Make a bold homemade chili paste with red chillies, garlic, vinegar, and a little oil. This versatile paste adds vibrant colour, heat, and savoury flavour to stir-fries, noodles, marinades, soups, curries, and dipping sauces.
Calories
35kcal
Protein
1g
Carbs
4g
Fat
2g
Wash and dry the chillies thoroughly. Remove the stems and roughly chop them. Remove some or all of the seeds if you prefer a milder paste.
Add the chopped chillies, garlic, vinegar, salt, sugar, and water to a blender or food processor. Blend until a thick, mostly smooth paste forms. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Heat the vegetable oil in a small heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Carefully add the blended chilli mixture and stir well.
Cook gently for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until the raw aroma softens, the colour deepens slightly, and the paste becomes thick and glossy. Do not let it scorch.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the chili paste to cool completely. Transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight container and refrigerate.
This chili paste recipe makes a bold, vibrant homemade paste with fresh red chillies, garlic, vinegar, and a touch of sweetness. It has a thick texture and concentrated flavour, making it useful for adding heat and colour to everyday cooking.
Unlike a thin chilli sauce, homemade chili paste is designed to be concentrated. A small spoonful can transform stir-fries, noodles, curries, marinades, soups, dips, and sauces.
Made with fresh red chillies and simple ingredients.
Easy to adjust for different heat levels.
Thick and concentrated rather than watery.
Useful in a wide range of dishes.
Easy to portion and freeze.
Made without unnecessary preservatives.
Chili paste is a thick blend of chillies combined with ingredients such as garlic, salt, vinegar, oil, or a small amount of sugar. It is more concentrated than chilli sauce, so it can be added directly to recipes in small amounts.
The flavour and heat can vary considerably depending on the type of chillies used. Fresh red chillies give this version a bright colour and fresh chilli flavour, while cooking mellows some of the sharper raw notes.
The best chillies depend on how much heat and colour you want. Mild red chillies create a brighter, more approachable paste, while hotter varieties produce a stronger kick.
For a balanced homemade paste, combine a colourful mild chilli with a smaller amount of hotter chilli. This gives you plenty of red colour without making the finished paste overwhelmingly spicy.
Remove some or all of the seeds and use mostly mild red chillies. You can also increase the amount of sweet red pepper to create a colourful paste with less heat.
Use a greater proportion of hot red chillies and keep more of the seeds. Add the chillies gradually if you are unsure about their strength because heat levels can vary between varieties.
Add a spoonful to vegetables, meat, tofu, or seafood while stir-frying for instant heat and colour.
Mix chili paste with noodles, vegetables, soy sauce, or a little sesame oil for a quick spicy noodle dish.
A small amount can add depth and heat to curries, broths, stews, and soups without requiring several different chilli ingredients.
Combine the paste with oil, vinegar or citrus juice, and your preferred seasonings to create a spicy marinade for meat, seafood, tofu, or vegetables.
Mix chili paste with mayonnaise, yoghurt, vinegar, or another sauce base to create a quick spicy dip.
No. Chili paste is generally thicker and more concentrated, while chili sauce usually contains more liquid and is designed to be poured or used directly as a condiment.
Because chili paste is concentrated, you normally need much less of it to add noticeable heat and flavour to a dish.
If your paste is hotter than expected, balance it by mixing it with additional mild red peppers or another suitable ingredient. A little extra sweetness or acidity can also help balance the perception of heat.
When cooking with an already-prepared paste, start with a small amount and add more gradually. It is much easier to increase the heat than to remove it from a finished dish.
Transfer the cooled paste to a clean, airtight container and refrigerate it promptly. Always use a clean, dry spoon when taking paste from the container.
For longer storage, portion the chili paste into small freezer-safe portions. Freezing individual portions makes it easy to take out only the amount required for a recipe.
Yes. Freezing is particularly convenient when you make a larger batch. Divide the paste into small portions before freezing so you can use individual amounts without repeatedly thawing the entire batch.
Choose fresh, firm red chillies with good colour.
Adjust the chilli varieties according to your preferred heat level.
Blend the mixture thoroughly for a smooth paste.
Add water sparingly so the finished paste remains concentrated.
Cook gently rather than allowing the garlic or chilli to scorch.
Cool the paste completely before transferring it to the refrigerator.
Use clean utensils each time you remove paste from storage.
Yes. Fresh red chillies work particularly well when you want a vibrant colour and fresh chilli flavour. Choose the variety according to your preferred level of heat.
Yes. Dried chillies can be used to make a more concentrated paste. They usually need to be softened before blending so they can produce a smooth texture.
Too much water during blending can make the paste thin. Add liquid gradually and cook the mixture gently for longer if it needs to reduce and thicken.
A bitter flavour can develop if the chillies or garlic become scorched during cooking. Keep the heat moderate and stir the paste regularly while it cooks.
The heat depends mainly on the chilli varieties and how many seeds are retained. Homemade paste gives you much more control because you can select the chillies yourself.
This chili paste recipe is an easy way to keep bold chilli flavour ready for everyday cooking. Fresh red chillies, garlic, vinegar, and a touch of sweetness create a versatile paste that can be adapted to your preferred level of heat.
Keep a small batch refrigerated for short-term use or freeze it in portions for convenient cooking later. For more homemade essentials, sauces, condiments, and easy recipes, explore LaGrub and find your next favourite recipe.
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