The best chili crisp has wonderful texture, plenty of heat, and is made with good quality oil. If it doesn’t have those three qualities, it’s not the best chili oil—end of story!
If you regularly dine at authentic Chinese restaurants, you’ve probably been eating chili crisp for a long time. Or maybe you recently tried it for the first time now that chili crunch has popped up on shelves at places like Trader Joe’s and Publix. Or maybe you clicked on this article because you saw it and thought, “What the heck is chili crisp?”
Wherever you are in your chili crisp journey, I hope you can make use of this list of the best chili crisp to buy. There’s a reason the last two celebrity foodies we interviewed (Nick DiGiovanni and Nigel Ng) count this among their favorite condiments. Once you discover it, you can’t live without it. We’ve tried all different types at all different price points to bring you a list of the best chili crunch for your noodles, dumplings, pizza, and more.
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- Homiah Sambal Chili Crunch
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The fried onion and nori seaweed in this chili crunch took me by surprise. It has an incredibly smooth, satisfying crunch, since all the crispy bits are pretty tiny—they’re more delicate and more tightly packed together than the crispy bits in other chili crisps on this list. (The crunch really scratches my brain the right way, I can’t explain it.) The sunflower oil makes for a light neutral base flavor that allows the natural umami in the seaweed to shine. It isn’t super spicy, making it some of the best mild chili crisp to keep in your pantry. This is not the best chili crisp for those who avoid seaweed like the plague—but me personally? I’ll eat it all. It’s the perfect addition to air fried salmon avocado bites or any sushi platter. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Lao Gan Ma Chili Oil with Fermented Soy Beans
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If you know chili crisp, you know Lao Gan Ma. If you don’t know chili crisp, get familiar with Lao Gan Ma. It’s a classic and it’s some of the best chili oil you can buy. There’s more than one version, but the one with fermented soy beans is my favorite. It has such an interesting texture that I can only describe as a soft chew. It’s so sensationally savory. This is not numbing like the other chili crisps we tried, so it has a more mild taste. That makes it the best chili crunch for people who don’t want to be socked in the face with flavor —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Fly By Jing XTRA Spicy Chili Crisp
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Here’s what I’ll say: Fly by Jing’s regular Sichuan Spicy Chili Crisp (our current #2) is, for me, hot enough. But I understand that some people like it really hot, and goddamn, this doesn’t hold back. It features all of our favorite flavors from their regular chili crisp (and their chili crisp noodles)—bitter fermented black beans, Sichuan peppers, savory shallots, mushroom, garlic, and sesame oil—but ups the spice intensity. My mouth was tingly and numb for at least a half hour after all that Sichuan. I have no regrets. Aspiring chefs and heat freaks of the world, this is some of the best chili oil you can find. Grab it for your pantry, stat. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- SOMOS Salsa Macha Mexican Chili Crisp
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SOMOS’s line of “Mexican chili crisp” is inspired by classic salsa macha, a traditional salsa from Veracruz, Mexico, made by combining dried chiles, nuts, seeds, and oil. It’s very different from tomato or tomatillo salsa, but it’s absolutely delicious! It’s very crunchy and filled with pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, and more. It’s so smoky and slightly spicy. This is the best chili oil to use to make an incredible vinaigrette. It comes in regular and Mango & Pineapple varieties, and I would happily buy both. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Momofuku Original Chili Crisp
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If you’re intrigued by Momofuku’s chili crisp but can’t handle intense heat, grab a jar of their Original Chili Crisp. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still spicy. But not nearly as spicy as their Extra Spicy Chili Crisp. It tastes more roasty-toasty than blazing hot. The Extra Spicy has my heat-loving heart, but this one is almost as good (almost) and I would still consider it one of the best chili crisp options at the grocery store. This chili crisp would be really good on eggs, silken tofu, and dumplings (obviously). —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Momofuku Extra Spicy Chili Crunch
