Chilli Crisp Is The Condiment Of 2025
Chilli Crisp Is The Condiment Of 2025
Images: @whitemausu; @i.feel.dove
Food & Drink
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Chilli Crisp Is The Condiment Of 2025

Jackson Boxer’s drizzling it on his tomatoes at Dove. Restaurants like Prawn on the Lawn are selling it by the jar. Other new brands are filling supermarket shelves with it. On your own shelves, it’s time to make a little space next to the sriracha. Chilli crisp has arrived – and it can kick up the flavour on anything from eggs to stir-fries. We asked 3 chefs how to use it best, plus we have four simple recipes and an edit of the hottest jars to choose from…
Images: @whitemausu; @i.feel.dove

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So What Is Chilli Crisp?

“Chilli crisp is a punchy condiment made with chilli flakes and oil, along with crispy ingredients that give it its signature crunch. In our Chilli Crunch, we use crispy fried garlic and onions for serious texture. It delivers that irresistible combo of heat, crunch and umami that makes whatever you spoon it on instantly more exciting.” – Dominique Woolf, founder of Woolf’s Kitchen

“It’s the good stuff taking kitchens by storm. Chilli crisp is a crunchy, spicy, umami-loaded condiment made by pouring hot oil over dried chillies and aromatics. What you’re left with is a punchy, textured flavour bomb that goes on everything. It’s been a staple in Chinese kitchens for decades – we’re just helping people realise how good it really is.” – Tom Palmer, founder of Yep Kitchen

“Each brand of chilli crisp is unique and not only a condiment – it is often the soul of a dishes. The added crisp and texture elevate the tasting experience to another dimension.” – Peichin Lee, founder of Peichin’s Table

What Are Your Favourite Ingredients To Put In Yours?

“We use shiitake mushroom powder for deep umami flavour, and balance it all with a touch of sweetness. Our Chilli Crunch is properly crunchy, which sometimes surprises people. It’s all about layers of texture and flavour.” – Dominique

“We keep ours true to Sichuan. That means real Sichuan peppercorns for the numbing tingle, fermented black beans for deep umami and lots of crispy shallots. It’s not about throwing everything in. We source premium and authentic ingredients, and build the recipe the way we were taught by the original chilli crisp masters in Sichuan province.” – Tom

“I add a touch of cumin and green szechuan peppercorn for depth, a citrus note and an elegant numbing sensation.” – Peichin
@i.feel.dove; White Mausu
@whitemausu

What Are Your Favourite Ways To Use It At Home?

“I honestly get through a jar a week – it goes on everything. I spoon it over fried eggs, drizzle it onto ramen, dollop it on charred broccoli. It’s my go-to shortcut to bold flavour. It’s also amazing on avocado toast or stirred through a comforting bowl of dhal.” – Dominique

“I put it on eggs, always. Cold noodles, dumplings, everything rice, crispy roasties – anything beige gets a hit of chilli crisp. It makes sad leftovers good again and turns a 10-minute dinner into something you actually want to eat.” – Tom

“I love it on noodles or a drizzle on a perfectly pan-fried egg on Taiwanese rice.” – Peichin

Are There Any Surprising Ways To Cook With It?

“Loads. I use it in the dressing for tahini noodles, and it’s brilliant stirred through roasted cherry tomatoes and pasta for a spicy, umami hit. I fry eggs in the oil, toss it into stir-fries, and use it in my recipe for Chinese five-spice prawns. Oh, and it’s incredible with peanut butter on toast, trust me.” – Dominique

“Yes, because it’s oil based you can do so much with it. Stir it into mayo, marinate an entire chicken, you can even bake with it. I’m currently obsessed with peanut-butter chilli-crisp toast for breakfast. Some people put it on vanilla ice-cream, but I’m not sold on that one just yet.” – Tom

“I drizzle it on ultra-smooth hummus as a dip, and serve it with hot flat bread or crunchy raw veg. I also like to mix it with butter for grilled hispi cabbage or steak.” – Peichin

And why do you think we’re all catching onto it now?

