Chili Oil
Crushed red chile flakes and whole dried chiles come together in this vegan — 60 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and pan. At easy difficulty across 6 steps, it's a good one for a busy evening. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: none of the major allergens we track from the ingredients listed.
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Put the chile flakes, hot paprika, and salt in a heatproof bowl and stir to combine, then set a fine sieve nearby for later.
- Snap the whole dried chiles in half and shake out most of the seeds, then add them to a cold saucepan along with the oil, szechuan peppercorns, smashed garlic cloves, and ginger slices.
- Heat the oil slowly over medium-low so the aromatics infuse gently, watching until the garlic and ginger turn pale golden and the oil reaches about 180 to 190 C / 350 to 375 F.
- Strain out and discard the whole chiles, peppercorns, garlic, and ginger, keeping the clear infused oil hot.
- Carefully pour the hot oil over the chile flake mixture in two or three additions; it should sizzle and foam, blooming the flakes without scorching them, so pause if it darkens too fast.
- Stir well and let the chili oil cool completely to room temperature, then transfer to a clean dry jar and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.
You'll use: Saucepan · Pan
Tips & common questions
How long does Chili Oil take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Chili Oil vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Chili Oil is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Chili oil.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.