• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Pups with Chopsticks logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • How-To
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Ingredients
  • How-To
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Ingredients
    • How-To
    • About
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sauces/Rubs/Salsas/Dips

    Miso Garlic Chili Oil

    Published: Jul 6, 2021 • Modified: Mar 18, 2022 • Author: Joyce • 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    A quick and easy-to-make homemade miso garlic chili oil recipe, made with shallots, garlic, Sichuan chili powder, and miso for an umami boost. A great condiment to use on rice, noodles, vegetables, or dumplings!

    A plate with a spoonful of miso garlic chili oil on a wooden table.
    Chili oil is a staple in most Asian households and is a very versatile condiment that can be used to enhance almost anything. Any family that makes their own chili oil has their own rendition with different spices and everyone has a different preference when it comes to how it should taste.

    This version of garlic chili oil is not your traditional chili oil. It has a bit more substance from the miso and is partially inspired by one of my favorite chili oils which comes from a local congee restaurant - it's garlicky, salty with a hint of onion and I put it on everything.

    Garlic Chili Oil Ingredients and Subtitutions

    Ingredients for garlic chili oil (chili flakes, shallot, garlic, oil, miso, sugar, soy sauce, sesame seeds)
    • Chili Flakes - I like to use Sichuan chili flakes (not to be confused for Sichuan pepper/peppercorns) for this recipe because it gives the most flavor and color to the chili oil, which you can find at a Chinese grocery store. That being said, in a pinch I have also used red pepper flakes as well and it worked fine. Make sure you are using chili flakes and not cayenne pepper. The chilis should be coarse and not a fine powder.
    • Garlic - This is one of the main flavors of this chili oil, so there is a lot of it!
    • Miso - To give this chili oil a bit of substance, I added miso to it. It gives it a nice salty umami kick, along with some miso flavor. I use white miso (shiro) so that it doesn't overpower all the other flavors.
    • Oil - Use flavorless neutral oil to make chili oil. I like to use avocado oil since it has a high smoking point and is healthier than most oil but you can also use canola oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil. I don't recommend using olive oil for this recipe since it has a low smoking point and a strong flavor to it which can overpower the chili oil.
    • Shallots - Frying the shallots in the oil before adds a hint of onion flavor that I feel really enhances this chili oil. I highly recommend this ingredient. If you can't find shallots, you can use any type of small onion instead.
    • Soy Sauce - I use light soy sauce for this recipe since the miso provides the bulk of the sodium. The soy sauce gives the chili oil some more umami flavors but it's mostly used to thin out the miso so that it can be mixed with the chili oil more evenly.
    • Sugar - Adding a little sugar balances out the saltiness of the chili oil and gives it a bit more flavor.
    • Sesame Seeds - I like to add toasted sesame seeds to the oil for a bit of texture and substance. If your sesame seeds are raw (pale yellow in color), toast them in the pan for a few minutes until they are golden brown to bring out the nuttiness flavor before adding it to the garlic chili oil mix
    • Sesame Oil (Optional) - I like to add a bit of sesame oil at the very end for more flavor. It is an optional ingredient. If you do use this, make sure to mix it in at the very end. I find that cooking or applying heat to sesame oil, makes it lose a bit of flavor.

    What Type of Chilies to Use

    A plate showing 3 different types of chili flakes (Sichuan chili powder, red pepper flakes, Chinese chili flakes)

    This is a very versatile condiment and to be honest, there is no right or wrong type of dried chilis for this recipe. The type of dried chilis will be dependent on how you like your chili oil. Some chili flakes are more flavorful, but not very spicy and some chili flakes are more on the spicy side without a lot of flavor. You can mix and match your chili flakes or use one kind. I highly recommend experimenting with the different types of chili flakes until you find the one you like. I personally like the Sichuan chili powder because it has a bit more flavor and it is not very spicy.

