These preserved chillies in oil is another must-have in my arsenal of hot sauces and sambals. It’s perfect for jazzing up just about anything!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Preserved Chillies in Oil
Making these preserved chillies in oil is a very, very easy process, requiring only a few ingredients. If you grown your own chillies, it’s a perfect way to use up summer’s bounty, whatever the colour of your chillies.
This is what we’ll be doing:
1. Prep the Chillies
We start off by rinsing and thoroughly drying the chillies. Then we chop them up coarsely. I like to slice half and chop half for a mix of sizes.
2. Soak the Chillies
The next step in making our preserved chillies in oil is to soak the chopped chillies in a salt and vinegar solution overnight. This adds flavour, as well as helping with the preservation.
The traditional Italian method, (which is how I learnt this) is to salt it overnight, followed by a very brief vinegar soak. However, on one of my cheffing stints in an Italian restaurant, the head chef combined this method, and that’s what I’ve been doing since.
And fyi, in Italian, this is called peperoncini sott’olio (literally, chillies in oil).
3. Top with Oil
The next day, we drain the chillies, pressing them down to dry as much as possible. The Italian method is to use a potato ricer to extract as much liquid as possible. I just drain the chillies with a plastic sieve and press down with a spoon.
We then pack the chillies in a sterilised jar (click for instructions), and top with extra virgin olive oil. Leave it for at least 24 hours before you start indulging. That’s it. Super easy, preserved chillies in oil to enjoy with so many things.
Ingredients
Chillies
You want to use fresh chillies for this. If you are looking for dried chillies in oil, go to the Chilli Page for recipes like Chinese Chilli Oil and Salsa Macha.
Any kind of chilli will do, any colour and any heat rating, it’s a matter of preference. I’m using some red jalapeños with a few purple ones thrown in, both homegrown. And for a hit, I chopped up a scotch bonnet and dropped it in. So you see, anything works.
Salt and Vinegar
Coarse or fine salt works, as long as it’s additive free. This is homemade stuff, you don’t really want any additives with a spoonful of your preserved chillies in oil, do you?
As far as the vinegar is concerned, I like using white wine vinegar or just a clear, plain vinegar. Again, this is a matter of preference. You can use apple cyder vinegar, red wine vinegar, whatever you like. What you use will add its own little flavour to the finished product.
In traditional Italian recipes, the chillies are soaked in vinegar for only 10-15 minutes. I like this prolonged version better because the chillies take on a sweet bite from the vinegar that enhances them.
But more importantly, we prevent the risk of bacterial growth, specifically, related to botulism.
The Oil
To some extent, once again, you can use your favourite oil to make these preserved chillies in oil. Olive oil would be traditional for the Italians, and is my preferred choice. Extra virgin olive oil is best as it has the best “bite” and adds to the final flavour of our preserved chillies.
However, you can also use avocado oil, macadamia, and even sesame oil. The latter, will give these chillies and East Asian flavour, and will affect how you end up using it.
Using our Preserved Chillies in Oil
So you know I have any number of chilli sauces, oils and sambals in my fridge at any one time. Most of them as Asian or Middle Eastern, like Zhug, Pilpelchuma, Nam Jim Jaew and Sambal Belacan.
The problem is, when I want to jazz up a Western type meal, be it pizza, pasta or just a stew, I don’t really want those mentioned above. So today’s preserved chillies in oil is perfect for all those occasions when I want a “blander” chilli recipe.
I use it:
- on pizza
- in pasta sauces
- to jazz up stews
- over salads or mixed with salad dressing
- to spike mayonnaise (you knew this was coming, right?)
- for topping bruschetta and similar offerings
These preserved chillies in oil make a great foodie gift too!
How to Store
Once you’ve filled your jar and sealed it, it will keep for 6 months if you don’t open it. Once opened, store it in the fridge and consume within one month.
The oil will thicken and get a little cloudy, that’s perfectly normal. It’ll clear up once it’s at room temperature.
And that’s about it. Shall we get our aprons on?
If you enjoy the recipe, drop me a comment and let me know. And if you are feeling like a star, don’t forget that 5-star rating!
If you make this recipe, post it on Instagram and tag me @azlinbloor and hashtag it #linsfood.
Lin xx
More Chilli Pepper Recipes
Preserved Chillies in Oil
Equipment
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 ladle
- 1 sieve
- 1 250 ml/1 cup jar
Ingredients
- 200 g fresh red chillies or a mix of your choice
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 250 ml white wine vinegar or your choice, see article above (you may need more, to completely cover the chillies, depending on the width of your bowl)
- 250 ml EV olive oil
Instructions
Day 1
- Wash and thoroughly dry the chillies, then place them in a food chopper and chop them coarsely. You can also do this by hand.
- Place the chillies in a bowl and top with salt.
- Pour the vinegar all over and stir to dissolve the salt as much as possible. Cover with a clingfilm and leave to soak overnight, at room temperature, on your kitchen counter.This will kickstart the preservation process.
The Next Day 2
- Drain the chillies and place them in a sterilised jar.
- Top with olive oil, ensuring the chillies are all covered with at least 2.5cm/1" layer of oil.Leave it for at least a day before enjoying them as described above. Store in the fridge once opened and consume within a month.
Hi, you say at number three to cover with vinegar and leave for a day. Do you refrigerate?
Hi Kelly, no, you leave it at room temperature, on the kitchen counter. I’ve added that now to the method.
Hi. Storing uncooked chillies in oil can cause botulinum to grow. Does the vinegar prevent this?
Thanks
Kris
Nevermind. I found the answer. Soaking the chillies in vinegar for 24 hours sorts out the problem.
I am beginning day 2 today and was wondering what keeps the olive oil from solidifying one refrigerated?
Hi Heather, the olive oil will thicken and get cloudy once it’s opened and kept in the fridge. But it doesn’t quite freeze in my experience. That’s probably because we have some remnants of vinegar and chilli juices, interfering with the composition of the olive oil. In theory, olive oil freezes at around 8 Celsius (50 F), but this varies widely because it’s a natural product, and here, has traces of vinegar which freezes at -2 Celsius (28 F).
I hope that helps.
Hello Lin
I’m new to preserving so I was wondering what makes this shelf stable? I followed your recipe today and have put the chilli’s in a jar with screw on one piece lids. However this has not been properly sealed air tight considering the filled jar have not been processed in a water bath. Is this okay? Thanks, Bethany
Hi Bethany, I’ve noticed in my years of cooking that there are different practices around the world. I used to get many an American asking why I’m not using a water bath for my jams and pickles.
In this recipe, the chillies were originally soaked in vinegar, this kickstarts the pickling process, adding tartness and changing the ph. Adding the oil creates an environment that prohibits bacterial growth.
This is an old fashioned method, Italian in origin. They preserve so much summer bounty this way. I’m hoping to do a few more this summer.
Thought I’d drop you a quick comment since I was on the sambal oelek post. Have made this a few times now, since I got the recipe in the inbox last summer. A winning recipe, cheers.
I’m pleased to hear that, Adam. Thanks for taking the time to let me know.