I think we can all agree that Chili Oil makes everything better. This is an easy chili oil made with a mix of chiles—gochugaru (Korean chili pepper), chili flakes, and ground sichuan peppercorns for that numbing spice.
The gochugaru gives this chili oil that bright red huge and also adds a hint of sweetness while the chili flakes adds a nice texture, and the sichuan peppercorns add that distinct numbing spice you only get from these peppercorns.
This one uses all dry ingredients so it requires very minimal preparation. If you want something with lots of garlic, you can check our my Garlic Chili Oil and Chili Garlic Sauce recipes.
WHY DO I NEED TO USE NEUTRAL OIL FOR THIS RECIPE?
Neutral oil works best so it doesn’t overpower the spices and seasonings. I used vegetable oil for mine but you’re free to use other neutral oil like avocado and canola.
Using oils with strong aroma like olive oil can overpower the seasonings so your chili oil could have a strong olive oil taste if you use that. So I highly recommend using neutral oil for this recipe.
WHAT IS GOCHUGARU?
Gochugaru is Korean chili pepper. The one I have below is gochugaru in fine powder form, but you can also find gochugaru in flakes form. I love gochugaru for its milder spice compared to other spices and it’s also a very bright red.
Gochugaru gives this chili oil a beautiful red colour without too much spice. It also has sweet, somewhat fruity notes. I love using gochugaru for a variety of recipes, especially in Korean recipes such as kimchi, stews, and more but it’s very versatile and can be used in other dishes where you want to add mild spice in.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
- gochugaru or Korean Chili Powder, see recipe notes below
- chili flakes or crushed red pepper
- Szechuan pepper (i grounded mine using a mortar and pestle)
- Chinese five spice powder
- sugar
- fine salt
- sesame seeds
- neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, canola, etc)
The full recipe is in the card below 🙂
MAKING THIS CHILI OIL
- Add all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large heatproof bowl. Mix well.
- Meanwhile, heat the neutral oil in a saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear and the oil is hot, around 250F/120C. You can test the heat by dipping a wooden chopstick and it should form bubbles or you can also drop a few chili flakes to see If it immediately sizzles. If it does, it’s good to go.
- Turn off the heat of the pan and then immediately pour in the oil in the chili mix.
- Enjoy the sizzle and then mix everything well. Taste the sediments and feel free to season with more salt and sugarto taste, if needed. If you want more spice, you can add more chili powder/gochugaru.
HOW DO I STORE MY CHILI OIL?
- To store: Leave the mixture to completely cool before transferring to a jar with a lid. Seal tight and store in room temperature in a cool, dry place.
- Important: Use a clean spoon every time you scoop some of the chili oil to prevent any contamination.
- I usually keep mine for 3 to 6 months depending on how fast I consume my chili oil.
ENJOY THIS WITH:
- Your favourite noodles, dipping sauce, stir-fries, and more! You can use the oil for stir-frying or even scoop up some of the sediment and use as a base for your stir-fries or other dishes.
RECIPES YOU MIGHT LOVE WITH YOUR CHILI OIL:
- Spicy Cucumber Salad
- Crispy Wontons
- Vegetable Dumplings
- Japanese Chahan or Fried Rice
- Chinese Chive Pies
- Pan-Fried Cabbage and Noodle Buns
- Wontons in Chili Broth
- Scallion and Sesame Buns
Easy Chili Oil
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp gochugaru Korean Chili Powder, see notes
- 2 tbsp chili flakes or crushed red pepper
- 1-2 tsp Szechuan pepper (i grounded mine using a mortar and pestle), add more or less if you want more of the numbing spice
- 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 cup neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, canola, etc)
Instructions
- Add all the dry ingredients (except the oil) in a large heatproof bowl. Mix well.
- Meanwhile, heat the neutral oil in a saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles start to appear and the oil is hot, around 250F/120C. You can test the heat by dipping a wooden chopstick and it should form bubbles or you can also drop a few chili flakes to see If it immediately sizzles. If it does, it’s good to go. Turn off the heat of the pan and then immediately pour in the oil in the chili mix.
- Enjoy the sizzle and then mix everything well. Taste the sediments and feel free to season with more salt and sugar to taste, if needed. If you want more spice, you can add more chili powder/gochugaru.
- To store: Leave the mixture to completely cool before transferring to a jar with a lid. Seal tight and store in room temperature in a cool, dry place. Use a clean spoon every time you scoop some of the chili oil to prevent any contamination. I usually keep mine for 3 to 6 months depending on how fast I consume my chili oil.
- Use for: Your favourite noodles, dipping sauce, stir-fries, and more! You can use the oil for stir-frying or even scoop up some of the sediment and use as a base for your stir-fries or other dishes.
Notes
Gochugaru
- Gochugaru is Korean Chili Powder. It has sweet notes and is a bright red color that’s also milder than other chiles in terms of spice. This is what gives the chili oil the bright red colour. I also used the finer gochugaru used for cooking since there is a gochugaru in less fine/flakes form.
- You can start with 2 tbsp of gochugaru and increase to 3 tbsp if you want extra heat. It also makes the oil a lot redder so the more gochugaru, the brighter red your oil will be.
Chili Flakes
- For the chili flakes, I actually just used regular chili flakes/crushed pepper. You can also use Chinese or Sichuan chili flakes if you have those.
Dried Chili Storage Tips
- I actually store my dried chiles and chili powders in the freezer since I live in a very hot and humid place. I find that this helps retain freshness and the bright red color that chiles may lose overtime as it gets older.
