Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. You may know the popular Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp brand, which is the most well known, though other brands are working their way into the market. Many of these are wonderfully flavorful, though I prefer homemade chili crisp. I’ll show you how you can make chili crisp at home, and how you can customize the heat level and ingredients that go into it so you can make it your own, and so much better than anything from the store. It is spicy, salty and savory with an addictive umami, perfect for adding flavor and texture to anything from sandwiches to desserts. You can use the crispy crunchy bits or just the chile oil. You just can’t get enough of it. This is the best chili crisp recipe you’ll ever need, so keep this link in your recipe collection. Once you try it, you’ll never want to be without it again. Perfect for home cooks! Let’s talk about how to make chili crisp, shall we? A neutral vegetable oil is ideal like avocado oil or peanut oil. However, you can make make chili crisp with any oil, such as olive oil or sesame oil. #2. The Crispy Bits. This is the stuff that puts the “crisp” in chili crisp. These ingredients crisp up from cooking in the oil and make it crunchy. Common ingredients include shallot, green or red peppers, garlic and ginger. Dried chili flakes are also common. There are many options. Also popular are nuts for extra crunch, like soy nuts or peanuts. #3. The Seasonings. For flavoring. Your options are only as limited as your imagination. I use Sichuan peppercorns, chili powder, soy sauce, sugar, msg, cinnamon and star anise. Other options include cardamom, extra spicy peppers, herbs, so much more. Simmer on medium-low for 20-30 minutes, or until the ingredients in the pot brown. They will become crispy and golden brown, and quite fragrant. It could take longer for the bits to brown and crisp depending on the size of your chopped peppers and oil temperature. In a separate heat-proof bowl, mix together the chili flakes, paprika (or Gochugaru), soy sauce, sugar and msg. Strain the oil into the chili flake mixture. Reserve the crispy bits in the strainer and set them aside for now to cool, which will allow them to fully crisp up in the air. Pick out the cinnamon stick and star anise pods, then swirl the crispy bits back into the oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors develop even more. Stir before serving. You can use the chili crisp sauce right away, but it gets better after a day or so to develop and intensify that umami flavor profile. Boom! Done! Now you have some wonderful spicy chili crisp to jazz up just about anything you’d like. It’s a zest factor extraordinaire, and huge on flavor, too. I love this recipe so much. New favorite for sure!
Does Chili Crisp Need to be Refrigerated? Storage Information
Chili crisp will last 1 month in the refrigerator stored in a sealed container. It should be refrigerated for longer keeping. Because of the crispy bits in the oil, refrigeration will keep it from going bad more quickly. Note that it may congeal in the refrigerator depending on the oil used, but it will come to room temperature quickly.
Spoon it over grilled or steamed vegetables. Punch up your fried rice. Make gyoza sauce. Swirl it into brothy soups. Scoop it over grilled meats. Add a spoonful to scrambled eggs or over fried eggs - I love chili crisp eggs! Drizzle the oil over ice cream or other sweets. Make awesome chili crisp noodles, Spicy Ramen Noodles, Gochujang Noodles (Spicy Korean Noodles) or other Spicy Noodles!
Or, use any hot chili oil for flavor and drizzling.
Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp Don Chilio Chili Crisp (They sell different heat levels - jalapeno, serrano, and habanero) Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp Momofuku Chili Crunch Buy Chili Crisp
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
Salsa Macha (a Mexican version of chili crisp) How to Make Chili Oil Akabanga: Rwandan Chili Oil Chili Pastes from Around the World How to Make Hot Honey How to Infuse Alcohol with Chili Peppers How to Preserve Peppers in Oil
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 6/24/22 to include new video and information. It was originally published on 2/3/20.
