Miso Basil Chili Oil

Ah, chili oil. So simple. So insanely good. And something that I’ve been lagging on putting on the blog for a minute or so. And that’s because I wanted to find the right way to provide the correct cultural context for my version of this chili oil, because it’s got a bit of a history behind it.

There are various types of chili oils, all ranging in style and flavor based on their origin. Chilies themselves vary vastly based on their processing, so bundling everything under one umbrella of “chili oil” never felt right to me.

This 5-minute chili oil takes inspiration from a lot of different sources – I initially wanted to model it after the sauce on Thai Drunken Noodles, or Pad Kee Mao, but after looking in my pantry, I realized that all of my favorite condiments are Indonesian. So this spicy basil noodle inspired chili oil quickly turned into something relying on ingredients for Nasi Goreng, or any traditional Indonesian dish.

And lastly, I wanted an extra kick of umami in this quick chili oil, so I dipped into Japanese cuisine to incorporate white miso paste. White miso is less intense than red miso, and gives a subtle depth to this chili oil that I felt was otherwise missing.

This chili oil truly is a fusion of ingredients and technique, but I couldn’t be happier with the result.

About this recipe

The sauce itself takes only 5 minutes to make, meaning it uses a different technique than typical chili oils. For example, Sichuan chili oil usually adds the oil, aromatics and spices to a pot and brings the oil to temperature with that method. In this recipe, we bring the oil to temperature away from all the ingredients, and then pour it over the ingredients later, causing a *robust* sizzle and making all the flavors (literally) melt together.

The beauty of this recipe is it’s perfect for chili oil newbies, or people who just want a chili oil fast. I call it my hangover cure, because you can put this on eggs or avocado toast and it will literally cure anything.

Ingredients for this miso chili oil

• 1/4 cup thai basil, chopped
• 3 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp sambal oelek, or red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil

How to make this chili garlic oil

It’s simple – only three steps and you’re good to go:

• Add all the ingredients except the oil to a heat-safe bowl.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil until it is around 300F. Remove from the heat and pour over the ingredients.
• Working quickly, whisk together the oil and the ingredients to combine. It should be ready in minutes!

Looking for similar recipes?

And that’s it for this recipe!

If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3