Chili crisp is the secret ingredient every kitchen needs to spice up your dishes effortlessly. It’s a mix of crispy shallots, garlic, ginger, fiery chili flakes and sesame seeds that will add the best flavor to any dish!
Asian sauces are the best! They’re packed with so much flavor and make every meal a 10! Try these recipes next: sweet chili sauce, yakitori sauce, yum yum sauce, and homemade hoisin!
Chili Crisp Recipe
Meet chili crisp! It’s like a magic potion of crispy shallots, garlic, chili flakes, and a bunch of tasty seasonings. Just like those trusty pantry staples you keep around, chili crisp is your secret weapon to instantly elevate your dishes. Whether you’re stir-frying, roasting, or even just tossing it into a bowl of noodles, this fiery sauce is the best thing to have on hand.
Imagine you’ve got your favorite stir-fry sizzling in the pan, and with just a spoonful of chili crisp, you transform it from ordinary to extraordinary. It’s that little extra something that takes your cooking to the next level. So, keep a jar of chili crisp in your pantry. You can thank me later!
What’s the Difference Between Chili Crisp and Chili Oil?
They have a similar flavor, although chili crisp is a little more complex. The difference lies in the texture, as chili oil is more smooth while chili crisp has tasty chunks of fried shallot and garlic inside!
Ingredients Needed to Make It
These are the ingredients that make our chili crisp so tasty. Each one adds its own special flavor! (Exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of the post!)
- Vegetable Oil: This oil is the foundation of the chili crisp. It helps fry up the shallots and garlic and makes them super flavorful. It also makes the sauce nice and smooth.
- Shallots and Garlic: These put the crisp in chili crisp. Sliced thin and fried until they’re golden and yummy, they give it an extra crunch and tasty savory flavor.
- Cinnamon Sticks and Star Anise: Bring a warm, cozy flavor to the sauce.
- Chili Flakes and Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes): Regular chili flakes and Korean gochugaru team up to give our chili crisp its fiery kick and red color. If you’re having trouble finding gochugaru, check out your local Asian market!
- Sichuan Peppercorns: Ground Sichuan peppercorns are the flavor booster here. They add a zingy, citrusy twist to the spiciness.
- Ginger: For a fresh and tangy kick.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: These seeds bring a toasty, nutty flavor to the mix.
- Salt and Sugar: Salt makes everything taste better, and sugar adds a touch of sweetness to even out the spice.
- MSG (Optional): If you’re into it, MSG amps up the deliciousness with an extra umami boost. But hey, it’s cool if you want to skip it too!
How Do You Make Spicy Chili Crisp?
Ready to make the most flavorful and delicious oil to add to your favorite dishes? Let’s get started! Chili crisp is super easy to make and has a nice, long shelf life. You’re going to love having it in your kitchen arsenal.
- Fry: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in the shallots, garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise and fry until the garlic and shallots have become a crispy golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Strain: Strain out the shallots, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon. Discard the cinnamon and star anise then set the crispy shallots and garlic aside.
- Combine Seasonings: In a large heat-proof bowl mix together the chili flakes, gochugaru, sichuan peppercorns, ginger, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and also MSG if using.
- Pour Oil Over Mixture: Pour the hot oil over the spices, then add the crispy shallots and garlic. Stir together so everything is combined. Allow the chili crisp to cool to room temperature before pouring into a jar, or storage container of your choice.
- Store: Store the chili crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Ingredient Substitutions
There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe that might be difficult to find. If you have an Asian market nearby, that would be a great place to check out! If you’re still out of luck, you can make a few substitutions!
- Chili Flakes: Replace gochugaru with regular chili flakes, making it a total of 1/2 cup regular chili flakes you use in the recipe.
- Peppercorns: Replace ground Sichuan peppercorn with regular black pepper. It will add a similar pop of flavor, your chili crisp just won’t be as bright and zesty.
Storing Leftovers
So your chili crisp stays nice and fresh, keep it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 months! It’s so nice to have on hand, you can just add a spoonful of the oil and shallots to level up any savory dish!
Ways to Use Chili Crisp
Add it to a stir-fry, bowl of noodles, fried rice, the options are endless! Chili crisp is the best way to add extra flavor and texture to your favorite Asian dishes.
Dinner
Easiest Vegetable Stir Fry
15 mins
Dinner
Easiest Pad Thai
25 mins
Asian
Chicken Lo Mein
35 mins
Side Dishes
Easy Fried Rice
35 mins
Chili Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 shallots thinly sliced
- 6 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole star anise
- ¼ cup chili flakes
- ¼ cup gochugaru Korean chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon ground sichuan peppercorn
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon MSG optional
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add in the shallots, garlic, cinnamon stick, and star anise and fry until the garlic and shallots have become a crispy golden brown, about 10 minutes.
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Strain out the shallots, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon. Discard the cinnamon and star anise and set the crispy shallots and garlic aside.
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In a large heat-proof bowl mix together the chili flakes, gochugaru, sichuan pepper, ginger, sesame seeds, salt, sugar, and MSG if using.
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Pour the hot oil over the spices, add the crispy shallots and garlic. Stir together to combine. Allow the chili crisp to cool to room temperature before pouring into a jar, or storage container of your choice.
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Store the chili crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Notes
Replace gochugaru with regular chili flakes, making it a total of 1/2 cup regular chili flakes you use in the recipe.
Replace ground sichuan peppercorn with regular black pepper.
