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5.0 from 6 votes

Homemade Garlic Chili Oil Recipe

Get the secrets of creating BOLD flavors in your homemade garlic chili oil with simple ingredients and a FOOLPROOF method so easy, even beginners don't need to worry about burning aromatics. Trust me, this beginner-friendly chili oil recipe is the last one you'll ever need!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Calories: 52 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Asian , Chinese

Ingredients

  • 2 shallots minced
  • 1 head of garlic minced
  • 10 - 15 Thai chilies thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup + 3/4 cup neutral oil divided
  • 1/2 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns toasted & ground
  • 1/4 cup Sichuan chili flakes*
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • pinch of 5 Spice
  • 2 1/4 tablespoon light soy sauce

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a medium size pan on medium low heat and add ½ cup oil. Add in shallots and cook until they're lightly golden along the edges. They will continue to become golden as it cooks, but we don’t want them to burn later in the process.
  2. Reduce heat to lowest setting and wait until there are no oil bubbles forming before adding in garlic. Allow garlic to slowly infuse in the oil, about 20 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure garlic doesn’t turn brown or turn crispy. They should turn very soft and still pale.
  3. Meanwhile, in a mortar and pestle, add Thai chilies and salt. Grind until chilies break down, but just before becoming a paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can salt Thai chilies on a cutting board and run your knife through the salted chilies multiple times until it's very finely minced. Set aside.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine Szechuan peppers, chili flakes, sugar, and 5 spice. Set aside.
  5. In the pan, add soy sauce and mix well with the garlic and shallots. Add in the salted Thai chilies and cook for another 10 minutes, watching carefully so it doesn't burn.
  6. Bring heat to medium, then add spices and remaining 3/4 cup oil. Stir fry for another 10 seconds or so, watching carefully that the chili flakes aren’t turning too dark. Turn off heat, let chili oil cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Transfer to a sanitized airtight container and enjoy up to 3 months!

Notes

  • Since this recipe cooks at a low temperature, you shouldn’t need to worry about overheating, but as a general rule of thumb, color and smell are your key indicators for overheating. 
  • Shallots
  • should be lightly golden before adding garlic. Keep in mind they'll continue to deepen in color while cooking the rest of the ingredients and you don't want it burnt by the end. 
  • should remain a pale color while you infuse the warm oil with its flavor. If the edges begin to turn golden, turn down the heat because you don't want it to turn bitter while you finish cooking.
  • This is the BEST part about making it at home! Adjust the flavors to how you like it - more garlicky, less spicy, etc.
  • Sichuan Chili Flakes: You can get them in a variety of coarseness, however, my favorite is coarse instead of a fine powder because it included the seeds for more heat. Alternatively, you can use gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), however, keep in mind it'll be much milder in flavor in heat. Avoid using Italian crushed red pepper flakes because they're much easier to turn dark, burn, and/or make your chili oil bitter.
  • Serving Size: This recipe yields about 1 1/2 cups of chili oil and you can multiply the recipe using the slider above. The nutrition facts account for 1 tablespoon of chili oil per serving.
  • Maximizing Flavor from the Aromatics: Cook the oil low and slow to maximize flavor and avoid burning the ingredients.
  • Pro-Tip to Avoid Burnt Chili Flakes: Warm the oil enough to release the natural oils in the chili flakes, but not too hot to avoid burning them.
  • Warning Signs of Overheating: Since this recipe cooks at a low temperature, you shouldn’t need to worry about overheating, but as a general rule of thumb, color and smell are your key indicators for overheating. 
  • Shallots should be lightly golden before adding garlic. Keep in mind they'll continue to deepen in color while cooking the rest of the ingredients and you don't want it burnt by the end.  Garlic should remain a pale color while you infuse the warm oil with its flavor. If the edges begin to turn golden, turn down the heat because you don't want it to turn bitter while you finish cooking.
  • Shallots should be lightly golden before adding garlic. Keep in mind they'll continue to deepen in color while cooking the rest of the ingredients and you don't want it burnt by the end. 
  • Garlic should remain a pale color while you infuse the warm oil with its flavor. If the edges begin to turn golden, turn down the heat because you don't want it to turn bitter while you finish cooking.
  • Create Deep Smoky Flavor with ONE Ingredient: Steep soy sauce in the warm garlic oil for a smoky umami flavor.
  • Don't Be Afraid to Adjust & Experiment: This is the BEST part about making it at home! Adjust the flavors to how you like it - more garlicky, less spicy, etc.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1tablespoon Calories 52kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 2g (1%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 5g (8%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Sodium 186mg (8%) Potassium 73mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 817IU (16%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 11mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 52

% Daily Value*

Serving 1tablespoon
Calories 52kcal 3%
Carbohydrates 2g 1%
Protein 1g 2%
Fat 5g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 186mg 8%
Potassium 73mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 817IU 16%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.