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I was skeptical about Momofuku chili crisp because I’ve had mixed experiences with Momofuku products—some are great and some are just okay. I wasn’t sure if theirs would stand up to some of the more iconic, OG chili crisps we tried. Now I must admit that I was wrong. I owe you an apology, Momofuku, for ever doubting your chili crisp. It’s so spicy and numbing. It made my scalp tingle. It has bigger chunks of chilies than some of the other sauces we tried. My favorite part is that the oil on its own is sensational. If you’re buying chili crisp because you want the best chili oil, buy this. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Fly By Jing Chengdu Crunch
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Oh, man. Fly by Jing’s Chengdu Crunch brings crunch to an entirely new level. It’s packed to the brim with crispy-crunchy fava beans, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, and yellow split peas. Every taste brings that numbing Sichuan pepper straight to your tongue. I made several people try this who don’t taste test food for a living, and those normies all had pretty much the same response: “Wow, this is kinda crazy? But I like it. What should I put it on? Wait, can I try it again?” That about sums up the Chengdu Crunch experience. Try it on your salads, noodle bowls, fried eggs… as unique as it is, you really can’t go wrong. (I know people complain about the price, but $10 for an artisan product is a steal in my book.) —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil
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This garlic chili crisp by S&B has been my go-to pick for years. It’s pretty easy to find at national grocery stores (though it can sell out for weeks at a time, sadly), and the flavor is incredible. It’s like straight MSG and crunchy fried garlic injected into my veins. It’s a daily (daily) struggle for me to resist eating a spoonful of this stuff out of the jar every time I open my fridge. Look, I’ve got problems, I know that…but you can’t beat that salty, savory, bold garlic. I put this on everything from morning avocado toast to instant noodles to pizza. Since it’s not super spicy by any means, it’s definitely one of the best mild chili crisps out there. If you want real heat, check out the other options on this list…and then come back and buy this, too. —Ariana Losch
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Barnacle Foods Kelp Chili Crisp
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I know this chili crisp from Barnacle Foods is expensive at around 20 bucks a jar, but it’s some of the best chili crisp ever, so I firmly believe it’s worth the splurge. It’s the best chili crunch to give as a gift (and I have) because it’s that good and special. It has a wonderful roasted flavor and the oil is delicious. It’s not super hot and a great option for chili crisp novices. And “kelp chili crisp” isn’t just a name: This is literally chili crisp made from kelp (yes, like from the ocean). It’s so unique and tasty. Try it and then you’ll get why it’s so pricey. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp
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Believe the hype: Fly by Jing’s chili crisp is unreal and definitely one of the best chili crisps out there. It is easily the most unique and interesting chili crisp we tried. There’s lots of umami and you get hints of other flavors like ginger, seaweed, and shallots. The bottle says you will “find yourself putting [it] on everything” and I cannot argue with that statement. I even tried the viral trend of putting it on vanilla ice cream and it was delicious. If you’re looking for the best chili crisp for doing it all, order some Fly by Jing. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Natural Plus Green Sichuan Chili Oil
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This has dethroned every other product that I’ve said was my “favorite thing I’ve ever tried while working at Sporked.” This chili crisp is better than the homemade chili crisp I buy in bulk from my local dumpling place, but please don’t tell them I said that. This is like the best version of a classic chili crisp that is even more numbing and savory than usual. It even has a light floral flavor from the Szechuan peppercorns. Also, it’s actually spicy! I cannot believe how good this is. It’s easily the best chili crisp to buy. Period. —Jordan Myrick
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Best with Nori
Best Classic
Best Spicy
Most Unique
Best Restaurant Style
Best Spicy
Most Unique
Best Garlic
Best Splurge
Best Viral
Best of the Best
Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch, Lao Gan Ma Original, Don Chilio Habanero, Don Chilio Serrano, Don Chilio Jalapeno, Mister Bing, Spicy and Crunchy Woojoo Chili Crisp, The Original Chili Crunch, Spice World Chili Crunch Onion, Mishima Crunchy Garlic Chili Crisp
