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Sure, you've bought the stuff for like $12 for a laughably (so you don't cry) tiny jar. But this homemade chili crisp is more crunchy, a touch more spicy, and a wee little bit numbing from Szechuan peppercorns. It legit takes about 20 minutes, makes more than the minuscule overpriced jar at the store, and lets you decide exactly how hot it gets. No deep frying required.
Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
Use fried shallots that are just shallots and oil, not French fried onions, and check that your fermented black beans are wheat-free.
Measure the chili mixture into the bowl while the oil infuses, and everything is ready a bit more quickly.
A whole nearly 2-cup batch runs about $4, versus $12 for a tiny store-bought jar. Buy your chili flakes in big bags at an Asian market and it gets even cheaper.
When using, scoop from the bottom of the jar and let the extra oil drip back in. You get all the crunchy chili bits with way less oil on your plate.
The fermented black beans are optional, and French fried onions from any supermarket can stand in for the fried shallots.
Medium-low heat and small bubbles. If the oil smokes, the spices burn and the whole jar tastes like nasty motor oil garbage.
Hot oil kinda foams up when it hits the chilies. A heatproof bowl that’s a little bigger than you think you need keeps it from spilling over.
If you want this hotter, use more crushed red pepper and less gochugaru. Or the other way around if you want it milder.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
There are really only two kinds of people throughout the entire galaxy: people who put chili crisp on everything, and people who haven't tried chili crisp yet. Obviously, they use it to upgrade tofu scramble, noodles, dumplings, and just about everything else in life.
My recipe uses both crushed red pepper flakes and gochugaru for a balanced, not overwhelmingly hot smoky chili flavor. The oil gets infused with cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns, then poured hot over the chilies so everything sizzles and toasts at once. In my opinion, it's one of the most fantastic kitchen smells out there.
If you're the kind of person who keeps 3 hot sauces open at once, you'll probably end up making my homemade sriracha and sambal oelek recipe too.
Now grab a big ol' bowl and let's set your fridge door on fire (not literally, please- that would smell terrible).
Jump to:
Why you'll adore this chili crisp recipe
🔥 You Control the Heat: Crushed red pepper brings the fire and gochugaru brings color without a whole hell of a lot of burn. Shift the ratio toward gochugaru for a milder batch, or crank up the ratio of crushies for something that will ignite your hairstyle like that time Michael Jackson filmed a Pepsi commercial.
🧅 Crunch Without a Deep Fryer: Store-bought fried shallots or French fried onions give you all the crispy bits with zero deep frying and messy splattering.
✊ Vegan AF: Plenty of jarred chili crisps are vegan by accident, but some versions add dried shrimp. That sucks and when I see that, I raise my shaking fists up to the sky and scream for at least 40 minutes. This is one of the vegan sauces that even non-veg buttheads can get down with.
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of my vegan recipes, this one's been tweaked to perfection with feedback from over 1,000 recipe testers. I'm pretty sure at least 1 of them is putting this on ice cream right now.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
Chili garlic crisp ingredients
The chilies
Crushed red pepper flakes bring the heat, and gochugaru brings bright red color and a fruity, slightly smoky flavor. Gochugaru is Korean chili flakes, and you'll find it at Korean markets or online.
Got leftover gochugaru? Make a batch of vegan kimchi or Korean cucumber salad with it.
Fried shallots
These are the "crisp" in chili crisp. I like fried shallots from Maesri, which are just shallots and oil, so they're gluten-free too. French fried onions from the regular supermarket work in a pinch, but they're coated in wheat flour, so that might be an issue for you if you have gluten probs.
They go into the bowl with the chilies before the oil, so they stay crunchy instead of burning in the pot.
Got leftover fried shallots? They are pretty great showered over vegan curry laksa or ca ri chay as a crunchy garnish.
Fermented black beans
Nope, these aren't the same as regular dried black beans even a little bit. They are actually made from fermented soybeans and are soft to the touch.
Chinese fermented black beans are salty, funky little umami bombs. Pearl River Bridge is the classic brand in the orange container. They're optional, but they make the chili crisp taste a lot more authentic, at least in my opinion. Give them a rough chop before they go in the bowl.
