Garlic Chili Oil | Two Plaid Aprons (2024)

This homemade garlic chili oil is a great condiment for these pork and chive dumplings and to add to a bowl of cold sesame noodles! The chili oil is spicy, flavorful, and full of crispy garlic bits.

Chili oil is such a versatile condiment that tastes good on pretty much anything! Our garlic chili oil not only add flavor and some kick, it also adds texture. The garlic in the chili oil is slowly simmered to make the oil aromatic, and it also fried the garlic, making them crispy and extra garlicky. This is definitely the chili oil for all garlic lovers!

If you prefer something more aromatic but not so garlicky, try our classic Chinese chili oil instead. It may take a bit longer to make, but it is a flavor bomb.

Ingredient notes

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient quantities!

• Oil - Any neutral oil is fine for making chili oil. Some options are grapeseed oil, canola oil, avocado oil, soybean oil, and peanut oil.
• Garlic - Can't make garlic chili oil without garlic! Of course, it's got to be fresh garlic. We opted for minced garlic, but sliced garlic is okay too. You may need to cool the garlic a bit longer if you wish it to be crispy.
• Chinese chili pepper flakes - We highly recommend gettingChinese ground pepper flakesfrom your local asian market. These pepper flakes in larger packs for a cheaper price and unlike regular crushed red pepper, Chinese ones have less seeds and more of the red pepper. This will give your chili oil better flavor and color. Do note that, the variety of chili pepper you use will determine how spicy your chili oil will be.
• Chili pepper powder - Essentially,Chinese chili pepper powderis added to give the chili oil extra red color. If you prefer, you can useKorean fine chili powder (gochugaru)as substitute. Make sure it's the fine version!
• Chinese black vinegar - It gives the chili oil a little savory flavor and helps deepen the color of the oil.
• Salt and sugar - Some additional seasonings to make the garlic chili oil even more flavorful. We recommend using fine granules of both salt and sugar.

How to make garlic chili oil

Please scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe and instructions!

1. Cook the garlic. Heat the oil to 250°F and add the minced garlic. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the garlic becomes slightly browned and the oil fragrant. Make sure to stir frequently and maintain the heat between 240°F and 260°F!

📝 Note: It is imperative that the garlic is cooked in 250°F oil for at least 3 minutes so that any botulinum bacterium can be killed. This bacteria is what causes botulism and grows in anaerobic environment (environments that lack air), such as oil. So make sure to cook the garlic long enough so that the garlic chili oil is safe to use for more than a couple of days.

2. Cook the pepper. Keeping the temperature at 250°F, add the pepper flakes and ground pepper powder. Stir to combine and cook for about 30 seconds.

3. Add seasonings. Take the chili oil off the heat and add Chinese black vinegar, salt, and sugar. Stir to combine. Be careful when adding the vinegar! The oil will sizzle and bubble profusely.

4. Store. Transfer the garlic chili oil to a sterilized glass jar and let cool completely before covering. The oil will be very hot, so be VERY careful! Or if you prefer, transfer the oil once it's cooled. Please refer to the topics "How to sterilize glass jar" and "Storage" for more info.

Recipe tips

• Maintain the oil temperature between 235°F and 250°F. It is important the temperature is kept within the range so that the garlic doesn't burn and have adequate time to kill off any botulinus bacteria. It'll also prevent the peppers from burning.
• The types of dry chili peppers you use will determine how spicy your chili oil will be. If you want your garlic chili oil to be extra spicy, you could chop up some fresh bird eye chilies and add it to the oil while the garlic are frying.
• Use an extra generous pinch of salt in place of the black vinegar if you prefer.

Storage

When your garlic chili oil is done, pour it into a sterilized jar. You can use glass jars like mason jars or ones with clamps. Make sure to let the chili oil cool completely before cover/ putting a lid on the jar.

Keep the chili oil in a cool, dry place and always use clean utensils! This will allow your chili oil to stay good for as long as possible, up to 5 to 6 months.

How to sterilize glass jar

The easiest way to sterilize yourglass jars or canning jarsfor your homemade chili oil is by boiling them. Just bring a pot of water to a boil and gently submerge the jars into the water completely. Let them simmer for 10 minutes for altitudes of 1000 feet or less and add an additional minute per 1000 feet.

Once they are done boiling, carefully remove the jars and let themcool and dry completelybefore using.

FAQ

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