Skip to main content
Epicurious

Crunchy Spice Oil

By Anna Stockwell

4.7

(7)

Photo of Crunchy Spice Mix in Oil.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Erika Joyce

This chile oil combines tons of texture from toasted whole spices and seeds with a just-spicy-enough heat level. Drizzle it over any, literally any, savory food you can think of.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    15 minutes

  • Yield

    1⅓ cup

Ingredients

1 cup sunflower or other neutral oil
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
¼ cup sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. black mustard seeds
4 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. pink peppercorns, lightly crushed
1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. pure maple syrup

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oil, garlic, sesame seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, pink peppercorns, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium-high until oil is sizzling and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Immediately reduce heat to low and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown and spices are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in salt, paprika, and maple syrup. Let cool. Transfer to an airtight container.

    Step 2

    Do ahead: Spice oil can be made 1 month ahead. Cover and chill.

TagsCondimentAsianDairy FreeGluten FreeVeganVegetarianQuickEasyMake AheadMeal PrepFryEpicurious
Read More
Not-So-Secret Burger Sauce
Every sauce needs a few secrets. Ours is smoky, sweet, and savory—use it for burgers, fries, tenders, and more.
Amaranth Porridge With Walnuts and Honey
Nutty, protein-packed, and batchable—perfect for hectic mornings.
Sweet and Spicy Zucchini
A punchy vinaigrette of preserved lemon and hot chile animates seared zucchini. A simple solution for summer's most prolific vegetable.
Zucchini Butter
Transform summer squash into this spectacular spread to put toward sandwiches, pastas, and more all season long.
Eggplant Roasted in Satay Sauce
Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?
Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio
Salmoriglio is a Mediterranean sauce with herbs, garlic, and olive oil. In this version, kelp is used as the base of the sauce.
Beurre Blanc
This velvety white wine sauce imparts tangy, rich flavor to everything it touches.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
A good garlic mashed potato recipe can upstage even the flashiest of mains. Adding just a few cloves of garlic turns what could be a simple side dish into something with undeniable charm.