This super easy chili onion crunch recipe is inspired by the one you get at Trader Joe's, but I think I like mine even better! It's spicy, sweet, smoky, savory perfection.
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Have you had Trader Joe's Chili Onion Crunch? It's great on basically anything, from stir fries to curries to soups and stews and more. This is my cheap, easy, homemade version.
I love basically any chili crisp! Ever since it started appearing on shelves at my regular grocery store, I've been buying jar after jar. The thing is, those jars are PRICEY! This recipe uses cheap ingredients, so you can whip up some chili onion crunch with pantry staples.
If you have to buy everything from scratch, of course, this recipe isn't as cheap. But once you have everything, it makes so many batches of onion crisp very inexpensively.
If you can fry garlic, you can make this chili onion crunch in about 10 minutes.
Of course, chili crisp is delicious on noodles, veggies, potatoes, etc. But you can also use this chili onion crunch to make a super delicious chili crisp hummus that my family is obsessed with.
💖 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- quick and easy in a pan on the stovetop
- uses cheap, simple, affordable ingredients
- delicious on soups, stews, curry, chili, stir fries, and MORE!
- naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- oil - Choose something with a neutral flavor that you like, and don't yell at me about seed oils. You can add a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, for flavor, if you want. Don't use all toasted sesame oil, though. It will be too strong.
- garlic - Minced fresh garlic is the first flavor layer in this chili onion crunch.
- dried onion flakes - This brings that oniony crunch! Do not use onion powder. The onion flakes add bulk and crunch in addition to flavor.
- crushed red pepper - Brings the heat! You can use more for spicier or less, if you want less heat.
- sugar, salt, and soy sauce - Enhance all of the flavors.
- optional additions - You can add in mustard seeds and either hot paprika, Kashmiri chili powder, or smoked paprika for even more flavor. Omit, if you need to.
🔪 How to Make Chili Onion Crunch
Measure out all of your ingredients before you start heating up the oil. I like to measure out the dry spices, salt, and sugar into a small cup or jar and just keep the soy sauce and tablespoon measure handy by the stove. Once you start cooking, you want to be able to move quickly.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, and cook just until it starts to turn golden on the edges, about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on your pan and your stove.
Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add all of the remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Let the chili onion crunch chill in the pan until it's completely cool, then transfer to your storage container. I like to store this in a small glass jar or other small, airtight glass container. Your chili onion crisp will keep for 3 weeks or more in the refrigerator.
💡 Helpful Tips
- You don't want the garlic totally golden when you remove the pan from the heat, because that hot oil stays very hot, even after you remove the pan from the stovetop. You just want it golden on the edges. Don't burn the garlic! It will ruin the whole thing.
- Adding the dried and ground spices after turning off the heat allows you to infuse the oil without burning those delicate spices.
🫙 Storage Directions
Your chili onion crunch will keep for three weeks or more in the fridge.
🍽️ How to Use Chili Onion Crunch
Spoon chili onion crunch onto:
- soups or stews
- chili
- curry
- stir fries
- veggies
- potatoes
- avocado toast
- pasta
- dumplings
- ramen
Anywhere you want a little savory heat and smoky crunch, this crunchy chili oil is a great addition.
📖 Recipe
Chili Onion Crunch Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup oil choose something with a neutral flavor that you like, and don't yell at me about seed oils
- 5 cloves garlic minced, or more, to taste
- 3 tablespoons dried onion flakes not onion powder. This is important.
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper or more or less, depending on how spicy you like it.
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds optional
- ½ teaspoon hot paprika or Kashmiri chili powder or smoked paprika, optional
Instructions
- Measure out all of your ingredients before you start heating up the oil. I like to measure out the dry spices, salt, and sugar into a small cup or jar and just keep the soy sauce and tablespoon measure handy by the stove. Once you start cooking, you want to be able to move quickly.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, and cook just until it starts to turn golden on the edges, about 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and add all of the remaining ingredients, mixing well.
- Let the chili onion crunch chill in the pan until it's completely cool, then transfer to your storage container. I like to store this in a small glass jar or other small, airtight glass container. Your chili onion crisp will keep for 3 weeks or more in the refrigerator.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!