Learn how to make a simple chili oil at home with this quick and easy recipe. 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.
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.
I like to include a pinch of salt with mine, 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.
Storage Information
Homemade chili oil can last for 2-3 months when stored in an airtight container in a cool dark place at room temperature, and even longer in the refrigerator, though shelf life can vary depending on ingredients used.
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.
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.
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
NOTE: This post was updated on 2/22/23 to include new photos and information. It was originally published on 12/15/15.
George G. says
Hi, Mike! Is there any reason I couldn't just add the peppers to the hot oil in the pan, then remove it from the heat and let it sit as it would in the bowl? One less dish to clean!
Mike Hultquist says
You certainly can, George! Enjoy!!
Rob says
Thank you Mike. I made this with anchos and chocolate habaneros I dried last year, you’ve given me yet another great way to use my peppers year around. Also used sesame oil for a pinch of nutty flavor, but it was really just neutral and gave a good vehicle for your great recipe. Thanks again, you rule!
Mike H. says
Love it, Rob. Thank you for the review!
Terry says
I've been making this for a while now, adding a dash of Szechuan pepper to the mix. Thanks Mike.
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice! I love it. Thanks, Terry!
Greg Thow says
Okay, I'm going to make about 5 versions of chili oil/chili crunch this month.. first up was your strained oil. I let it cool and then drizzled on some leftover pasta. Just super delicious. I used Chinese chili peppers and I'll try next batch with just standard red chili pepper flakes. Do you strain yours or do you (as pictured here) leave the flakes in for drizzling?
Making your Conchita Pibil recipe tomorrow night.. even with the banana leaves! Thanks for all you do.
Greg
Mike Hultquist says
Nice. I hope you love it, Greg. I usually leave the bits/flakes in as I like the crunchy bits for texture, but they tend to settle to the bottom so it's easy to grab a bit of oil if needed. Enjoy!!
Klumsy K says
Solid lowdown. Thanks a bunch.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Klumsy!!
Radhika says
Mike, I love your love for peppers! I am going to try hot sauce once red peppers are in season in india.
will you help me please please please with one more thing? I need to know what equipment you take pictures? your pictures are so bright! also how do you edit them?
I want to make Indian food blog, I asked many bloggers but all in vain. please do help if possible.
Mike Hultquist says
Radhika, we have a couple of Canon cameras, and I use Photoshop for editing. Good luck!!!
Miranda says
I really liked the 2015 recipe. Any chance you could post it here as well. Was it 3-5 min on heat and then take it off and put it in glass container?
Mike Hultquist says
Miranda, it's the same recipe. You really just heat the oil then pour it over chili flakes, then transfer to a container. Or really you can just add the chili flakes or fresh hot chilies to the pot of hot oil, or even just simmer them a while to infuse.
Peg says
My silly hubby who never cooks thinks he can just add cold oil to the chilli flakes. I said it not going to infuse . he is a numnut!
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, you're right, Peg. This is the best way to do it. =) Cheers!
gene says
funny. I haven't heard that name used in a while 🙂
Mike, I am enjoying your spice mixes and your creativity. Life is too short to be eating boring/plain food. Keep up the good work.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Gene. I appreciate it.