“People want big flavour with minimal effort, and chilli crisp delivers. It’s craveable, customisable, and makes food instantly more exciting. It’s also had a moment on social media – people love discovering new ways to use it. Plus, with Asian flavours becoming more mainstream, there’s a growing appetite for bold, global condiments like this. Be warned though – it’s incredibly addictive.” – Dominique

“People are tired of bland food. There’s a shift happening. People want bigger, bolder, more authentic flavours, and chilli crisp ticks all those boxes. It’s versatile, it’s easy to use and it gives you a proper hit of flavour without needing a degree in cooking. Once you try it, it’s game over for other condiments.” – Tom 

Here, the White Mausu team share four recipes that make chilli crisp the star of the show…

Jesse Jenkins’s Leftover Potato Salad 

Recipe courtesy of @ADIP_Food 

Serves
2
Total Time
20 Minutes
Ingredients
350g of steamed/boiled new potatoes
Pickles or cornichons
1 celery stalk
Leftover lamb, or any protein you might have
1 tbsp of drained capers
Chives to taste (I use a lot)
Dill to taste (I use a lot)
2 tbsp of mayonnaise
1 tbsp of Extra Hot Peanut Rāyu
Juice of ½ lemon (start with less if you don’t want it to be too sharp) 
Method
Step 1

Press the leftover new potatoes with the bottom of a glass, then coat with a little oil and salt. Roast at 200ºC until golden brown all over. 

Step 2

Add the mayonnaise, spicy peanut rāyu, lemon juice, herbs, pickles, capers, leftover lamb, and crispy potatoes to a large bowl and mix well.

Step 3

Add a little fresh cracked pepper, and extra chilli oil and you're off to the races. I like to have it while the potatoes are still warm, but room temp works too. 

Kitty Coles’s End-Of-Jar Chilli-Oil Caesar Dressing  

Recipe courtesy of @KittyColes 

Serves
4
Total Time
15 Minutes
Ingredients
For the croutons
A chunk of sourdough or ciabatta bread (about 300g)
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
For the salad
4 anchovy fillets (optional)
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 heaped tbsp of mayonnaise
2 heaped tbsp of thick yogurt
The juice of ½ lemon
A generous 3cm chunk of parmesan finely grated, plus more for serving
3 tsp of chilli crisp
2 tsp of toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Salt & ground black pepper
2 romaine lettuce or 4-6 little gem lettuce, torn 
Shredded cooked chicken (optional) 
Method
Step 1

Heat the oven to 180°C fan. Trim the crusts from the bread then tear into 1cm chunks. Toss with olive oil to coat evenly, then spread out in a single layer on a baking tray. (Use a second if needed so they all evenly crisp up.) Bake for around 10 minutes, checking halfway to toss. Bake until golden brown and crispy on the outside, but still a little soft on the inside. Season with salt and set aside.

Step 2

Finely chop the anchovies, then mash them into a smooth paste with the garlic using a mortar and pestle or back of your knife on a chopping board. The smoother the paste, the better the dressing. In a bowl, whisk together the anchovy-garlic paste, mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, parmesan, chilli oil and black pepper. Taste with a lettuce leaf, then adjust seasoning with salt and more chilli oil if desired. If you'd like it looser, just add a splash of water.

Step 3

Add the lettuce into a large bowl. Use your hands to toss the greens and croutons with a generous amount of dressing. Finish with extra parmesan and black pepper, and serve immediately.

Step 4

Any leftover dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

Fuchsia Dunlop’s Leftover Roast Chicken & Rāyu Salad 

Recipe courtesy of @FuchsiaDunlop 

Serves
2
Total Time
5 Minutes
Ingredients
2 handfuls of leftover roast chicken (ideally a mix of white and brown meat) pulled into even sized strips
3 spring onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 tbsp of sesame seeds
For the dressing
2 tbsp of light soya sauce
1½ tsp of chinkiang vinegar
1 pinch of sugar (optional)
2 tbsp of Peanut Rāyu
1 tbsp of Black Bean Rāyu
1 tbsp of chicken stock/fat
1 tsp of sesame oil
Method
Step 1

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the dressing and some of the spring onions and toasted sesame seeds (keep some back to garnish).

Step 2

Add the pulled chicken to the dressing and make sure everything is evenly incorporated. Season with salt. There should be some excess dressing in the bowl at this stage.

Step 3

Place into a serving dish, and top with sesame and spring onion. Dig in.

Fuchsia Dunlop’s Smoky Chilli Oil Radish  

Recipe courtesy of @FuchsiaDunlop 

Serves
4
Total Time
15 Minutes
Ingredients
1 pack of radishes
¾ tsp of salt
1 tsp of sugar
2 tbsp of light soy sauce
2 tbsp of smoky chilli oil
1-2 tsp of sesame oil
Method
Step 1

Top and tail the radishes, smack them lightly with knife or rolling pin.

Step 2

Add salt and leave for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Combine sugar, soy, sesame and chilli oil in a bowl.

Step 4

When ready to eat, drain the radishes (they will have released lots of water, so shake them dry) then pour the chilli oil mix on top. Serve.

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Inspired? Here are some of our favourite jars to try…

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