Recipe

Homemade Chili Crisp (Crunchy Style)

Crunchy, spicy, savory chili crisp with crispy shallots and garlic, toasted chilis, and a numbing Sichuan peppercorn kick. Spoon it on noodles, dumplings, eggs, and rice.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.9

A real photo of a small glass jar filled with deep red homemade chili crisp with visible crispy garlic and shallot bits, set on a kitchen counter with a spoon resting beside it

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Chili crisp is the condiment I keep within arm’s reach when I want dinner to taste like I tried harder than I did. It is spicy, yes, but the real magic is the crunch. Crispy shallots and garlic, toasty dried chilis, and those little Sichuan peppercorns that make your tongue go, “Wait, is this… tingling?”

If you have made chili oil before, this is its louder cousin. Chili oil is mainly infused oil. Chili crisp is infused oil plus a pile of fried, crunchy bits you actually want to scoop up.

We are going to do this the reliable way: fry aromatics low and slow until golden and crisp, pour hot oil over a chili mix to bloom the flavor, then stir the crunch back in. It is simple, satisfying, and just chaotic enough to be fun.

A real photo of thinly sliced shallots gently frying in a small saucepan of oil, turning pale golden with tiny bubbles rising to the surface

Why It Works

Big flavor without weird ingredients. Most items are pantry-friendly, and the specialty pieces like Sichuan peppercorns are easy to find online or in many grocery stores now.
Crunch you can control. Frying the shallots and garlic separately keeps them from burning and gives you that snackable crisp texture.
Better balance than store-bought. You choose the heat level, sweetness, and salt so it hits your exact “Okay, wow” zone.
It upgrades everything. Noodles, dumplings, eggs, rice, roasted veggies, even a sad leftover chicken breast.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Jar it up: Spoon the cooled chili crisp into a clean glass jar. Make sure the crunchy bits are mostly submerged in oil to help them stay fresher.

Fridge: Best within 2 to 4 weeks for peak crunch. It can last up to 1 month refrigerated if handled cleanly, but quality (and crunch) will slowly fade.
Room temperature: Not recommended for this recipe. Between the garlic and shallots and the addition of soy sauce and vinegar, keep it refrigerated for best quality and peace of mind.

Keep it crisp: Always use a clean, dry spoon. Water is the enemy here.

Oil level check: If the top looks dry after a few uses, drizzle in a bit more neutral oil to re-submerge the solids.

Food safety note: Discard immediately if you see mold, bubbling, or notice an off smell.

Common Questions

Is chili crisp the same as chili oil?

No. Chili oil is mostly infused oil. Chili crisp includes the infused oil plus a generous amount of fried crunchy aromatics and chili flakes that you scoop up and eat.

How spicy is this?

Medium-hot as written, but it depends a lot on your chilis. Crushed red pepper flakes and whole dried chilis vary wildly by brand and type. For milder chili crisp, use fewer dried chilis and add more mild chili flakes like Korean gochugaru. For hotter, add extra crushed red pepper or a small amount of cayenne.

What dried chilis should I use?

Use what you can find, but know the heat level changes. Chile de árbol is common and pretty punchy. Tien Tsin chilis are great too. If you are unsure, start with the lower amount and you can always add more flakes next batch.

Can I skip Sichuan peppercorns?

You can. You will lose the signature numbing tingle, but it will still be delicious. If you do use them, lightly crush them and consider sifting out any gritty black husks if your peppercorns are very woody. For extra aroma, toast them briefly in a dry pan, then crush.

Why did my garlic turn bitter?

Garlic goes from golden to burnt fast. Keep the heat at medium-low and pull the garlic as soon as it is light golden. Remember it continues to darken a bit from residual heat.

Do I have to strain the aromatics out first?

For this style, yes. Straining lets you stop the cooking at the exact right moment, and it keeps any browned bits from overcooking. Then you stir the crisp bits back in at the end.

What oil should I use?

