Here is a simple chili oil recipe that is sure to please your tastebuds! Make this chili oil with any fresh or dried hot peppers of your choosing! Traditional hot peppers like Cayenne and Thai Hot Peppers are great for this recipe, but you can also try habanero peppers, or try super hot peppers like the Carolina Reaper or a Trinidad Moruga Scorpion for a super fiery chili oil! You could also try Hatch Red Chiles in oil for a New Mexican twist. The possibilities are endless.
Chili Oil Recipe
Ingredients:
1-2 Cups Olive Oil (or use Sesame, Sunflower or Peanut Oil for a twist)
2-4 teaspoons of Hot Pepper Flakes (dried)
or
2 tablespoons+ of fresh hot peppers (finely diced)
Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes or finely diced hot peppers in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat for about 5 minutes.
Let cool, put into a clean glass jar or bottle. (You can use a sieve to strain out the peppers if desired.) The oil will store well at room temperature for several months.
Chili Oil Recipe Variations:
Add garlic cloves, fresh herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, or other spices to create fun variations of this simple Chili Oil recipe.
Cold-brewed Fresh Chili Oil Method:
You can also make chili oil with fresh chile peppers. Harvest some red hot peppers, and cut a long slit lengthwise in each one. Place in a clean glass jar or bottle, optinally adding a bay leaf, garlic clove, or fresh rosemary/thyme if desired. Then fill jar with olive oil (or other oils mentioned above). Seal and store somewhere cool and dark for one to two months before using.
Serve in a pretty bottle, add a label and ribbon and give as gifts! You can also serve the oil in elegant ceramic bowls, and garnish with some fresh peppers from the garden if you have them! This oil can also be made with ornamental peppers.
