Easy Keto Sichuan Chili Oil Recipe and 12 Creative Ways to Use It
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I first learned about Sichuan Chinese chili oil when my son, Mark, went to China to teach at Southwest University in October of 2020. He lived in Chongqing, known for their spicy cuisine, and soon began sending me Snapchats of his food because, well, I love food.
Almost every picture had a bright red liquid, either in a bowl of noodles, or served in a cup alongside dumplings or steamed buns.
This vibrant red liquid with red pepper flakes, I learned from him, was Sichuan chili oil.
I was intrigued because Mark was falling in love with authentic Chinese food. So I started researching traditional Chinese recipes and this pretty-yet-spicy chili oil. I watched YouTube videos and searched the web for authentic Szechuan chili oil recipes. Then I made my own chili oil and I was addicted.
Since I follow a keto diet I wanted to answer for myself, and for my readers, the question: Is Sichuan chili oil keto?
And since you may be new to Sichuan chili oil too, I’ll share 12 creative ways to use Chinese chili oil, and give you a step-by-step tutorial to making your own vibrant, spicy chili oil.
Let’s dive in….
In this post:
What is Sichuan chili oil?
Is Sichuan chili oil keto-friendly?
12 creative ways to use Sichuan chili oil.
Why make your own chili oil?
Ingredients used and equipment needed to make chili oil.
An easy step-by-step guide to making your own Sichuan chili oil.
What is Sichuan chili oil?
Sichuan chili oil is one of the most popular condiments in China and it is a delightful fusion of oil and spicy red chili pepper flakes, sometimes with other flavorings added.
It is named Sichuan chili oil because a key component is Sichuan peppercorns, unique to the Sichuan province in southwest China, which have a numbing effect on the tongue. It is a taste and sensation unlike the traditional peppercorns you might have in your pepper grinder.
Sichuan Chinese chili oil is called "spicy oil" (辣油) or red oil (紅油) in China and you can find it on every restaurant table. Think of it as an Asian hot sauce. Chili oil is used to add heat and spice to many foods, it is used as a dipping sauce for dumplings and steamed buns, and it is a key component to authentic Chinese dishes such as Dan Dan noodles, mapo tofu, and shuizhu yu.
You will sometimes see Sichuan peppercorns or chili oil referred to as "Szechuan." Szechuan is just a westernized spelling of Sichuan.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.
Is Sichuan chili oil keto-friendly?
Chinese Sichuan chili oil is definitely keto-approved. The main ingredients in traditional Sichuan chili oil are oil (sometimes soybean oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, or canola oil) and Sichuan red chili pepper flakes.
The oil is infused with the flavor of Sichuan peppercorns and other aromatics like garlic, bay leaves, ginger, and star anise. Even though the chili flakes are left in the oil and eaten, the minuscule amount of carbs in the peppers are offset by its fiber, so the net carbs are generally zero.
Bright red, flavorful Sichuan chili oil can be a part of any keto or low-carb diet plan.
I've included nutrition facts for some popular chili oil brands in the table below, and also the nutrition data for the easy Sichuan chili oil recipe I am sharing in this blog post.
Read labels when purchasing Sichuan chili oil.
Be sure to read labels when you purchase chili oil because some brands include ingredients like MSG, sugar, soy sauce, seed oils, or artificial ingredients that may not be allowed on diet plans with strict rules like Whole30 or paleo. However, the tiny amount of sugar or ingredients other than oil is not enough to alter the carb count.
Controlling the actual ingredients in my chili oil is one reason I decided to make my own, using the recipe below.
Below is a table showing basic nutrition facts for a few popular brands of Sichuan chili oil and they all can be part of a keto or low-carb diet.
Click on the brand name to see more information about the product and its current price on Amazon.
| Sichuan Chili Oil Nutrition Facts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| per 1 tablespoon serving | ||||
| Brand | Calories | Fat | Net Carbs | Protein |
| Blank Slate Kitchen Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
100 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Lee Kum Kee Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
130 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Red Dragon Drizzle Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
135 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Mom's Mala - Mild Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
105 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp Vegan | Gluten-Free |
105 | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| Dynasty Hot Chili Oil Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
120 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| The Keto Minimalist Recipe Vegan | Gluten-Free | No MSG |
86 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Sichuan chili oil is an essential ingredient in Dan Dan noodles.
12 creative ways to use Sichuan chili oil.
While Sichuan chili oil is part of many traditional Chinese recipes, you can use it in lots of different ways.
