Learn how to make a simple chili oil at home with this quick and easy recipe. You only need oil and chili flakes, done in 5 minutes. I'll also show you how to make it with fresh chilies or chili powder. Homemade chili oil is great for drizzling over foods for extra spice and flavor, for mixing into sauces and vinaigrettes, as well as for cooking many meals. You'll also love my homemade chili crisp 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.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Oil Temperature. Heat your oil to 180 degrees F minimum, or to 350 degrees F maximum for a darker oil. Do not let your oil smoke or get any hotter, or it can burn your chili flakes and spices, resulting in a bitter flavor.
If you do not have a temperature gauge, you can test it by adding a tiny pinch of chili flakes to the hot oil. It is ready when the flakes sizzle.
I recommend the Thermoworks Thermapen ONE thermometer (affiliate link, my friends!). It works GREAT for meats and making oils.
You can strain your oil through a thin sieve or cheese cloth to remove the peppers/sediment, depending on how finely you chop/crush the peppers.
You can also include whole dried chili peppers into the oil, which can be decorative.
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:
- Pat the chopped chilies as dry as you can with paper towels.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
5-Minute Chili Oil Recipe (How to Make Chili Oil)
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil (or any neutral oil such as peanut oil)
- 3 tablespoons chili flakes or crushed dried chili peppers
- Dash of salt if desired
Optional Extras
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- See Recipe Notes
Instructions
- Add the chili flakes and your additional spices to a heat proof bowl. Mix well.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a small pot. Do not allow the oil to smoke. If it smokes, remove it from the heat to reduce the temperature. (**)
- 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. Lasts 3 months or longer in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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.
NOTE: TThis post was originally published on 12/15/15. It was updated on 2/22/23 with new photos and information, and again on 10/12/26 with a fresh chili method, chili powder tips, storage info, and an FAQ.
Jas says
I am going with your recipe to make 4 different chilli oils as I have grown my own chillis from seed, they are powerful flavours so I ma add star anise to one or 2. I have grown Kristian chillis, hot yellow pepper chilli, and red chillis to name a few. I had soo many chillis and did not know what to do with them all, I have frozen some and dried some,thedried ones I will use chillis oil. Thankyou for this recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect, Jas. I think that's great. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Alami says
Hello Mike,
have you tried the cold oil version? Just put some dried peppers in your favourite oil or oil mix (I use half olive oil and half rapeseed oil) in a glass bottle, and forget it for at least 3 weeks in a dark place; the flavors will develop even more with time.
I was skeptical that any heat would get from the chilies to the oil, but it does!
Cheers and thanks for your passion!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I haven't tried this, Alami, but I'm sure it's great! It would definitely be a nice infusion. I appreciate it!!
Foday Bangalie Dumbuya says
I live in Sierra Leone with a keen interest in pepper processing. processing pepper source, pepper paste and powdered pepper in Africa is very important as we are now doing in Sierra Leone. It prevents wastage and also generate income for lower income farmers and producers.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Foday.
Danielle Wolter says
i have totally been meaning to try and make chili oil. i have all these spicy dried thai chilies in mt pantry and i need to use them for something. likely this!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
This would be GREAT with Thai chilies. I'd drizzle that on everything.
Jacqueline Debono says
I love chili oil though have never made it myself. Good idea! Here in Italy it's standard in pizzerias and many Italians like to sprinkle some on their pizza!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I love it on pizza, too! Awesome!
Chef says
You are sooooo lucky living in Italy.....i had 2 of the best pizzas ever in Venice and Naples
Jill says
I've never tried making chili oil at home. It would make a great gift. I'll keep it in mind the next time I'm searching to come up with a unique gift!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
I agree, Jill, homemade chili oil makes a great gift.
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings says
I have never made chili oil but it sounds brilliant. My family loves hot sauces and this would work great in our weekly stir fries!
Jennifer says
I recently did a search for how to make this oil. I needed some for a recipe. I think I like your version much better. I'm gonna make a batch so I can keep it on hand for when I need it again.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great! I always have one on hand here. Essential!
Carmine says
Do the chilies need to be dried, or can you use fresh ? Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Carmine, dried peppers are best for this. Let me know how it goes for you.
Jason says
I love this stuff. I've made it a bunch of times before I ever saw a recipe for it. I recently made a batch with Bhut Jalokias that I grew. I used ordinary vegetable oil since it's neutral and has a high smoke point. First I heated 1 cup of oil over medium heat until I could see the waves of convection in the oil. It was good and hot but not boiling. I added 6 or 8 fresh picked ghost chilies halved with the stems removed, seeds and all and cooked them for 5 minutes. They started to immediately cook. I stirred the oil nearly constantly making sure the peppers stayed submerged as much as possible and cooked throughout. After the 5 minutes I added a second cup of oil and continued to let it heat for another 5 minutes. Then I took it off the heat and let it cool. I fished out the pepper halves and sat them on a paper towel lined plate and jarred the oil. It is very hot. I love it. It goes on just about anything, rice, pasta, meats, drizzled on a salad, you name it. I've even used a little in a pan to make an delicious omelette. I saved those fried pepper halves too and have diced them and added them to many different things to give heat and a complex fried fruity flavor.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Perfect, Jason! Thanks!
