This homemade Thai chili oil takes just a few minutes to make, and once it’s in your kitchen, you’ll start adding it to everything. It’s a spicy condiment you’ll often see on tables at street food stalls in Thailand, ready to spoon over rice, noodles, or soup.

Close-up of Thai chili oil in a clay sauce cup.

What is chili oil?

Chili oil is a spicy oil made by infusing hot chilies in oil. You heat oil, then pour it over chili flakes with garlic or spices to release their flavor. It tastes rich, fragrant, and slightly smoky, and is used to add heat to noodles, soups, and stir-fries.

Chili oil is originally from Chinese cuisine, but it’s also used in Thailand as a table condiment, often with prik nam pla (fish sauce with chilies) and prik nam som (vinegar with chilies).

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Thai chili oil (nam mun prik) with crispy garlic and shallots in a bowl, shown with frying aromatics in hot oil.

The Thai version is called nam mun prik (น้ำมันพริก). Compared to Chinese chili oil, which often includes spices like star anise, cinnamon, and sesame seeds, the Thai version is much simpler.

That’s why this recipe is so easy. Just a few ingredients, but each one matters. You get a clean chili flavor, a bit of flavor from the garlic and shallots, and a nice balance from the seasoning.

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Ingredient notes & substitutes

You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.

Ingredients for Thai chili oil on a black background in glass cups: garlic, shallots, golden mountain sauce, dried chili flakes, and cooking oil.

Oil: The best oil for making chili oil is neutral oil with a high smoke point, like vegetable or sunflower oil. This keeps the flavor clean and lets the chilies and garlic stand out.
Garlic: Slice it thin so it fries evenly and turns golden and crisp without burning.
Shallots: Adds a slightly sweet, deeper flavor. You can swap them for red onion if needed.
Thai chili flakes: I like using dried jinda chilies and crushing them myself for a good balance of heat and flavor. If you can’t find them, other dried chilies or even Sichuan chili flakes work just fine.
Golden mountain sauce: Adds a salty, umami depth that makes the oil more than just spicy.

How to make Thai chili oil

Prep the ingredients. Thinly slice the garlic and quarter the shallots so they cook evenly.
Fry the aromatics. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and cook slowly until golden and fragrant.

Pan filled with oil, and fried garlic and shallots.

Add chili flakes. Turn off the heat, then stir in the chili flakes and golden mountain sauce. The residual heat will bloom the chilies without burning them.
Cool and store. Let the oil cool completely, then transfer to a jar.

How to use it

You can use Thai chili oil on:

noodles and noodle soups
fried rice
stir-fries
eggs
roasted vegetables

I always keep a small jar in the fridge and just spoon it over whatever I’m eating.

Large black spoon containing oil with red chili flakes. In the distance is a black dish with stir-fried noodles and vegetables.

Storage tips

Store chili oil in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place; it doesn’t need to be refrigerated unless your kitchen is very warm. It will keep well for about 2–3 months at its best, and often longer, though the flavor gradually fades over time.