This homemade spicy chili crisp recipe is easy to make, the perfect condiment for spooning over anything from vegetables to eggs, meats and more. Learn how to make chili crisp at home.
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT25M
Rating
4.95 stars (129 reviews)
Keywords
chili oil, condiment, peppercorns, serrano
Ingredients
1.5 cups vegetable oil (or use peanut oil)
2 serrano peppers (rough chopped)
1 shallot (rough chopped)
10 cloves garlic (rough chopped)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns (or use Sichuan peppercorns)
¼ cup red chili flakes
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or use a Gochugaru seasoning blend, or cayenne for more heat)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (adds umami)
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon msg (optional - use sea salt as an alternative)
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS (for extra flavor)
1 3- inch cinnamon stick
4 star anise pods
Categories
Main Course
Seasonings
Cuisine
American
Chinese
Steps
Add the oil to a small pot along with the serrano peppers, shallot, garlic, peppercorns. Add the cinnamon stick and star anise pods, if using.
Heat the oil to medium-low and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the ingredients in the pot brown. It could take longer for the bits to brown and crisp depending on the size of your chopped peppers and oil temperature.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. The flavors will infuse the oil even further.
In a separate heat-proof bowl, mix together the chili flakes, paprika (or Gochugaru), soy sauce, sugar and msg.
Strain the oil into the chili flake mixture. Reserve the crispy serrano-shallot-garlic bits in the strainer and set them aside for now to cool, which will allow them to fully crisp up.
Pick out the cinnamon stick and star anise pods (if using), then swirl the crispy bits back into the oil.
Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors develop even more. Stir before serving.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 99 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Protein: 0.5 g
Fat: 10 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Sodium: 62 mg
Sugar: 0.4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Reviews
Debbie on 2026-03-22 (5 stars): Absolutely THE BEST , have been making it for a couple of years and passed on the recipe to many friends
Win on 2026-03-15 (5 stars): Mike, this stuff is GOOD. I'm glad I made a pint, first time around, 'cause it's disappearing fast! I'm glad I didn't pay 5 bucks or so for a little jar of the store-bought product; it's quick and easy to make, and I won't go bankrupt keeping a supply. It's going to be a lot of fun playing with the ingredients.
Alex on 2026-03-13 (5 stars): Hi Mike,
while this is primarily a condiment leaning to the asian side, I'm wondering about using chile de arbol. And the method to do so, soak them first to get the flavor out (smokiness) or just break them up dried?
Sarah B on 2026-03-06 (5 stars): This was flipping AMAZING!! I will never buy it again.. Thanks so much! :)
Loren on 2026-02-19 (5 stars): Probably 4th time I've made this and it's like another commented I refuse to pay $9+ for a few ounces when I can make this recipe. This time it was a grand slam in that I added a few of the optional ingredients. Went with 2 cups of avocado oil so added more of everything. 1/2 Smoked paprika/cayenne, cinnamon stick,star anise, Sichuan peppercorns yum! Then I added a couple of thingsI had not done before. Mushroom powder and small amount of Sesame oil.
OMG! I think that maybe the Sesame oil made the big difference. Will never buy store bought again.
Thanks Mike for all your work!
Curtis Harris on 2026-02-02 (5 stars): Thanks Mike. The oil turned out great. I use szhechuan peppercorns and it's a game-changer.
Anita P on 2026-01-20 (5 stars): This is such an amazing and easy to follow recipe.I made a couple of extra jars to give away at Christmas and they loved it! I drizzle it over everything, try it over avocado toast, soooo good! Thank you Mike!
Tracy on 2026-01-17 (5 stars): This is so amazingly good!! I put it on EVERYthing! I didn’t use the cinnamon and only had jalapeños but worked perfectly. I’m 100% never buying store-bought again!! Thank you!
