From Bulgogi to Brownies, You Should Be Adding Chili Crisp to Everything

In the world of condiments, there are unspoken rules on what can be used on what—ketchup accompanies burgers, fries, and hot dogs (unless you’re in Chicago), barbecue sauce is for ribs and pulled pork, and hot sauce classically tops eggs and chicken wings. But for chili crisp (a textured, spiced condiment that comes from traditional Chinese cookery) those limitations don’t exist. From quesadillas and carbonara to steamed mussels and even brownies, cooking with this Chinese staple brings exciting flavor and crunch to any dish in any cuisine.

On a basic level, chili crisp is an oil-based condiment made with chili flakes—but it goes beyond the typical definition of “condiment.” Because you can add any seasonings or ingredients, mix different types of oil, and modify the ratio, you have endless possibilities to create your own dream chili crisp. That’s exactly what chef James Park did when he wrote an entire cookbook dedicated to the ingredient and its versatility: Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings.

“When you think about ketchup, for example, you kind of expect what it’s going to taste like,” he tells Better Homes & Gardens. “But when you look at the many different chili crisps, it just tastes so drastically different, from the spice level to the texture and how it’s presented. So even though they’re in the same category, the experience and how you use it in different foods is just so different, and I think that’s what keeps it going in a way where I think people are interested in trying more brands. I don’t think you need to have four or five brands of ketchup.”

Some chili crisp blends skew umami and savory, some turn up the heat. Fly by Jing, one of the most accessible, popular brands offering chili crisp, describes its version as “intensely flavorful yet not off-the-charts spicy.” It focuses on Sichuan flavors, with ingredients like Erjingtao chili, Tribute pepper (a rare Sichuan peppercorn), and the nutty and nutritious Sichuan caiziyou oil.

“Once you follow that basic formula of oil and crisp, I think the possibilities are endless,” Park says. He developed his own chili crisp recipe after stocking his pantry and testing out over 20 different jarred versions, putting a Korean spin on it with soy sauce, sesame oil, three different types of pepper flakes, and more. It leans more crispy than oily, although you can adjust the ratio if you make it at home.

“I really, really like the crisp part of chili crisp, and I also wanted it to taste very distinctly Korean,” he says. “I’m Korean, so I tend to cook a lot of Korean food at home. There’s a lot of a salty and sweet, umami element, so it balances with acidic parts of black vinegar and has brown sugar and ground ginger to balance out all the saltiness.”

The depth of flavor makes chili crisp easy to play around with, and you can incorporate it into any dish. Park developed recipes like Whipped Ricotta Toast with Spicy Tomato Confit, Biscuits with Honey-Butter Glaze, Chili Crisp Bucatini Noodles, and Silken Tofu Soup—he even experimented with desserts, which he said were the most challenging and fun to create. Chili and chocolate make an obvious pairing, so he started with brownies. Specifically, Spicy Tahini Cream Cheese Swirled Brownies.

Park’s dessert chili crisp “tastes super clean, with a pleasant amount of spice at the end,” he says, and uses ingredients like gochugaru, light brown sugar, chopped nuts, and Sichuan and Aleppo pepper flakes. 

This innovative use represents the goal Park had when writing his book: to encourage people to make the condiment their own. 

Because he didn’t grow up in a household where chili crisp was a kitchen staple, he worried about misrepresenting its history and personal meaning, but once he came up with his own recipe he realized he could explore his own story with it and push its traditional boundaries.

“I felt like it would be wrong for me to replicate the Chinese stories as a Korean immigrant—so I just decided to change the narrative, just fully own the fact that I’m a Korean immigrant but could still be this person who can get you excited to explore it on your own,” he says.

“Once I started seeing the connection of how my Korean chili peppers could help me explore my Korean and Asian identity in America, that’s been able to help me express my story, and it all just connected pieces of my life. I realized it’s such a perfect tool for me to start a conversation and welcome other people with these amazing common denominators that I can share my passion and enthusiasm with other people who also like spicy food, or Asian food, or just food in general.”

How to Spice Up Your Holiday Menu with Chili Crisp

If you’re looking to bring something different to the table at holiday gatherings this year, add chili crisp into your designated dish. Park says it’s easily incorporated into any dish with cream, like green bean casserole or gravy.

“A lot of Thanksgiving dishes can be a little bit heavy,” he says. “So a little bit of heat and extra savoriness of the chili crisp can balance the richness of all the sauces and the textures.” 

For roasted Brussels sprouts, mix it in before roasting (one that’s more oil-forward allows the sprouts to get crispier while baking). Or, pan fry it alongside Panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle them on top. His cookbook also has recipes for a vinaigrette (made with chili crisp, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar) you can add onto salads and a Spicy Potato Gratin: Simply season the cream mixture used to create the sauce with your chili crisp. 

Of course, the easiest way to add chili crisp to your holiday feast is drizzling it atop your turkey or sides—or just all over everything.