    • Red Pepper Flakes - If you cannot find Sichuan Chili Flakes/Powder, you can definitely use the red pepper flakes you find at your local grocery store. It is usually made with a mix of chili flakes most commonly cayenne pepper and it works just as well. I use it when I'm out of Sichuan chili powder and I don't have time to go to the grocery store. I find that from the 3 chilis listed here, it usually has the least amount of flavor but it is the spiciest of the 3 types of chili flakes on this list but this will vary depending on the brand.
    • Chinese Chili Flakes - These are almost the same as Sichuan chili powder, except they are in larger flakes so it has a bit more texture. You can use solely this type of chili for this ingredient if you want a bit more texture to your sauce. It has almost the same amount of flavor as the Sichuan chili powder and it is also not very spicy.
    • Sichuan Chili Powder - This is a mix of Sichuan chili flakes and finely ground chili pepper powder. I find it has the most flavor from the 3 and it is not very spicy. If you like your chili oil spicier, you can mix in a bit of cayenne into it.

    How to Make Chili Oil

    You can make chili oil with a few easy steps! It is one of the easiest recipes to do, and the condiment you create in the end will give you a tasty way to spice up any dish you like!

    1. Pre-mix the soy sauce with the miso until it thins out the miso.
      A small bowl with miso and soy sauce premixed together. Another bowl with the dried chili oil ingredients to show the process
    2. Add the rest of the dry ingredients (except the garlic and shallots) into a heat-safe bowl. Mix the thinned-out miso with the dry ingredients until it is evenly mixed in with the dry ingredients.
    3. Grate the garlic and add it at the very top in a thin layer on top of the ingredients
      A metal bowl with all the chili oil ingredients mixed together with a thin layer of raw garlic on top in preparation of adding the hot oil.
    4. Finely chop the shallots and set them aside for later.
    5. In a small pot, add in the oil and chopped shallots. Set the stove to medium heat. Cook the shallots until it becomes a golden brown color.
    6. Once the shallots are golden brown, pour the boiling oil into the bowl of ingredients, focusing on pouring it over the raw garlic to cook it slightly to remove the garlic bite.
    7. Let it cool before transferring it to a glass jar and store it in the fridge or use it right away.

    How to Use Chili Oil

    Chili oil is a very versatile condiment and depending on how spicy you make it you can put it on many different dishes to enhance the flavors. Remember to mix the oil with the chili flakes together before using it to get the most flavor out of it.

    Here are a few things I love drizzling it on:

    • Plain white rice -  Mixing this chili garlic sauce with plain white rice is my favorite way of flavoring my rice to give it a bit of a kick.
    • Dumplings - Drizzling it on dumplings along with a bit of soy sauce on both pan-fried and boiled dumplings is usually the only way I eat them.
    • Noodles - Garlic chili oil can transfer almost any noodle dish and give it a wonderful flavor boost! I like to add this into soup noodles by mixing it directly into the soups, and I like to add this to boiled and stir-fried noodles as well to give it a flavor boost.
    • Vegetables - Whether it's oven-roasted, steamed, or boiled, I love drizzling a bit of chili oil to my vegetables for a bit more flavor and spice. Sometimes when I'm pressed for time, I will mix this in with raw chopped veggies as a quick and easy garlic miso sauce, almost like a mild salad dressing.
    • Dim Sum - If you have dim sum at home, you can set aside some chili oil to dip your siu mai, shrimp dumplings (har gow), or rice rolls in it.
    • Grilled Meats - I like to dip grilled meats into this chili oil to give it a bit more flavor.
    A plate with a spoonful of miso garlic chili oil on a wooden table.

    How to Store it

    I store my chili oil in the fridge and it will last for 6 months. Just make sure you have it stored in an air-tight container (preferably glass, so that the plastic doesn't leech into the oil). If you plan to keep your chili oil out at room temperature, then I would store it for only 2-3 months.

