chili crisp recipe

If you love spicy food, there’s nothing quite like chili crisp. It’s a crunchy, spicy condiment that’s the perfect balance of crispy bits and chili oil: just enough to spoon and slather all over your favorite foods. 

The most alluring aspect of chili crisp is the complexity. It’s got so much more going on than your average hot sauce!

Layers of umami thanks to dried mushrooms and peanuts, a numbing tingle from Sichuan peppercorns, warm spice like cinnamon and star anise, spicy spice from dried chiles, a touch of fermented funk (douchi magic!), and the most important part: those crispy, crunchy bits.

I use it as a condiment, as an ingredient in sauces, and as a sauce itself (chili crisp noodles: I love you).

If you’re even half as obsessed with chili crisp as I am, this recipe is for you.

Some of the ingredients will probably need to be sourced online (I love The Mala Market), but it'll be worth it. Most everything keeps indefinitely in the freezer and you’ll be all set to make your very own homemade chili crisp at a moment's notice.

what is chili crisp?

Chili crisp is a Chinese condiment that is made up of crispy bits of garlic and shallots, spices, seeds, nuts, and ground chiles-- all suspended in a neutral oil. Not too much, oil, though. Just enough to keep the consistency thick and spoonable.

The focus is on the crunch.

From there, all chili crisps are created differently.

Some have a heavy Sichuan influence with numbing peppercorns, some include sugar or are very umami-driven (even including MSG), while others can be insanely spicy or include bits of beef jerky or fermented soybeans. They’re all so different!

The best part of homemade chili crisp is how much free reign you can take with the recipe. Play with the heat, textures, spice profiles, and oil-solids ratio until you get the perfect chili crisp for you.

chili crisp ingredients:

how to make chili crisp:

1. Combine ground chiles, ground Sichuan peppercorns, ground mushrooms, fermented black beans, peanuts, sesame seeds, and salt in a large heat-proof bowl.
2. Add whole spices and shallots to oil and gently cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add garlic and ginger and cook until everything is golden and crispy.
4. Pour hot oil through a fine mesh sieve into the large bowl, collecting the crispy bits and whole spices. Let cool completely.
5. Discard whole spices and mix crispy bits back into the oil mixture.
6. Transfer to a jar and use right away, or refrigerate.

tips to make the best chili crisp:

I’ve found that slowly frying shallots, garlic, ginger, and whole spices is the best way to build flavor and texture. It drives water out so the bits are extra crisp, it develops sweet caramelized notes in the bits, and it infuses that flavor into the oil.

Way better than just mixing in dried garlic flakes!

Here are more ways to make your crunchy chili oil taste the best:

• Use a variety of dried chilis. I use at least 2 different kinds for layers of smoke, fruitiness and spice. For ease, you can also use a mix of arbol chiles (hot) and ancho chiles (fruity, tangy) which are simple to find in the US.
  • Or source Chinese peppers for the most authentic flavor:
    • Er jing tiao peppers (fruity, fragrant, mild)
    • Chao tian jiao, or facing heaven chilies, (vibrant red, medium heat)
    • Japones pepper (bright and sharp flavor, medium heat)
    • Xiao mi la chilies, similar to Thai chilis (small, low in flavor, very hot)
• Add umami notes with Chinese fermented black beans (douchi) and dried mushrooms. Any dried mushroom will work-- just grind them up in a spice grinder to get a fine powder!
• Use numbing, tingly Sichuan peppercorns. Store whole peppercorns in the freezer for up to 1 year and grind when needed for maximum freshness. I love to use an equal mix of red (citrusy, floral) and green (bright, lemony). But as long as they’re fresh, use whatever type of Sichuan peppercorn you have!
• Add some sweet undertones: Slowly frying the bits adds sweet, caramelized shallot and nutty garlic flavors to the oil. Some people like to stir in a teaspoon of sugar to their chili crisp for extra contrast.
• Mince the shallots, garlic, and ginger very finely. Chop them very small and as uniformly as you can for the crispiest, crunchiest texture!
• Make it extra crunchy. Strain the bits off the oil and let them cool completely before re-mixing into the oil. Add salty roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and fermented soybeans for more texture.

Chili crisp uses:

• Eggs: fried, scrambled, soft boiled, deviled 
• Spoon it over noodles, rice, or your favorite cooked grain
• Mixed into a cold cucumber salad (or this cucumber avocado salad)
• Drizzled on sautéed shrimp, halibut, salmon
• Tofu or vegetable stir-fries
• Sesame peanut noodles
• Spooned onto grilled chicken or seared steak
• Mixed with honey and drizzled over fried chicken (or tossed with chicken wings)
• In a grilled cheese or quesadilla
• Drizzled onto fresh hummus (or white bean hummus)
• Spooned over roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes or root vegetables
• Mixed into homemade pot sticker or dumpling sauce
• Mix it with mayo and spread on a sandwich (or use it as a dip!)
• Sauté fresh greens in it (sauteed kale, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard)
• Drizzled over avocado toast
• Ramen or your favorite noodle soup
• Spooned over your favorite crudo (tuna crudo)

Does chili crisp need to be refrigerated?

Yes. We use fresh garlic in our chili crisp and even though we’re cooking it, the best practice is refrigeration.

Whenever garlic is stored in an anaerobic environment, the main concern is the growth of clostridium botulinum bacteria. This isn’t an issue when oxygen is present (or certain levels of acid or salt)-- but the anaerobic environment of chili oil allows the bacteria to grow and produce the botulinum toxin.

Botulism is a serious illness that can cause severe paralysis and death. Err on the side of caution and store the chili crisp in the refrigerator.

more spicy recipes you might like!

how to make chili oil

spicy miso udon soup

cold spicy sesame peanut noodles

spicy cashew dressing

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