The oil and aromatics
Canola oil or really just about any other neutral oil carries all the flavor without tasting like anything itself. Peanut oil is great for this too. It gets infused with a cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns.
Sichuan peppercorns are what bring the tingly, numbing buzz that great chili crisp really has to have.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
Variations
Szechuan Chili & Garlic
My Szechuan chili garlic sauce is a less crispy, more garlicky sauce that clings to noodles like it has severe attachment issues.
Peanut Chili Crisp
Use peanut oil as the oil and add ¼ cup of chopped roasted peanuts to the bowl with the chilies for extra crunch.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
How to make chili crisp
The hardest part is not standing over the bowl breathing in chili fumes like a weirdo (uh, not saying I'm NOT that kind of weirdo or anything). Step photos are right here, and the recipe card has the quick version.
Step One
Of Spice and Men:
Combine the crushed red pepper flakes, gochugaru, ginger, garlic, chopped fermented black beans (if using), fried shallots, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl large enough to hold the oil. Set aside.
Step Two
Anise of Green Gables:
Combine the canola oil, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes to infuse the oil. You want a steady stream of small bubbles around the spices, with no smoking or blackening.
If the spices start turning dark brown or smoking, pull the pot off the heat right away. Burnt star anise is bitter.
Step Three
Pour Decisions:
Carefully pour the hot oil through a fine-mesh strainer over the chili mixture, and discard the cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Stir thoroughly to distribute the oil and spices.
Step Four
Cool Runnings:
Let the chili crisp cool completely, then transfer it to a clean glass jar. Refrigerate until ready to use, and stir before serving to bring the crunchy bits back up from the bottom.
Serving ideas
Dumplings are the gateway drug, so start with crispy rice dumplings or chee cheong fun. Or hook up your Thai peanut noodles or vegan yakisoba with this good stuff and watch yourself from your out-of-body experience floating on the ceiling get really happy.
Breakfast counts too. A spoonful all up in a vegan breakfast burrito, vegan breakfast casserole, or over some homemade Just Egg is pretty much my fave thing ever.
Or skip the food entirely and eat it off a spoon over the sink like a monster. It's chill, I won't tell your dad.
Top tips
- Low and Slow on the Oil: Medium-low heat and small bubbles. If the oil smokes, the spices burn and the whole jar tastes like nasty motor oil garbage.
- IMPORTANT- Use a Bowl Bigger Than You Think: Hot oil kinda foams up when it hits the chilies. A big heatproof bowl keeps it from spilling over.
- Control Yourself: If you want this hotter, use more crushed red pepper and less gochugaru. Or the other way around if you want it milder.
Recipe FAQs
Chili oil is mostly oil with the chili flakes strained out of it. Chili crisp is loaded with crunchy bits like fried shallots, garlic, and fermented black beans, so it's more of a spoonable condiment than a drizzle.
Not always, but it can be!
French fried onions and some fried shallots are coated in wheat flour, and some fermented black beans contain wheat too. Use plain fried shallots (just shallots and oil) and check your black bean label to keep it GF.
🧊 In the Fridge: Keep it in a clean, sealed glass jar for up to 3 months. Stir before using, since the crunchy bits sink.
You'll also love these spicy chili condiments:
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Chili Crisp Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons gochugaru
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Chinese fermented black beans (optional)
- ½ cup fried shallots or French fried onions
- 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
- 1 ⅓ cups canola oil or other neutral oil
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
Instructions
- Combine the crushed red pepper flakes, gochugaru, ginger, garlic, chopped fermented black beans (if using), fried shallots, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl large enough to hold the oil. Set aside.
- Combine the canola oil, cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse the oil. The oil should develop a steady stream of small bubbles around the spices without smoking or blackening.
- Carefully pour the hot oil through a fine-mesh strainer over the chili mixture, discarding the cinnamon stick, star anise, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Stir thoroughly to distribute the oil and spices.
- Allow the chili crisp to cool completely before transferring it to a clean glass jar. Refrigerate until ready to use. Stir before serving to redistribute the solids throughout the oil.
Notes
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