🌶️ Homemade Chilli Oil
Fragrant, spicy, garlicky, and packed with deep toasted flavor, this Homemade Chilli Oil is an easy way to add a fiery kick to almost anything. Dried chilli flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, and warm spices are infused with mustard oil, then finished with soy sauce for a savory, aromatic condiment.
Spoon it over noodles, dumplings, fried rice, eggs, roasted vegetables, grilled meats, or use it as a dipping sauce.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cooling Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: About 1 cup
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Stovetop Infusion
🛒 Ingredients
- ½ cup chilli flakes — about 45–50 g
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- ½ cup mustard oil — 120 ml
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce — 15 ml
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Chilli Mixture
Place the chilli flakes, salt, sesame seeds, and sugar in a heatproof bowl.
Stir everything together until evenly combined.
Use a bowl large enough to safely accommodate the hot oil and bubbling mixture.
2. Heat the Mustard Oil
Pour the mustard oil into a small saucepan.
Add the bay leaves, star anise, and cinnamon stick.
Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot and fragrant.
If using strong mustard oil, heating it until it just begins to smoke and then removing it from the heat helps mellow its sharp raw flavor. Let it cool briefly before proceeding.
Do not leave hot oil unattended.
3. Infuse the Spices
Reduce the heat to low and allow the spices to gently infuse the oil for about 2–3 minutes.
The oil should become fragrant, but the spices should not burn.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
4. Add the Garlic
Carefully add the garlic paste to the hot oil.
Stir gently and allow it to cook in the residual heat for about 30–60 seconds.
Be careful—the garlic and moisture can cause the hot oil to splatter.
5. Pour the Hot Oil Over the Chilli Mixture
Slowly pour the hot infused oil over the bowl of chilli flakes and sesame seeds.
Pour gradually rather than all at once.
The chilli mixture should sizzle immediately as the hot oil hits it.
Stir carefully with a heatproof spoon to distribute the oil evenly.
6. Add the Soy Sauce
Allow the chilli oil to cool for several minutes.
Once it has stopped aggressively bubbling, stir in the soy sauce.
Mix thoroughly until the soy sauce is evenly distributed throughout the chilli oil.
7. Cool and Store
Allow the chilli oil to cool completely at room temperature.
Transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight glass jar.
For the best flavor, let it sit for several hours before using. The spices and chilli flakes will continue to infuse the oil as it rests.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Use a heatproof bowl: Hot oil can cause ordinary bowls or containers to crack.
Don’t burn the chilli flakes: Extremely hot oil can scorch the chilli and make the finished oil bitter. If the oil is smoking heavily, let it cool slightly before pouring.
Watch the garlic carefully: Garlic paste contains moisture, so it can splatter when it hits hot oil.
Adjust the heat: For milder chilli oil, replace part of the chilli flakes with crushed sweet paprika or use a milder dried chilli.
For extra texture: Add a tablespoon of roasted peanuts, crushed cashews, or fried shallots.
Let it rest: The flavor becomes deeper and more balanced after several hours of infusion.
🌶️ Easy Variations
Extra-Hot Chilli Oil
Add ½–1 teaspoon crushed dried bird’s-eye chillies or another very hot dried chilli.
Crispy Garlic Chilli Oil
Add additional finely minced garlic and gently fry it until golden before combining with the chilli mixture.
Sichuan-Style Chilli Oil
Add 1–2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns to the spice infusion for a fragrant, tingly flavor.
Smoky Chilli Oil
Replace part of the chilli flakes with smoked chilli flakes or smoked paprika.
Peanut Chilli Oil
Stir in 2 tablespoons roasted, finely chopped peanuts after the oil has cooled slightly.
🍜 How to Use Chilli Oil
This homemade chilli oil is delicious with:
- Dumplings and wontons
- Noodles and ramen
- Fried rice
- Stir-fried vegetables
- Eggs and omelets
- Grilled chicken or beef
- Roasted potatoes
- Spring rolls
- Bao buns
- Soups
- Rice bowls
- Sandwiches and wraps
A spoonful can transform a simple bowl of noodles or rice into something much more flavorful.
🧊 Storage & Food Safety
Because this recipe contains garlic and oil, storage requires extra care.
For the safest home storage, refrigerate the finished chilli oil promptly in a clean, airtight container and use it within 4 days. Keep it refrigerated at 40°F/4°C or below.
Do not store homemade garlic-in-oil mixtures at room temperature for extended periods, as they can create conditions favorable to botulism-causing bacteria.
If you want to keep the oil longer, make a batch without fresh garlic or garlic paste, and refrigerate it according to the ingredients used.
🌶️ Final Result
This Homemade Chilli Oil is spicy, aromatic, savory, and incredibly versatile.
The combination of chilli flakes, sesame seeds, garlic, mustard oil, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and soy sauce creates a bold condiment that brings instant heat and flavor to everyday meals.
A little goes a long way — but you’ll probably want to put it on everything! 🌶️🥢✨