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Chili garlic oil is a versatile and flavorful condiment that can take your cooking to the next level. With just a few simple ingredients, you can make this tasty oil at home in minutes.
This spicy oil is a staple in many Asian cuisines and is easy to customize to your preferred level of heat. The combination of aromatic garlic and spicy chilies infused in oil makes for an umami-rich topping that adds a kick of flavor to everything from noodles to eggs.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about making and using the perfect homemade chili garlic oil.
Chili Garlic Oil Recipe
The beauty of chili garlic oil lies in its simplicity. With just 3 main ingredients, you can make a flavor bomb topping for all kinds of dishes.
Here’s an overview of what goes into it:
Oil: A neutral-flavored oil works best as the base. Options include vegetable, canola, grapeseed, sunflower, peanut, or avocado oil. Olive oil can also work, but may impart more flavor.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds a pungent aroma and flavor. Aim for at least 2 large cloves per 1/4 cup of oil. Mince or crush the garlic before adding it to the oil.
Dried Red Chili Peppers: These provide the signature heat and red-orange coloring. Popular options are red pepper flakes, Korean gochugaru, or Sichuan chili powder.
Beyond the major ingredients, you can also customize your oil with extra aromatics and spices. Some delicious additions can include:
- Fresh ginger or galangal
- Lemongrass
- Shallots or onion
- Scallions
- Star anise or cinnamon
- Sesame seeds
- Cumin or fennel seeds
- Dried shrimp or krill
- Soy sauce or fish sauce
Have fun playing with different flavor combinations!
How to Make Chili Garlic Oil at Home
Making homemade chili garlic oil is simple, requiring just a few steps:
1. Mince the garlic.
Peel and mince 2-6 cloves of garlic, depending on how garlicky you’d like your oil to be. Mincing helps release the flavors.
2. Toast any dried spices or aromatics (optional).
Quickly toast spices like Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cumin seeds, or dried chilies in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes to intensify their flavors.
3. Heat the oil over medium.
Add your oil to a small saucepan or pot. Warm over medium heat until shimmering and thin.
4. Add the garlic and aromatics.
Once hot, take the oil off direct heat. Carefully stir in the garlic, spices, and any fresh aromatics like ginger so they can infuse.
5. Let the garlic and aromatics sizzle.
Return the pot to low heat for just 10-30 seconds. The garlic will sizzle gently. Don’t let it burn!
6. Transfer oil to a heatproof container.
Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or jar.
7. Add the dried chili flakes.
While the oil is very hot, stir in your preferred dried chilies. The residual heat will bring out their vibrant flavor.
8. Allow the oil to cool completely.
This infuses the flavors fully. Once cool, store in an airtight container.
The bonus of making chili garlic oil at home is that you can customize the ingredients to match your taste and spice tolerance!
Pro Tips For Making The Perfect Chili Garlic Oil
With chili garlic oil, the technique is key for getting out the most flavor. Follow these tips:
- Mind the heat: Use medium-low heat and don’t let the garlic or spices burn. Burnt garlic turns bitter.
- Toast then infuse: Quickly toasting the dried spices amplifies their essence before infusing.
- Strain as needed: For clean oil, strain out any debris, skins, or seeds.
- Pour when piping hot: The bubbling residual heat blooms the richness of the chili flakes.
- Adjust the chili flakes: Use more or less depending on your desired spiciness.
- Bottle once completely cooled: Funnel into jars, bottles, or condiment squeezers for easy access.
- Use clean utensils: When dipping into the oil from the jar, always use a super clean utensil to prevent contamination.
What Is Chili Garlic Oil Used For? (Creative Ways to Use the Oil)
Here are some delicious ways to incorporate chili garlic oil into recipes:
- As a finishing oil for noodle dishes like pad thai, lo mein, or ramen
- Drizzled over dumplings, potstickers, or spring rolls
- As a spicy sauce for cold sesame noodles or cucumbers
- Mixed into stir fries and fried rice dishes
- As a marinade or sauce for proteins like chicken, tofu, shrimp or fish
- Brushed over grilled or roasted vegetables
-Swirled into soups, stews, and brothy noodle bowls
- As a flavor booster in dressings, marinades, and sauces
- Drizzled over eggs, avocado toast, pizza, sandwiches
- For spicing up dips, spreads, and creamy dishes like hummus or mashed potatoes
- For tossing with roasted nuts and seeds
However you use it, chili garlic oil always packs recipes with addictive flavor and heat!
Storing Chili Garlic Oil Correctly
To keep your homemade chili garlic oil fresh and flavorful for as long as possible:
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 months. The chili flakes will absorb the oil fully over time.
- Pour off just the spicy oil as needed into a small condiment bottle so the flakes don’t over-soak.
- Freeze for longer storage, up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- Keep dry spices submerged in the oil to prevent oxidation or spoilage.
- Use clean utensils every time you take any out to prevent contamination.
- Watch for signs of spoilage like off smells, bubbles, or mold and discard the oil if necessary.
With proper storage methods, you can keep flavorful chili garlic oil on hand whenever cravings (or new recipes!) strike.
Chili Garlic Oil
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium heat, add the oil and heat until shimmering.
- Remove from heat and add the minced garlic. Let sizzle for 10-30 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the red pepper flakes and any other aromatics like sesame seeds.
- Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof jar or bowl. This straining process will remove any fried garlic bits or aromatics.
- Allow the chili garlic oil to cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 1 month.
- To use, drizzle the chili garlic oil over noodles, fried rice, dumplings, grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and more. Enjoy!
Notes
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your desired spiciness. For mild, use 1 tablespoon. For extra spicy, use 2-3 tablespoons.
- You can also add other aromatics like ginger, lemongrass, soy sauce, shrimp powder, etc.
- Add even more flavor by letting the oil sit for 1-2 days before using.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent spoilage.
