Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil

Our homemade Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil is the most fragrant way to spice up any meal! It’s AMAZING drizzled over your favorite dishes and can be made in under 10 minutes with only five ingredients! The best part? It stores well for MONTHS!

For a spicy kick with Vietnamese flavors, try our Sa Tế (Lemongrass Chili Sauce)!

Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil in a bowl with a wooden spoon next to it.

The only spicy oil recipe you’ll need

While our pantry is always stocked with a bottle of emergency supermarket chili oil, I often find that I’m sacrificing flavor for convenience. Sure, they all seem promising with their bright red color, but it doesn’t go beyond that initial hot kick.

Now, if you want a heat that’ll REALLY rock your taste buds, you have to try our homemade Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil! Just one teaspoon and your mouth will explode with a warmth that lingers all the way to your lips.

A that’s not all. We infuse our oil with aromatics including garlic and the signature mouth-numbing peppercorns so you can trust that every ingredient is scorched hot until the oil’s packed with flavor. Imagine that drizzled on your favorite dishes!

Make this recipe yours

The best thing about anything homemade is that you can customize it to however you like. You can always adjust the measurements to your preference for a hotter, milder or more mouth-numbing experience.

Here are some other ways to amp up this recipe:

Mix in your favorite dry ingredients

Whole or crushed peanuts. If you want a beautiful nuttiness and crunch, add in a few peanuts to the dry spices.
Toasted sesame seeds. Putting even just a teaspoon of toasted white sesame seeds will give it an incredibly potent nutty flavor.
Toasted star anise. This adds a subtle sweetness with a hint of licorice. It also has a mild pepperiness which can complement the spice.
Toasted Chinese cinnamon bark. Slightly spicy, this ingredient will add warmth and sweetness.
Toasted dried bay leaves. These can infuse a pleasant bitterness to that is similar to the aroma found in herbal dishes.

Add fresh aromatics

Ginger. Other than its health benefits, throwing in a few slices of ginger to the mix is great for getting an extra layer of warmth.
Spring onions/Scallions. Once cooked through, the punch of fresh spring onions will disappear but you’ll be left with a hint of sweetness and a great crunchy texture.

To let every ingredient really shine, wait for a few hours after they’ve been cooked so the flavors intensify.

How do you eat Garlic Chili Oil?

The greatest thing about making your own sauces and oils is that you can use them to jazz up any meal. The easiest way to enjoy this one is by pouring 1-2 teaspoons (or more) over your favorite noodle, rice, meat or vegetable dishes.

But you can really have it with anything! Here are some of the ways we use it (except for the one we came across on the Internet!):

Use it as a dip for dumplings (fried, steamed or boiled).
Marinate it meat with it, then cook the protein as you see fit.
Spoon a few teaspoons over cooked egg (I love mine over a fried sunny side up egg with Scallion Oil Noodles (葱油拌面).
Mix it through a salad dressing.
Pour it over some ice cream – this was a viral trend that happened when McDonald’s released their spicy chili oil ice cream sundae!

There’s really no limit. It’s even great on pasta, pizza, sandwiches or as a gifted as an edible gift. Trust me, after you try making it, you won’t ever go for store-bought anymore!

Chopsticks holding up a dumpling hovering over Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil.

Why this recipe works

Using your favorite nuts and seeds adds texture to every bite which then becomes infused with aromatics.
You can add as much (or as little) chili powder as you like to make the spice level perfect for you.
Garlic adds a fragrant kick that works perfectly with the dry spices.

What you’ll need

A bowl of chili powder and flakes, salt and chopped garlic.

About the spices

There are many versions of chili flakes and powders and any will work, but if you can get your hands on the Sichuan variety for each, that would be ideal.

How to make this recipe

Mix up the chili flakes, chili powder, chopped garlic and salt in a heatproof bowl. You will be pouring hot oil into it, so it MUST be able to withstand the heat without breaking.

A pot of oil with Sichuan peppercorns in it.

Pour the cold oil into a small pot, then add the Sichuan peppercorns in and bring it to smoking point.

Note: The time required will depend on your oil and your stove, but a general rule of thumb is when you can see it just start to show smoke or if it bubbles when a wooden chopstick is placed in the oil, it’s ready.

A bowl of dried spices with a pot of oil being poured over it.

Pour the hot oil into the mixture of spices. Be careful because it will bubble and spit!

Stir gently and let it cool before enjoying immediately as is!

FAQs

What do you do with the leftover sauce?

Store, then drizzle it over anything when you feel like it! You can add an addictive kick to your meals with just a small spoonful.
Our family even enjoys tossing it in stir fries including Crispy Pork Belly Stir Fried with Asian Greens, Pea Shoots and Garlic and Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd.

What’s the best way to store it?

Seal it in a air-tight jar (preferably glass, unless you want to scrub vigorously to remove it from a plastic container) and it will store for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Make sure to only use clean and dry spoons to scoop into the container, otherwise you would be inviting unnecessary bacteria growth.

Which type of oil do I use?

There are two main factors that contribute to its success: (1) the smoke point and (2) its taste.
To highlight the chili flavor (and any other ingredients you add), it’s important to choose an oil with a neutral flavor. You also need it to have a high smoke point to ensure that there’s enough heat to instantly cook everything in the bowl.
Here are some oils that are neutral in taste and have a high smoke point:
– Peanut
– Vegetable
– Canola
– Grapeseed
– Rice bran

Tips for the best results

Let it rest for a few hours before serving. That way, the aromatics have a chance to infuse deeply into the oil for more flavor.
Use good-quality Sichuan products. Fresh Sichuan chili flakes and powder will complement the aromatics in this oil well.
Add more aromatics. The more you put in, the more fragrant it will become.

Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil in a bowl with a wooden spoon in it.

Make every meal a fantastic one!

Here are our FAVORITE ways to enjoy this phenomenal sauce:

Dried Scallop and Egg White Fried Rice (瑤柱蛋白炒飯) – This recipe is simple and delicious, which is the perfect base for a spicy hit.
Taiwanese Pork Belly Bao (Gua Bao) – Served in large groups, these handheld appetizers are the best place to let your guests add extra flavor to their liking.
Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞) – No chicken should be served without a sauce to take it up a notch!
Wonton Egg Noodle Soup – Chinese soups are the ultimate way to let a sauce shine.
Chinese Garlic Butter Beef (蒜子牛柳) – Easy and humble, Dad’s recipe can be jazzed up with the spicy kick!

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