Chili Crisp

Name: Chili Crisp
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups neutral oil; 2 thinly sliced shallots; 6 minced garlic cloves; 1/4 cup crushed, dry roasted peanuts; 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds; 1 tablespoon gochugaru ((Korean Chili powder)); 2 teaspoons minced ginger; 2 whole star anise; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons mushroom powder (optional); 1 teaspoon white pepper

by Jenny Park · Published: May 12, 2025

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Take your meals to the next level with our bold, crispy, spicy, and completely addicting homemade chili crisp!

Chili crisp in a jar with a spoon tucked in it.

A jar of spicy, crunchy chili crisp can make just about any meal or food crave-worthy, but did you know you can make this crunchy, spicy, umami-packed condiment at home?

Our recipe for chili crisp has a savory umami flavor thanks to shallots, loads of garlic, and mushroom powder plenty of crunch, and a spicy kick that’s seriously addicting. You’ll find us spooning this chili crisp on everything from scrambled eggs to pasta dishes.

The best part is that our recipe takes just 20 minutes to make, using the convenience of gochugaru chili powder instead of having to seed and mince whole chilis. And once you have a batch ready to go, you can enjoy it for up to three months when stored in the refrigerator. As if it would last that long!

What is Chili Crisp?

Chili crisp is an incredibly flavorful condiment made by infusing crispy, crunchy ingredients and spicy chilis in oil. It’s the perfect balance of spicy, savory, and sweet with ingredients like shallots, garlic, star anise, ginger, chili peppers, sesame seeds, and mushroom powder. People all over the country add spoonfuls of chili crisp oil to everything from noodles to pizza and vegetables.

While homemade versions of crispy chili oil have arguably been used in China for centuries, Tao Huabi began bottling her popular chili crisp recipe in the 1990s as Lao Gan Ma, sparking a flavor revolution. Today, there are several brands of chili crisp available to purchase, but we have an incredible homemade crispy chili oil recipe that has all the garlicky, spicy flavor and crunchy crisp you love.

How to Make Chili Crisp?

Ingredients

Process

Combine oil and shallots in a small pot. Place over medium heat and slowly bring temperature to 300˚F.
Fry shallots for 3 to 5 minutes until shallots are lightly toasted and the oil is fragrant.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Set shallots aside.
Pour the oil back into the pot and bring up to 375˚F.

In a mixing bowl, combine garlic, peanuts, pepper flakes, toasted sesame seeds, gochugaru, ginger, and star anise.
Once the oil is hot, pour over the combined ingredients.

Hot oil being poured onto chili crisp ingredients.

Hot oil bubbling in a bowl to make chili crisp.

Allow mixture to sit until all sizzling is complete and has cooled for several minutes.
Stir in sugar, salt, mushroom powder, and white pepper until fully combined.

Fried shallots being stirred into a bowl of chili crisp.

Then, gently fold in fried shallots. Use immediately or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Tips and Tricks for Success

Using a neutral oil is key for allowing the flavors of this crispy chili oil to shine. Grapeseed, canola, light olive oil (not extra-virgin), avocado oil, or safflower oil are all good options.
Try to slice the shallots as evenly as possible to avoid some pieces burning while others are still uncooked.
Monitor the oil temperature, keeping it around 300˚F while frying the shallots and 375˚F for the final pour-over to prevent the shallots from burning and the oil from smoking or changing flavor.
Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go while the oil is heating up since the oil can heat up pretty quickly, and things start to move fast at this step.
While mushroom powder is an optional ingredient, it adds a savory, earthy richness to the chili crisp oil.

Variations

Make this chili crisp recipe peanut-free by using crushed cashews, almonds, or walnuts instead.
Reduce the spice level by using a smaller amount of red pepper flakes.
Add fermented black beans or miso paste for an extra layer of rich, savory flavor.
For extra crunch, add sunflower seeds or whole flaxseeds.
Give your chili crisp more of a sushi-style flavor by adding furikake seasonings, shredded seaweed, or kombu.

Chili crisp with a spoon taking some out of a jar.

How to Properly Store Chili Crisp? For How Long?

For the longest shelf-life, wait for your crispy chili oil to cool completely, then store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. The oil may turn slightly solid when cold, but it will return to oil consistency when brought back to room temperature.

If you plan to use this chili crisp within a week, you may be able to get away with storing it in the pantry, but you’ll run the risk of the fresh ingredients spoiling– so we recommend storing it in the refrigerator either way.

What to Serve with Chili Crisp?

Our spicy chili crisp oil is such a versatile condiment; the better question may be, what can’t you put it on?! But if you need a little inspiration, here are some dishes to drizzle, sprinkle, or scoop this chili crisp on!