This delicious chili paste recipe is great to have on hand to spicy up your next dish. Healthy, super affordable and PACKED with flavor.

Original recipe: January 2013 | Updated: November 2021
Why This Recipe Works
My cute hubby and I both love spicy food. A while back, while enjoying dinner out alone at one of our favorite Asian restaurants, we realized we were eating a lot of chili paste. We began to wonder out loud about why we had never made our own chili paste recipe!
At restaurants, we devour it like the apocalypse is tomorrow, so imagine what it must be like to have it in our very own kitchen! So we formulated a recipe and gave it a whirl. It is deLICIOUS and we make this all the time, much like this hot pepper jelly recipe which is another household staple.
If you are a spice freak like we are, then you will not be disappointed in this chili paste. Go to your local grocery store and go crazy picking out the prettiest hot peppers you can find.
The peppers listed below are merely suggestions. Cater them to your desired spice level!
Recipe Ingredients

Chili peppers – Any variety of hot peppers will suffice! Get creative and colorful, as long as you have approximately 2 total cups after chunks have been cut. Options include: serrano, red chilies, Thai chili peppers, habanero, bell peppers, ghost pepper, red cayenne peppers and dorset naga.
Canola oil – This variety of oil can be used interchangeably with vegetable oil, sesame oil or olive oil.
Vinegar – White or apple cider vinegar can be used in this recipe.
Check Out This Spicy Web Story
Pick and choose a variety of chili peppers and you can create a flavor packed chili paste to add to all your dishes!
How To Make Chili Paste
These are just suggestions, but here are the peppers I like to start with:
- 2 serrano peppers
- 3 red chili peppers
- 1 Thai chili pepper
- 1 habanero chili pepper
The above peppers are typically easy to find in most larger grocery stores, but if you encounter difficulty find them, replace with other peppers or check out an Asian foods store!

Remove the stems (keep the seeds!) and cut the peppers into chunks.

Add the following to the bowl of a food processor:
- Pepper chunks
- Shallots
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher or sea salt
- Lime juice
- Canola oil
- White vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce

Pulse until a chunky paste forms.

Transfer the paste to a small skillet or saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 7 minutes, or until the aroma of garlic is noticeable.
Remove finished paste from the heat and let cool. Store covered in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes – Hot Chili Paste Recipe
- This recipe makes about 1 cup, which will last you a while unless you are my husband who immediately starts eating each batch as if it WERE SALSA.
- Keep the peppers used in the recipe green for a green chili paste and red for a red chili paste.
- A good way to preserve this paste is to let it come to room temperature then freeze it! Pour it into ice cube trays so you can defrost small servings at a time, as needed.
- For an extra smooth paste, use a blender or immersion blender to eliminate chunks. This will alter the paste consistency considerably!
- This recipe makes a great gift! Use the instructions below to properly store it in mason jars, then gift them!
- If it is too spicy, try one of these fixes. Add lime juice or lemon juice or a splash of wine, white vinegar to the mixture. Tomato paste or tomato sauce will help, too.
- To achieve an extra spicy sauce, add ground cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes.
- Fresh ginger would add a fresh touch!
Water Bath Canning Without A Canner – A Step By Step Tutorial
There’s no need to buy a water bath canner if you’re wanting to can a big batch of something yummy! Use what you already have sitting in your kitchen. This technique works just as well to extend the shelf life of your food.
Step 1
Carefully place jars (and their lids) into a large pot of cold water in a single layer. Turn the heat to medium-high heat and bring to a full rolling boil. Do not stack jars and ensure they are all immersed in the water (open sides facing up) with approximately 2 inches of water extending up past the top of the jars.

Fill clean jar with the mixture. Fill to about 1/2 inch from the top, wipe rims with a clean cloth and place lid on the jar. Screw as tightly as possible. Use an oven mitt for this step since the jars will be hot.
Step 3
After all jars have been filled and lidded, carefully return them to the boiling water and let boil for 10 minutes.