    Tips

    • If you like a spicier garlic chili sauce, mix in a bit of cayenne pepper with the dry ingredients before adding the hot oil
    • Use flavorless oil to make chili oil. I like to use avocado oil since it has a high smoking point and is healthier than most oil but you can also use canola oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil. I don't recommend using olive oil for this recipe since it has a low smoking point and a strong flavor to it which can overpower the chili oil.
    • If you are adding sesame oil to it, mix it in at the very end after you have poured the hot oil over the dry ingredients and everything has been mixed. We don't want to cook the sesame oil, since heating it up will remove some of the nutty flavors
    • Place the garlic at the very top of all the ingredients right before pouring the hot oil over all the dry ingredients. This will cook heat up the garlic and remove that spicy raw garlic flavor which will make the chili oil flavors meld a bit better.
    • Make sure to use a heat-safe bowl when you are making this so that the bowl doesn't crack from the hot oil.
    • If you refrigerate this chili oil, the oil may solidify depending on what type of oil you use. Before you use it, put it in a small bowl and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes - the oil will become liquid-form and the chili oil will have a better flavor as well.
    • Try to store your chili oil in a glass jar so that the plastic doesn't leech into your chili oil

    More Sauce and Dip Recipes You May Like

    • Ginger Scallion Sauce
    • Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham / Nuoc Mam)
    • Thai Peanut Sauce (From Scratch)
    • Spicy Sriracha Mayo
    • Homemade Furikake
    • Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salsa

    If you like my recipes and want to be updated on when new ones come out, please consider subscribing to my newsletter (we don't spam) and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for all of my latest recipes!

    Miso Garlic Chili Oil

    A quick and easy-to-make homemade miso garlic chili oil recipe, made with shallots, garlic, Sichuan chili powder, and miso for an umami boost. A great condiment to use on rice, noodles, vegetables, or dumplings!
    Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved!
    Course: Condiments, Sauce
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    2 cups
    5 from 3 votes

    Recipe Notes

    • Use neutral flavorless oil to make chili oil. I like to use avocado oil since it has a high smoking point and is healthier than most oils but you can also use canola oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil. I don't recommend using olive oil for this recipe since it has a low smoking point and a strong flavor to it which can overpower the chili oil.
    • Sichuan pepper/peppercorn is a completely different spice than Sichuan chili flakes. Do not use Sichuan pepper/peppercorns for this recipe.
    • If you cannot find Sichuan Chili Flakes/Powder, you can definitely use the red pepper flakes you find at your local grocery store. It is usually made with a mix of chili flakes most commonly cayenne pepper and it works just as well for this recipe. (see blog post for more details of other types of chili flakes)
    • If you like a spicier garlic chili oil, mix in a bit of cayenne pepper with the dry ingredients before adding the hot oil
    • Place the garlic on top of all the ingredients right before pouring the hot oil over all the dry ingredients. This will cook the garlic and remove that spicy raw garlic flavor which will make the chili oil flavors meld a bit better.
    • Try to use a heat-safe bowl when you are making this so that the bowl doesn't crack from the hot oil.
    • If you are adding sesame oil to it, mix it in at the very end after you have poured the hot oil over the dry ingredients and everything has been mixed. We don't want to cook the sesame oil, since heating it up will remove some of the nutty flavors
    • Try to store your chili oil in a glass jar so that the plastic doesn't leech into your chili oil
    • If you refrigerate this chili oil, the oil will solidify. Before you use it, put it in a small bowl and let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes - the oil will become liquid-form and the chili oil will have a better flavor as well.

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoons miso paste (white, or yellow)
    • 7 cloves garlic (grated, or finely minced. approximately 2½ tablespoons)
    • 2 shallots (finely chopped. approximately 5 tablespoons)
    • 1 cup neutral oil (see notes)
    • 2 tablespoons sesame oil (optional)

    Dry Ingredients

    • 5 tablespoons sichuan chilli powder (see notes)
    • ½ tablespoon sugar
    • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Preparation

    • In a small bowl, pre-mix the soy sauce with the miso until it thins out the miso into a thin paste
      1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons miso paste
    • In another bowl (heat-safe bowl preferably), add in the dry ingredients and mix them together
      5 tablespoons sichuan chilli powder, ½ tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
    • Add the thinned miso paste into the dry ingredients and mix it together until everything is combined
    • Peel the garlic, and grate it finely. If you don't have a grater you can finely chop or mince it. Add it to the very top of the chili mixture in a thin layer. Set this bowl aside for later.
      7 cloves garlic
    • Peel the shallots, and finely chop it. Set this aside for later.
      2 shallots

