Chili Crisp with Fried Garlic

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

A slow, fragrant chili oil built on sesame and olive oil instead of seed oils. The heat is gentle and even, rounded out by the nutty richness of sesame and the crunch of fried garlic. It’s deeply aromatic but never overpowering — a condiment that wakes up everything it touches.

Chili Crisp with Fried Garlic

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup neutral oil (such as avocado)

  • ¼ cup sesame oil
  • ¼ cup Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
  • 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallot
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil and sesame oil over low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook slowly, stirring often, until golden and crisp, about 5–7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the fried garlic and set it aside on a paper towel.
  2. Add the shallot to the same oil and continue cooking until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the gochugaru, sugar or honey, salt, and sesame seeds if using. The oil will sizzle as the chili blooms.
  3. Let the mixture cool completely, then fold the fried garlic back in. Transfer to a clean jar and store at room temperature for up to two weeks, or refrigerate for longer. The flavor deepens with time.