The short answer: to make crunchy garlic chili oil, fry sliced shallots in oil until golden, then minced garlic until pale gold, and lift both out to crisp up. Let the oil cool to 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F) and pour it over chili flakes, salt and sugar. When it is cool, stir the crispy shallots, garlic and sesame back in.
Crunchy garlic chili oil, also sold as chili crisp, is chili oil with a lot of crunch in it. It is less about the oil and more about the crispy bits: shallots, garlic and sesame in a red, savoury, gently spicy oil. Spoon it on eggs, noodles, rice or dumplings. Homemade chili crisp takes about 45 minutes. Fry each part on its own and nothing burns.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Time | About 45 minutes |
| Makes | About 400 ml |
| Pouring temperature | 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F) |
| Keeps | 4 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer |
Ingredients
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) neutral oil: rapeseed, peanut or sunflower
- 4 to 5 shallots (about 150 g), thinly and evenly sliced
- 1 head of garlic (about 50 g), finely minced
- 30 g (about ⅓ cup) chili flakes, Sichuan or Korean gochugaru
- 2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (optional)
- 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Optional: 1 tbsp chopped fermented black beans, for a deeper savoury taste
How to make crunchy garlic chili oil
- Prepare the chili bowl. Put the chili flakes, ground Sichuan pepper, sugar and salt in a large heatproof bowl.
- Fry the shallots. Put the shallots and oil in a pan and start on medium heat. Stir often. After 12 to 18 minutes they turn golden. Lift them out onto kitchen paper. They crisp up as they cool.
- Fry the garlic. Lower the heat. Add the garlic to the same oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until it is pale gold. Lift it out at once. It keeps darkening after it leaves the pan.
- Bring the oil to pouring temperature. Heat or cool the oil to 120 to 135 °C (250 to 275 °F).
- Pour. Pour a third of the oil over the chili mix. It sizzles. Stir, wait 30 seconds, then add the rest.
- Add the crunch. When the oil has cooled, stir in the shallots, garlic, sesame seeds and black beans. Adding them cold keeps them crisp.
Why fry everything separately?
Shallots hold more water than garlic and need longer to crisp. Garlic burns fast and turns bitter. If you fry them together, one is soggy or the other is burnt. Frying each on its own, in the same oil, gets both right. The oil picks up their flavour on the way, so you lose nothing.
Common mistakes
- Soggy shallots: slices were uneven, or they came out too pale. Slice evenly and wait for an even golden colour.
- Bitter garlic: it went past pale gold in the pan. Lift it out a little early.
- Dark, bitter chili: the oil was too hot when it met the flakes. Pour at 120 to 135 °C.
- Lost crunch: the shallots and garlic went into hot oil. Stir them in once the oil is cool.
For more on oil temperature and chili types, see our main guide to making chili oil.
Chili crisp and chili oil compared
| Chili crisp | Chili oil | |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | Mostly crunchy bits in oil | Mostly oil, with soft flakes |
| Main flavour | Fried shallot and garlic | Chili and warm spices |
| Best on | Eggs, rice, noodles, ice cream | Dumplings, dressings, soups |
Variations
- Extra nutty: stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted peanuts with the sesame seeds.
- Milder and sweeter: use all gochugaru and add an extra teaspoon of sugar.
- Smoky: swap a third of the chili flakes for smoked paprika flakes or chipotle flakes.
- Numbing: double the Sichuan pepper for a stronger tingle on the lips.
Ways to use it
- Spoon over fried eggs or scrambled eggs
- Toss through hot noodles with a splash of soy sauce
- Stir into rice or fried rice
- Spoon over dumplings with black vinegar
- Try a little on vanilla ice cream: sweet, salty and crunchy
For a darker, more roasted garlic note, add a spoon of black garlic oil to the jar.
How to store chili crisp
Chili crisp contains garlic and shallots in oil. Store it like any garlic in oil.
- Fridge: in a clean, closed jar, and use it within 4 days.
- Freezer: spoon it into an ice-cube tray, freeze, then keep the cubes in a bag for up to 3 months. The crunch survives freezing well.
- Clean spoon: always use a clean, dry spoon.
Read more in our guide on whether chili oil needs to be refrigerated.
Questions
What is the difference between chili crisp and chili oil?
Chili crisp is mostly crunchy fried shallot, garlic and chili in a little oil. Chili oil is mostly oil, flavoured with chili flakes and spices.
Why is my chili crisp not crunchy?
The shallots were not fried long enough, or they went back into hot oil. Fry them evenly golden and stir them in once the oil is cool.
How long does homemade chili crisp last?
4 days in the fridge, or about 3 months in the freezer. Because it contains garlic and shallots in oil, do not keep it at room temperature.
Can I make it less spicy?
Yes. Use Korean gochugaru, which is mild and bright red, and leave out the Sichuan pepper.
What oil is best for chili crisp?
A neutral oil that copes with frying, such as rapeseed, peanut or sunflower.
