chili oil

noun

variants or less commonly chile oil

plural chili oils also chile oils

: a spicy condiment consisting of a vegetable oil with a neutral flavor (such as canola or soybean oil) infused with usually flaked, ground, or crushed dried chili peppers and often additional ingredients (such as ginger, garlic, star anise or fennel)

Make chili oil by adding the chili flakes to the oil and heating until hot, but not smoking, about 1-2 minutes.

—Renee Blackstone

Those who like things really hot … will probably want to order "extra spicy" or help themselves to the chili oil on the table.

—Leah A. Zeldes

Examples of chili oil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t miss the local catch rubbed in achiote marinade, served over white miso pinto beans, mango-cucumber salsita, and guajillo chili oil. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above