You know how some people use hot sauce only on Buffalo wings and others use it on everything? Sichuan chili oil is that versatile if you think outside the box, errr, bottle. Think of it as an Asian hot sauce. I am always grabbing my jar of Chinese chili oil from the fridge to elevate my meals and snacks.
If you are brand new to Sichuan chili oil, as I was until recently, be sure to stir the jar of chili oil before using it and eat the red pepper flakes along with the oil. They are hot, but not "holy cow I need give me a gallon of milk STAT" hot.
Start with a tiny drizzle of chili oil on your eggs, veggies, meat, or potatoes, and then work up to more as you adjust to the heat.
Here are some ideas to get your culinary creative juices flowing, but definitely experiment with this vibrant, flavorful oil.
1 - Use Sichuan chili oil as a dipping sauce for dumplings, steamed buns, spring rolls, wontons, or tofu.
If you stick to a keto diet, choose low-carb dippers. Use the chili oil alone or combine it with ingredients like sesame oil, soy sauce, finely chopped green onions, or minced ginger.
Did you know that tofu can be keto? It is also very bland. Fry or bake tofu until it has crispy edges and dip in chili oil.
Still working on my tornado egg skills, lol. This meal is spicy and perfectly keto!
2 - Drizzle on top of scrambled, or fried eggs.
I went through a phase of trying to make Japanese tornado eggs (see the picture above) and Sichuan chili oil pairs very well with eggs cooked in any style.
3 - Use chili oil as a marinade.
Rather than grabbing an expired bottle of Italian dressing from the back of the fridge, use Sichuan chili oil as a marinade.
Either lightly brush it onto pork, shrimp, or chicken before grilling or roasting, or dilute with a little neutral-flavored oil (like avocado) and add a splash of rice wine vinegar or lemon juice, ginger, garlic, and salt.
4 - Liven up bland noodles, ramen, or rice.
This is a keto blog and I probably shouldn't bring up tempting topics like carb-heavy noodles and rice. But Chinese chili oil makes these dishes shine. Literally.
If you stick to a low-carb diet, add chili oil to shirataki noodles, or cauliflower rice. A splash of chili oil also brightens up fried white or cauliflower rice. Ahh-mazing.
5 - Use Chinese chili oil to top stir-fried, roasted, or steamed veggies.
If you always use butter to top your veggies, try red chili oil to add both delicious fat and flavor.
My favorite way to use Sichuan chili oil!!
6 - Make a delicious chili oil appetizer spread.
This is my favorite way to use Sichuan chili oil BY FAR.
There is a very popular appetizer that goes by a lot of different names, but basically is just a block of cream cheese topped with warmed pepper jelly. (It is amazing and you find one recipe here.)
Instead of using red pepper jelly, top cream cheese with chili oil. Then dig in with regular or low-carb crackers (I like Fat Snax almond flour crackers), tortilla chips, pork rinds, or sturdy veggies like sweet bell peppers, celery, and carrots.
In my house, I'm the only one who eats the chili oil so I just cut a hunk of cream cheese, put it on my plate, warm it in the microwave for a few seconds, and top it with chili oil. Soooooo good.
7 - Add chili oil to salads.
Stir a spoonful of Szechuan chili oil into store-bought or homemade ranch dressing or your favorite vinaigrette and use it to dress your salads. Or sneak a spoonful into broccoli salad, an Asian zucchini noodle salad, or coleslaw.
A little chili oil is great in homemade chicken, tuna, or egg salad too. Top with sliced green onions, and chopped peanuts for more crunch.
8 - Elevate ground beef, pork, or turkey recipes with chili oil.
Asian beef, pork, and turkey bowls are a staple in my household, and all start by browning ground meat. Once the meat is browned, drain the excess fat, and stir in some Sichuan chili oil. Build your bowl by placing white or brown rice in a bowl (cauliflower rice if you love it or if you eat low-carb), top with cooked ground meat, and add an assortment of raw or steamed veggies to add color, texture, and nutrition to your beef, pork, or turkey bowl.
Use the same trick for other recipes using ground beef, turkey, or pork.
I even used chili oil on my Thanksgiving leftovers!
9 - Serve Sichuan chili oil with grilled, baked, or fried seafood, beef, poultry, or pork.
While you probably don't want to slather chili oil on top of a perfectly grilled, medium-rare ribeye steak, you can definitely enhance the flavors of other cuts of beef, poultry, or seafood. Catfish with a little chili oil tartar sauce? Yes, please.
10 - Make Sichuan chili oil aioli.
This may not be the culinary school definition, but for a simple home cook like me "aioli" is mayo combined with something else, like minced garlic and chives, for example.