Use a neutral oil like avocado, grapeseed, canola, or peanut. Extra virgin olive oil is not ideal here because the flavor is strong and it can smoke sooner at frying temps, which is not the vibe for chili crisp.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Small saucepan or small deep skillet
Fine mesh strainer
Heatproof bowl (ceramic or metal)
Wooden spoon or chopsticks for stirring
Instant read thermometer (optional but helpful)
Clean glass jar with lid for storage

The first time I made chili crisp at home, I was convinced I would burn something, set off the smoke alarm, and end up eating plain noodles in shame. What actually happened was worse for my self control. I kept “taste testing” the crispy shallots like they were chips, then I started spooning the finished chili crisp onto everything I walked past. Eggs, rice, leftover chicken, a random piece of toast. The jar did not even make it a full week. Now I treat it like a kitchen staple, right next to salt. You know, the essentials.

Homemade Chili Crisp (Crunchy Style)

(4.9 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings About 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

Chili mix

1/2 cup crushed red pepper flakes (or a mix of 1/4 cup crushed red pepper + 1/4 cup Korean gochugaru for a rounder heat)
8 to 12 dried red chilis (such as chile de árbol or Tien Tsin), stemmed and snipped into pieces (optional for extra punch)
1 1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp granulated sugar (optional, but it helps balance)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste

Aromatics and oil

1 cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, canola, or peanut)
3 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 heaping cup)
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or finely chopped
2 tbsp minced fresh ginger (optional but excellent)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar or rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

Optional add-ins: 1 small cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, or 1 bay leaf for a warmer, spiced background note while the oil heats. Remove before mixing.

Allergen note: Contains soy and sesame. If using peanut oil, that is an additional allergen.

Instructions

Set up your bowls. In a heatproof bowl, combine the crushed red pepper flakes, dried chili pieces (if using), crushed Sichuan peppercorns, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt. For safety, also add the soy sauce and vinegar here now. It looks a little odd, but it prevents scary splattering later. Keep the bowl near the stove.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a second heatproof bowl for the fried aromatics. You are draining the shallots and garlic here. The oil stays in the saucepan for blooming.
Fry the shallots. Add the neutral oil to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sliced shallots and stir to separate. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots are light golden and starting to look dry and crisp around the edges.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to the strainer to drain. They will deepen in color as they cool.
Fry the garlic and ginger. In the same oil, add the garlic and cook 2 to 4 minutes over medium-low, stirring constantly, until just barely golden. If using ginger, add it during the last 60 seconds so it does not scorch. Transfer garlic and ginger to the strainer to drain with the shallots.
Bloom the chili mix with hot oil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the oil cool for 1 to 2 minutes so it is hot but not raging. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 300°F to 325°F for a safer, less-bitter bloom. (Up to 350°F can work, but it is easier to scorch small chili pieces.)
Carefully pour the hot oil over the chili mixture in the first bowl. It should sizzle and smell incredible. Stir well. If the oil smokes or the chilis darken fast, stop and let the oil cool longer next time. Bitter is not the goal.
Finish the seasoning. Stir in the toasted sesame oil. Taste when it cools slightly, then adjust salt if needed. If you want maximum crunch, keep the soy sauce and vinegar on the lighter side since water-based ingredients can soften the crispy bits over time.
Add the crisp bits. Once the fried shallots and garlic are fully cooled and crisp, stir them into the chili oil base. If you want extra crunch, crush some of the shallots gently with your spoon as you mix.
Cool and jar. Let the chili crisp cool completely, then transfer to a clean jar (a 12 to 16 oz jar fits well). Refrigerate. Try not to eat half of it standing at the counter, but also, no judgment if you do.

How to serve it

Noodles: Toss with soy sauce, vinegar, a little sugar, and a big spoonful of chili crisp.
Dumplings: Mix chili crisp with a splash of black vinegar for an instant dip.
Eggs: Spoon over fried eggs, soft scrambled eggs, or a jammy boiled egg.
Rice: Stir into hot rice with scallions and cucumbers for a low-effort rice bowl.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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