Published:
Aug 13th 2022
by 
Last updated: Dec 20th 2024
Adding Chili Oil to your dishes can elevate them to a new level by adding a burst of aromatics, spice, and flavor. The benefits of making homemade chili oil are you can play around with different infusions and types of chilies you use and control the amount of heat, resulting anywhere from burning hot to mild, depending on your preferences.
There are a wide variety of chili peppers in the world.
To list a few, the mildest Anaheim Chili provides a touch of smoke and spice.
The Cascabel Chili is gentle and used in the Mexican chili oil sauce for the ever-trending Birria tacos.
Ancho Chilies have medium spice and are used in making Adobo sauce.
Chipotle peppers have spicy and smoky flavors. Everyone loves an excellent chipotle ranch dressing.
Bird's eye chilies should be used sparingly, as these are one of the hottest and used in Asian cuisine, especially Thai dishes.
Korean red chilies are spicy and used to make the famous Korean dish Gochugaru.
Finally, the last one is used for this chili oil: Sichuan chilies.
They look similar to Italian chili flakes but are smaller, providing a richer flavor and a deep red color for chili oil.
We are using a Chinese-style chili oil recipe by infusing star anise, cloves, shallots, and garlic into neutral vegetable oil, then pouring the hot bubbling oil over the Sichuan chili flakes, adding toasted sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds to the finished chili oil. Toss this oil with your favorite noodle dish, add it to fried rice or stir-fry or use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings.
Pro Tip - Adds bold, aromatic heat to any dish.
- Fully customizable spice levels.
- Stores well, intensifying flavor over time.
- Quick and easy to make with pantry staples.
- Always use a heat-safe bowl (glass or stainless steel) to mix the hot oil and chili flakes to prevent melting or damage.
- Adjust the spice level by choosing mild chilies like Anaheim or fiery ones like Bird’s Eye.
- Remove garlic and shallots immediately if they start browning to avoid a bitter taste.
- Drizzle over stir-fried noodles or fried rice for a flavor boost.
- Use as a dipping sauce for dumplings or spring rolls.
- Mix into soups or stews for a spicy kick.
- Swap Sichuan chili flakes for your preferred chili variety for different heat levels.
- Replace vegetable oil with avocado oil for a healthier twist.
- Experiment with additional spices like cinnamon sticks or dried orange peel.
Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 3 months. The flavor will deepen as it sits. Always use a clean, dry spoon to prevent contamination.
- Sichuan Chili Flakes: Provides a deep red color and smoky heat.
- Vegetable Oil: Neutral oil for infusing aromatics.
- Shallots & Garlic: Adds rich, savory undertones.
- Star Anise & Cloves: Infuses warm, aromatic flavors.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Enhances the nutty, roasted taste.
- Sesame Seeds: Adds a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor.
What is chili oil good for?
Chili oil can be added to almost any dish, including mixed into rice, as a dipping sauce, or to soups and stews.
Is chili oil very spicy?
The benefit of making homemade chili oil is that you can control the heat by using mild or extremely hot chilies. Adjust this to your preferences.
Do you refrigerate chili oil or store it at room temperature?
Chili oils containing fresh ingredients such as shallots or garlic directly inside the oil should be refrigerated. Infused oils containing only dried ingredients can be left outside the fridge in airtight jars. However, over time, oil jars that are not sealed will get rancid and have an unpleasant taste. To guarantee your chili oil stays fresh, it's a good idea to keep it stored in the fridge.
Is chili oil good for your heart?
As with any oils, they contain a high amount of fat. However, by using vegetable oil, you have the added health benefits that these oils don't contain cholesterol. Like anything in life, use chili oil in moderation and consume a healthy, balanced diet.
How to Make Chili Oil
To make this flavorful chili oil, begin by gently heating vegetable oil with shallots, garlic, star anise, and cloves in a medium pot to infuse the oil. Once aromatic, strain the oil into a bowl containing Sichuan chili flakes. Stir in the toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt, allowing the mixture to cool to room temperature. Transfer the cooled oil to a glass container, ready to elevate your meals with its spicy, aromatic essence.
Time & Serves
Ingredients
1 cup Sichuan Chili Flakes
1 1/4 cups Vegetable Oil
2 Shallots, peeled
4 cloves Garlic, peeled
2 x Star Anise, whole
4 Cloves, whole
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Sesame Seeds
Instructions
Add the shallots, garlic, star anise, cloves and oil to a heavy bottom medium pot. Setting the temperature to medium low heat.
Let the oil infuse for 20 minutes. If the shallots and garlic get too dark in the process, remove them, making your oil bitter. Add the Sichuan chili flakes to a large stainless steel or thick glass bowl. You don't want to use plastic bowls or utensils as the oil will be very hot & you'll watch the plastic melt away.
Place a strainer over the bowl containing the chili flakes and carefully pour the oil through the strainer onto the chili flakes.
Discard the aromatics and stir the chili oil using a wooden spoon until the bubbling has stopped.
Stir in the sesame seeds, oil, and salt, and let the chili oil cool down to room temperature.
Pour into a glass storage container and have fun adding your homemade chili oil to all your dishes.
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