    Making the Garlic Chili Oil

    • In a small pot, add in the oil and chopped shallots. Set the stove to medium heat
      1 cup neutral oil
    • Heat the oil up and cook the shallots until they become a golden brown color.
    • At this point, the oil will be hot enough to make the chili oil. Carefully pour the oil over the ingredients in the bowl, focusing on pouring it over the raw garlic.
    • Once the oil has been all poured in, take a utensil and mix everything together well. Be careful the bowl may be very hot.
    • (Optional) If you are adding sesame oil, mix it in now.
      2 tablespoons sesame oil
    • Let it cool before transferring it to a glass jar. Store it in the fridge or use it right away.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1275kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 131g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 24g | Monounsaturated Fat: 85g | Sodium: 1367mg | Potassium: 610mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5947IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 6mg

    *Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

    Did you try this recipe?I'd love to hear from you! Let me know how it was and consider giving it a rating! Tag me on Instagram with @pupswithchopsticks to show me!
    Made with ♡ by Joyce Lee

    Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. These earnings help maintain and keep our little blog running.  While I appreciate the support – please always try to buy your items locally to support your local shops (chances are they are cheaper locally as well!)

    Recipes You Can Use Chili Oil On

    • Crispy Cantonese Beef Chow Mein
    • Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu) Gyoza Dumplings Recipe
    • Wonton Noodle Soup
    • Easy Thai Peanut Satay Sauce
    • Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go, 萝白糕)
    • Buttery Scallion Pancakes
    • How to Make Chicken Congee (鸡粥)
    • Charred Lemon Garlic Edamame Recipe
    « Sesame Crusted Teriyaki Salmon Recipe
    Baked Crispy Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers (Crab Rangoon Style) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Josie says

      August 07, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      👍 Garlic and Chili spice sauce (or oil) is my hubby's most favourite to all his eating noodles and dumplings food. When I made this special recipe for him, he gave me double-thumbs up good. 👍👍😜

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        August 19, 2021 at 10:13 am

        Hi Josie,
        Garlic in chili oil is one of my fave combos as well! I'm so happy your husband enjoyed this! Give him a high five for me!

        Reply
    2. Amanda Dixon says

      August 05, 2021 at 7:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is delicious! It has the perfect heat from the chili. I served it with dumplings, and it was an absolute hit.

      Reply
    3. Rebecca Blackwell says

      August 04, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      I've been making a version of garlic chili oil for years and we love it. But, I'd never thought of adding miso to it. And, I'd never tried Sichuan Chili powder before. Both of these ingredients are blowing my mind in here. I made this today to drizzle of bowls of soup and my husband and I ended up just dipping bread in the chili oil and not even eating the soup. SO GOOD!

      Reply

    Leave a Comment & Rating Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to Pups with Chopsticks!

    Hi I’m Joyce and Welcome to Pups with Chopsticks! Good eats and cooking is my passion! Join me in my kitchen as I create and share traditional and Asian fusion recipes! Read More…

    Subscribe to Our Newsletter

    Subscribe to my Newsletter and stay up to date on my latest recipes!

    Welcome to the family! Don't forget to check your inbox or spam folder now to confirm your subscription to fully be subscribed to the newsletter!

    Popular Recipes

    Korean japchae served in a wooden bowl

    Easy Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry)

    Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork) thinly sliced and fanned out on a cutting board.

    Sweet and Sticky Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork, 叉烧)

    Hakka, Indian Chinese chilli chicken made with crispy chicken chunks and lightly tossed in a spicy chilli sauce.

    Chilli Chicken

    Grilled Chicken Skewers served with a peanut sauce

    Grilled Thai Coconut Chicken Skewers

    A large bowl of Spicy Korean Pork Bulgogi (Jeyuk Bokkeum) with a plate of lettuce with some rice and pork in it for wrapping

    Spicy Korean Pork Bulgogi

    Chinese style beer braised pork belly in a cast iron pan served with fries and noodles

    Beer Braised Pork Belly (Chinese Style)

    Footer

    AS FEATURED ON

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.
    Thank you for visiting and supporting our little blog

    Privacy Policy · Terms & Conditions
    Copyright © 2021 Pups with Chopsticks · All Rights Reserved

    438 shares