Mayonnaise is the basis for so many delicious dips and sauces, like Red Robin's campfire sauce (BBQ sauce plus mayo) or Asian spicy mayo (srirachi sauce plus mayo).
Why not try Sichuan chili oil aioli??
Just stir a little chili oil into full-fat mayo and you have a yummy dipping sauce or drizzle for veggies, meats, rice, or noodle dishes. And French fries. I mean, fried jicama or turnips.
11 - Use chili oil with pasta, spaghetti, macaroni & cheese.
Don't tell my Italian grandma, but Chinese chili oil adds a nice kick to traditional Italian pasta dishes, or even macaroni and cheese.
12 - Use Chinese chili oil in any recipe calling for red pepper flakes.
Think of all the ways you use red pepper flakes. How about throwing a few on top of your pepperoni pizza? (Cauliflower crust for us keto eaters.)
Swap out chili oil for red pepper flakes in:
shrimp scampi
mashed potatoes
quesadillas
add a touch of heat to homemade or store-bought barbecue sauce
garnish soups, stews, or chili recipes
marinara or spaghetti sauce
tacos or burritos
curry dishes
“If you are what you eat, you might as well be hot and spicy.”
Why make your own Szechuan chili oil?
It’s easy to grab a bottle of Chinese chili oil from an Asian market or order from Amazon. (Click here if you want to see the wide variety of Sichuan chili oils available on Amazon.)
It is also super simple to make your own chili oil at home. You don’t need any special equipment or cooking skills.
Reasons to make homemade Sichuan chili oil:
It’s easy to do and requires no special equipment or skill.
It can be cheaper than purchasing a jar of chili oil.
YOU control the ingredients in your chili oil. Some brands use MSG or lower quality oils. Some chili oils have peanuts which could be deadly to those with peanut allergies.
You control the heat level of your chili oil. Add less red chili flakes for milder chili oil, and more for a spicier version.
You control the flavor. Add more garlic to your recipe, or skip star anise if you don’t have any on hand. Use the traditional Sichuan peppercorns for the characteristic tingly, numbing sensation, or substitute regular peppercorns if you prefer.
It’s fun to make!
Dried Sichuan chili peppers before they are ground into red pepper flakes.
Ingredients in homemade Sichuan Chili Oil.
I tried several different recipes for Sichuan Chili oil that I found on YouTube and the web, and used them as a basis to create an easy and minimalist Sichuan chili oil recipe.
There are four must-have ingredients in Sichuan chili oil.
Neutral-flavored oil.
I use avocado oil because it has a neutral flavor, a high smoke point, and it is one of the healthiest oils on the planet.
As you will see in the recipe photo below, I buy a big bottle of avocado oil because I use it for everyday cooking in addition to using it for chili oil.
You can substitute an unflavored cooking oil if you don't have avocado oil on hand:
peanut oil
canola oil
sunflower oil
vegetable oil
Don't use oils with strong flavor like extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, walnut oil, or coconut oil.
Sichuan red chili pepper flakes.
Sichuan red pepper flakes (sometimes called red chili flakes or crushed Sichuan chili peppers) are harvested from the Sichuan province in China.
These bright red pepper flakes give chili oil its bright red color, heat, and a little bit of crunch. They have a medium heat and a slightly fruity taste. Red chili flakes are either dried or toasted before being ground and packed for purchase.
The red chili flakes separate from the oil when stored and sink to the bottom of your jar. Just give it a quick stir before using.
Your local grocery store may not carry Sichuan chili flakes unless you live in an area with a large Asian population, so you can purchase them for an Asian market or order from Amazon.
This is the brand I use, and I order it from Amazon. An 8-ounce bag has enough chili flakes for 3-4 batches of chili oil. So long as you purchase Sichuan pepper flakes from a reputable company you will be fine.
These are Sichuan peppercorns, a key ingredient in delicious Sichuan Chili oil.
Sichuan peppercorns.
For my first batch of chili oil, I used regular peppercorns and the chili oil was spicy and delicious. But was not technically Sichuan chili oil and it did not have the numbing sensation that is unique to Sichuan peppercorns.
If you've never tried Sichuan peppercorns and the word "numbing" is scary, let me assure you it is nothing like getting a shot of Novocaine at the dentist's office. It's almost a tingling or cooling sensation which is unlike anything else I've experienced, and it is very enjoyable.
If you don't have Sichuan peppercorns you could definitely make a batch without (just substitute regular black or tri-colored peppercorns), but you are missing the authentic taste and experience.
I’ve used two brands of Sichuan peppercorns sold on Amazon both were under $8 for a 4-ounce bag which will make many batches of Sichuan chili oil:
Salt
Salt enhances the taste of savory foods, and chili oil is no exception. In this recipe, I use coarse kosher salt to flavor the chili oil.
