Unbeatable Homemade Chili Crisp

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Pepper Geek takes part in various affiliate programs. This means that purchases through our links may result in a commission for us.

Chili crisp is one of the most usable condiments in our kitchen. I put it on everything from scrambled eggs for breakfast, all the way to Asian-inspired soups and fried rice. There are some tasty storebought options out there, but none of them come close to our homemade chili crisp recipe (seriously, I’ve tried them all).

Chili crisp differs from chili oil exactly how you would expect – it’s crispy and crunchy. This comes from a few select ingredients, including deep fried garlic and shallots, along with roasted peanuts. My goal was to take inspiration from my favorite commercial chili crisps, and combine them into the ultimate recipe. Let’s make it!

Ingredients

Full ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.

Oil & Aromatics

• Peanut oil or avocado – Make sure to use a high-heat cooking oil to avoid smoking the oil, and to prevent it from congealing in the fridge.
• Shallots – We’ll thinly slice and deep fry these to make them crunchy.
• Garlic – These get the same treatment as the shallots – crispy garlic is essential to this recipe!
• Ginger – We’ll infuse this into the cooking oil along with the next 2 ingredients
• Star anise pods
• Cinnamon (whole stick)

Chilies & Flavorings

• Gochugaru – These mild red chili flakes are affordable and perfect for adding flavor and color without too much heat
• Red pepper flakes – I used homegrown dried chilies that were extra-spicy, but you can use normal red pepper flakes for a milder chili crisp.
• Sichuan peppercorns – A little goes a long way with these, adding a unique tingly-feeling to the final product
• Roasted peanuts – Another vital ingredient, peanuts add depth and more satisfying texture
• Fermented black soybeans (douchi) – these can be a challenge to find, but I was lucky to seek them out at my local Asian grocery store
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce
• Honey – adding sweetness makes a huge difference in my opinion (for the better), but feel free to omit it if you’re watching your sugar intake
• Sea salt
• MSG – optional but highly recommended for the best flavor

How to Make Chili Crisp

Heat the peanut oil in a medium pot to 300°F over medium-low heat. Use a food thermometer to make sure the temperature is maintained.

While the oil heats, thinly slice the shallots and garlic, making sure they are evenly sliced. I always use a mandoline for this recipe because you need these to be perfectly even in thickness, otherwise they won’t fry evenly.

Add the garlic to the 300°F oil and stir immediately. Fry for 5-7 minutes, or until the garlic is turning light tan in color. Remove with a fine mesh strainer or a spider and place on a dry paper towel to drain. Repeat the process with the sliced shallots until darker brown, 6-8 minutes, then remove and place on the paper towel.

Heat the oil back up to 325°F, then add the sliced ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Fry the aromatics until they turn brown, about 5-6 minutes, then remove and discard.

Add the gochugaru, chili flakes, and ground sichuan peppercorns to a medium heat-proof bowl (I use pyrex glass). Slowly pour the hot oil over the dried chilies (this will cause them to sizzle in a very satisfying way). Stir carefully and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.

After cooling, add the fried shallots and garlic, peanuts, fermented soybeans, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, salt, and msg. Stir to combine, and allow to cool to room temperature. Then, refrigerate for 24 hours before tasting. Enjoy!

Storage and Serving

I recommend storing this chili crisp in the refrigerator and using within 2-3 months. Always use a clean utensil when serving your chili crisp to maintain its freshness!

FYI – Certain cooking oils (like olive oil) will harden in the fridge, but you can easily melt it by warming it to room temperature or briefly microwaving and stirring.

Serve this chili crisp in various ways:

• Drizzled over fried rice
• Added to ramen or phở
• Topping for pizza
• Spice up eggs for breakfast
• Put it on pretty much anything that is bland..

Chili Crisp Video

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• Don’t over-fry the garlic. Garlic burns easily, making it taste bitter. Always keep a close watch on it while frying and stop cooking when it turns a light tan color, not dark brown.
• Don’t skip the honey (unless you have to). Sweetness is a perfect counterpart to the mostly-savory flavors of this chili crisp. The honey balances things out and makes this recipe truly special.
• Let it cool before refrigerating. Never put hot jars in the fridge, or you’ll risk them shattering under the thermal pressure.
• Adjust the heat level. I used homegrown chilies with extra heat because we like extra-spicy food. But if you want a milder crisp, this recipe is just as good when using standard Italian red pepper flakes.