Emma Knight says
Hi Mike and the gang from Chili Pepper Madness.
Fabulous chili pepper recipes,great to share,enjoy and entertain with and great to try with different chili varieties.
Quick question..in my lastest batch of your chili oil I have put whole dried chilis in too but the oil doesnt totally cover the chili..will that be ok or will the chili go off?
Many thanks Chili Lovers!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Emma. Thanks for the compliments! Glad you like the site. For the oil, it is best to keep them under the oil. You can always crush them down a bit so they take up less volume. I hope this helps! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Ralph Margo says
Hi Mike and Patty,
Ralph here from South Africa.
I LOVE your site. These recipes are amazing!
I have a variation of this chili oil which I've evolved from a recipe on another site, which I'd like to share. This is not a 5 minute version, though 🙂
Unfortunately, down here we don't get shallots, so I used red onions, and some spring onion (I think in the US you'd call them green onions... which are apparently NOT exactly the same as scallions, but I'm sure scallions would work fine).
It's also really hard to find a decent variety of chilis other than bird's eye, Jalapeno, Habs and a few others, so I've tweaked the recipe according to what I have managed to get my hands on. In future I will rather get seeds and start growing my own. But for now this is what I used.
Below are the ingredients and their quantities used in my last batch (I weighed and recorded everything as I went along. Please note I'm in South Africa so we use the metric system (liters and grams) so please convert to pounds, ounces, gallons...etc:
2L sunflower cooking oil
76g Serenade chili
39g red Bird's Eye chili
252g green Jalapeno chili
150g dried chili flakes
75g white salad onions (short spring onions, white and green parts - green onions in the US)
Cloves from 4 heads of garlic (+- 300g)
3 red onions (530g)
3 Knorr Chicken stock cubes
1 Knorr beef stock cube
120g brown sugar (not the sticky kind. Same consistency as white sugar, but a light brown, almost caramel colour. That's the sugar we use at home. I'm sure ordinary white sugar would be just fine).
100g sesame seeds (optional for extra crunch and flavour - leave these until very last).
This is the 2nd time I've made this recipe, and this time around I used your recipe and video instructions to roast the chilis beforehand. This is of course optional. I was just intrigued by the idea of different flavours coming out during the roasting.
Chop up the chilis, garlic and onions to a course mixture and set aside.
In a large pot heat the oil on a medium heat. My stove settings go up to 12. I had it up to 5, so it's just below halfway on the dial. (I used a pot because a pan is not deep enough for 2 liters of oil - I'm sure a wok would work, but then cooking time may be reduced... a pot takes a bit longer, I'd think)
When the oil is hot enough, put the dried chili flakes, sugar and broken up stock cubes into the oil and fry for about 5 minutes.
Then add the onion, chili and garlic and fry, stirring often so it doesn't stick.
Fry this for another 25 minutes, so the total cooking time since you added the flakes etc is about 30 minutes.
Then I turned up the heat to 8/12 (2 third heat on the dial) for another 20 minutes (total cooking time so far is around 50 minutes). During this part you need to stir almost constantly as it is possible to burn the mixture. The reason I cranked up the heat on the stove is that it almost crisps the chili mix, which I really love. If you don't care, don't mind, or don't have a full hour, you can take it off the stove at this point. But seriously... leave it on 🙂
And then for the last 10 minutes, add the sesame seeds. The reason I added the sesame seeds so late is because I'm scared of burning them and don't want to ruin the entire batch by putting them in too early and risk burning them. If anyone knows f they can survive longer in hot oil without spoiling or burning, let me know.
But I put in for the last 10 minutes.
That's it. Remove from the stove and let it cool.
I first used a ladle to get the chunky mixture into the jars, filling each one about halfway. Then I shared out the oil to fill each jar.
Seal and put in the fridge.
The only thing that worries me is some of the comments in this post about using within a month or it'll go off. I hope that by keeping it in the fridge, it'll last a bit longer. From the last batch I made, I gave so many away, my remaining jars got used up before a month was up.
Anyway, check it out, play around and have fun.
Thanks for reading this, and thank you for this amazing page!!
REPLY: Ralph, thank you for sharing this. Sounds great! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Chef says
Hey Ralph,
That's alot of ingredients in a chilli oil... sound wonderful though. Just a quick question does the stock cube make the oil cloudy? Think i would prefer to use salt
Cheers
rachel Anderson says
reply to Francien
i have made a bigger batch than the recipe....
for every 2 cups of chilli flakes i add 5 cups of canola oil
1/2 cup of crushed garlic, 1/2 hoisin sauce, 1/2 oyster sauce. i heat up the oil hot enough but not to burn the flakes right away.. i have pictures of what i made to prove.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sounds great, Rachel!
Francien says
We usely buy our 5 liters chillie oil from somebody but he was in a accident and we running out of souce for our tuckshop.
Want to try to cook our own chillie oil in like 5 liter or more please help
Never did this before
REPLY: Francien, I've never made a large batch like that, but I'm sure this recipe would scale as needed. However, if you're selling commercially, you will be bound by federal safety guidelines, so you should research your local laws. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.