Now for the ingredients which are technically optional, but definitely recommended.
Aromatics give each batch of Sichuan chili oil a unique flavor.
In this recipe garlic, green onions, star anise, and bay leaves are used to infuse the oil with flavor. The aromatics are strained out and removed from the final product. If you don't have these on hand they can technically be optional ingredients, but I highly recommend them for a more flavorful oil.
Purchased chili oils use a variety of different aromatics in their recipes. Some store-bought chili oils even have additional ingredients like minced garlic (not strained and removed), chopped peanuts, soy sauce, or black bean paste.
Equipment.
No fancy equipment is required to make this addictive and spicy Chinese chili oil!
Equipment to make your own chili oil:
medium saucepan
glass containers with lid (I use pint-size mason jars with plastic screw-on lids).
How to make homemade Chinese Sichuan chili oil in 3 simple steps.
Step 1: Infuse the oil with flavors from the aromatics.
Pour oil into a saucepan and add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, a few cloves of smashed garlic, green onions, ginger slices, and a bay leaf.
Turn the heat to medium and allow the oil to warm for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low or medium-low and let the aromatics gently simmer in the oil for another 30 minutes to fully infuse the oil with these delicious flavors. You don't need to stir or watch super carefully, but be sure that the oil is at a gentle simmer. If it starts bubbling too much, turn down the heat.
If the garlic or green onions start to brown, remove them from the oil.
Step 2: Strain oil over the Sichuan red pepper flakes and salt.
Place the Sichuan red chili flakes and coarse kosher salt in a heatproof bowl. Be sure there is plenty of room in the bowl for the hot oil plus a little extra space. I use a quart-size glass pyrex measuring cup which is the perfect size.
Place a wire strainer over the bowl and carefully pour the hot oil over the pepper flakes. You should hear a nice sizzling sound as the oil gently toasts the pepper flakes.
Discard the aromatics.
Stir to combine the salt, red pepper flakes, and oil, then allow to cool to room temperature.
Step 3: Pour into containers and enjoy!
When the Szechuan chili oil is cool, stir again, and pour into glass containers. I use small glass mason jars with plastic lids.
This recipe will make about 3 cups of delicious, homemade Sichuan chili oil.
Store homemade chili oil in the refrigerator.
Always store homemade chili oil in the refrigerator and use chili oil within 6 months (though if you love it like I do it won't last that long!)
To use, stir chili oil well with a clean spoon, and drizzle onto food or use as a dipping sauce.
Easy Sichuan Chinese Chili Oil | Keto, Vegan, Paleo, Whole30
Ingredients
- 2 cups avocado oil, or other neutral oil like peanut or canola
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 3 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns, (substitute regular peppercorns if you must!)
- 2 star anise pods
- 2 green onions, cut in half
- 1 2-inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and cut in thirds
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup Sichuan red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- Pour oil into a medium saucepan and add garlic, whole Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, green onions, ginger, and bay leaf.
- Turn heat to medium and, after 5 minutes, lower the temperature to medium-low or low. The oil should gently simmer, meaning you will see tiny bubbles, but it should not boil or vigorously bubble.
- Continue cooking, over low or medium-low heat for an additional 30 minutes. If the green onion or garlic starts to brown, remove them from the pan. You don't need to obsessively watch the oil as the aromatics simmer, but do check from time to time.
- While the oil is gently simmering, place the Sichuan red pepper flakes and salt in a heatproof glass bowl or quart-size glass pyrex measuring cup.
- After the oil has infused for 30 minutes, place a wire strainer over the glass bowl containing the red pepper flakes and salt. Very carefully pour the hot oil through the strainer onto the chili flakes.
- Stir the chili oil carefully and allow it to cool.
- Pour into glass storage jars and store in the refrigerator for up to six months.
Notes
The garlic, star anise, green onion, ginger, and bay leaf are optional but highly recommended.
You can substitute regular peppercorns for Sichuan peppercorns, but you won't get the authentic numbing sensation that is characteristic of Chinese chili oil.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
86Fat
9Sat. Fat
1Carbs
1Fiber
1Net carbs
0Sugar
0Protein
0Sodium
45Cholesterol
0.00Nutritional information is for a 1 tablespoon serving and is calculated by RecipesGenerator.
I hope you enjoyed this little exploration into the world of Sichuan chili oil and I encourage you to try this recipe. It just might change your life, lol.
Wishing you spicy and delightful eating!
—The Keto Minimalist
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