medium-low. You’ll see lots of small bubbles. That’s the water cooking out.
3. Let it gently simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the bubbling slows way down and the chilies soften and darken a bit. If you’re using garlic, add it for the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn.
4. Remove from heat and cool completely. Strain it if you want a clear oil, or leave the chili bits in.

Important: Chili oil made with fresh chilies (or fresh garlic, shallots, or ginger) must be refrigerated. Use it within 4 days, or freeze it for longer storage. Ice cube trays work great for this. It doesn’t keep like the dried flake version, so make small batches.

Want more crunch? My Chili Crisp uses fresh ingredients fried until crispy.

Can You Make Chili Oil with Chili Powder?

Yes! Chili powder makes a deeply red, flavorful oil, but it’s finer than flakes, so it burns faster and can turn the oil cloudy. A few tips:

• Use cooler oil. Aim for the low end, around 180-250°F (82-121°C). Hot oil that works for flakes can scorch powder and make it bitter.
• Make a paste first. Stir the powder with a tablespoon or two of room-temperature oil, then pour in the warm oil. This prevents clumping.
• Let it settle, then strain. The powder sinks to the bottom after a few hours. Pour off the clear oil, or strain it through a coffee filter.

Use about 2 tablespoons of chili powder per cup of oil. Cayenne, paprika, gochugaru, or any single-chili powder works. Avoid American “chili powder” blends with cumin and oregano unless you want that flavor.

Chili Oil with Crispy Bits

You can also use fresh ingredients, such as minced garlic, ginger root, minced shallot, and minced hot chili peppers to make chili oil with crispy bits, which is very popular today.

See my Chili Crisp Recipe (Hot Chili Oil with Crispy Bits) to learn how to make it.

Serving Suggestions for Chili Oil

You can serve the resulting oil as a condiment or stir it into a variety of dishes, like stir fries, chili oil noodles, dressings, drizzles, gyoza sauce, and more. I personally love it for spicing up ramen noodles or drizzling over fried eggs.

You can keep the chili flakes and spices in the oil and serve it that way, or strain and serve only the oil.

The dried peppers that eventually sink to the bottom of the oil are called the “sludge,” and can be served on their own in a variety of applications.

Storage Information

Chili oil made with dried chilies and dried spices keeps best in an airtight glass container. I keep mine in a cool, dark place and use it within a few weeks. For longer keeping, refrigerate it for up to 3 months. The oil may turn cloudy or solidify a bit in the fridge, which is normal. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

Chili oil made with any fresh ingredients (fresh chilies, garlic, shallots, ginger) must be refrigerated and used within 4 days, or frozen. Fresh ingredients in oil can create the low-oxygen conditions where botulism bacteria thrive, so don’t store these at room temperature.

Always use a clean, dry spoon, and toss the oil if it smells off or rancid.

Try Some of my Other Infusion Recipes

• How to Make Hot Honey
• How to Infuse Alcohol with Chili Peppers
• Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
• Chili Crisp

FAQs

Can you make chili oil with fresh chilies?

Yes. Gently cook chopped fresh chilies in the oil over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes to drive off their moisture, then cool and strain if you like. Refrigerate fresh chili oil and use it within 4 days, or freeze it. See the full method above.

Can you make chili oil with chili powder?

Yes. Use cooler oil (180-250°F), mix the powder into a little oil first so it doesn’t clump, and let it settle before straining. Powder burns faster than flakes, so watch the temperature.

How long does homemade chili oil last?

Chili oil made with only dried ingredients keeps for up to 3 months in the refrigerator. If it contains any fresh ingredients like garlic, shallots, or fresh chilies, refrigerate it and use it within 4 days, or freeze it.

Does chili oil need to be refrigerated?

Any chili oil with fresh ingredients must be refrigerated. Dried-ingredient chili oil lasts longest in the refrigerator, too. See the Storage section for details.

How many calories are in chili oil?

Chili oil is almost all oil, so it’s about 120 calories per tablespoon, nearly all from fat. A little goes a long way, though. Most people use a teaspoon or two at a time.

Can I add more oil to my chili oil?

Yes. When your oil runs low, heat fresh oil to the same temperature and pour it over the remaining flakes. They’ll have given up some flavor and heat already, so stir in another tablespoon of fresh chili flakes for a stronger second batch.

Why does my chili oil taste bitter?

The oil was too hot and the chili flakes burned. Keep the oil under 350°F (177°C) and never let it smoke. If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a pinch of flakes: they should sizzle, not blacken.

What’s the difference between chili oil and chili crisp?

Chili oil is mainly the infused oil, with or without some chili flakes. Chili crisp is heavy on the crunchy bits (fried garlic, shallots, and chilies), and the oil is more of a carrier. Here’s my Chili Crisp recipe.