Turn the burner off and remove each sterilized jar from the water once it has cooled down a bit. You may use a jar lifter for this step or carefully use a tongs and large spoon in tandem to pull and lift at the same time.
Step 4
Transfer jars to a flat surface and let sit for a few hours or overnight, or until the lids have sealed. You will hear an audible popping noise when a jar seals. Store each sealed glass jar in a cool dark place until ready to use. Once the seal has been broken, store in the refrigerator.
Uses For Chili Paste
Aside from being used as an ingredient in Asian recipes, there are so many other things chili paste tastes great with! Here are a few options:
- Add it to your next bowl of rice or pasta!
- Use it as a spread on your next sandwich or wrap.
- Stir a few teaspoons into your next batch of burgers or brush it over chicken breasts before baking.
- Add a bit to your next batch of chili for an added kick!
- Stir a teaspoon or two into sour cream and dip veggies in it.
- Throw a few spoonfuls into your next stir fry.
- Scramble it into your next batch of eggs!
- Add it to your Ramen noodle bowl.

FAQ About Chili Paste
Chili paste is made from dried chilies and is contains a deep, robust flavor profile. It is an essential in Texas Red Chili and adds spice in other dishes.
Chili paste has a thicker consistency than hot sauce and the flavor can vary depending on the brand or recipes. In some cases it is spicy and in others it is on the sweeter side.
If you do not have chili paste on hand or do not have the time to throw a batch together, here are some decent substitutions that will add heat and flavor in a pinch:
– Sriracha sauce
– Your favorite brand of hot sauce
– Add red pepper flakes, chili powder and/or cayenne pepper to a can of tomato paste
– Red pepper paste (1 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp soy sauce + 2 tsp red pepper flakes)
Store chili paste in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Calabrian chili paste is made from calabrian chiles which originate in Calabria, Italy. These peppers are vine-ripened and are deep red in color. They are often infused into oils, pastes and vinegars and are extremely flavorful.
Sauce Recipes To Make At Home

Chili Paste Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 shallots cut into chunks
- 2 serrano chili peppers stems removed and cut into small pieces
- 3 red chili peppers stems removed and cut into small pieces
- 1 hot Thai chili pepper stem removed and cut into small pieces
- 1 Habañero chili pepper stem removed and cut into small pieces
- 3 cloves garlic cut in half
- 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt or sea salt
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the shallots, the Serrano, red chili, Thai and Habanero peppers, garlic, sugar, salt, lime juice, canola oil, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Pulse until a chunky paste forms.
- Pour the paste into a small skillet or saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let simmer for 7 minutes, or until the aroma of the garlic is noticeable.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Store covered in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 1 cup, which will last you a while unless you are my husband who immediately starts eating each batch as if it WERE SALSA.
- Keep the peppers used in the recipe green for a green chili paste and red for a red chili paste.
- A good way to preserve this paste is to let it come to room temperature then freeze it! Pour it into ice cube trays so you can defrost small servings at a time, as needed.
- For an extra smooth paste, use a blender or immersion blender to eliminate chunks. This will alter the paste consistency considerably!
- This recipe makes a great gift! Use the instructions below to properly store it in mason jars, then gift them!
- If it is too spicy, try one of these fixes. Add lime juice or lemon juice or a splash of wine, white vinegar to the mixture. Tomato paste or tomato sauce will help, too.
- To achieve an extra spicy sauce, add ground cayenne pepper and/or red pepper flakes.
- Fresh ginger would add a fresh touch!
I am makong this for the 3rd timw in about 3 weeks. It is so good! The sevond batch was super spicy and i got heavy handed with the salt, so this third batch will be salt free and I’ll mix it with the other batch. Soooo good!
So glad you’re enjoying it, Shawnie! Be sure to try some in chili mac and cheese too or throw some over hot dogs because it’s another great alternative to leftovers with this recipe. No waste! It freezes good in portions too, but I love using it in multiple recipes so my week is easier.
We made this recipe with all habanero’s and it was awesome. Thanks I couldn’t find a good habanero paste recipe yours was perfect to turn that into.
That’s awesome! I’m glad that it was enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!
i found it interesting that i downloaded the recipe on 11/23/2013 and the list of ingredients you actually used is different. Can you please clarify?
here is your list on that date
• 6 shallots, peeled
• 1 Tbsp coarse ground black pepper
• 2 Serrano chiles
• 3 red chili peppers
• 3 Thai chiles peppers
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks lemon grass, chopped, white part only
• 2 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• Juice from 1 lime
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp Canola oil
Also your instructions do not mention cooking:
In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Add just enough oil so the paste mixes well, but remains thick. Check for seasoning
Hi Bernie,
I appreciate the question. However it’s been many years since I published this recipe so I can’t go back and figure out if there were any issues. The recipe hasn’t been updated after it published in January 2016 so I agree it is strange that what you provided looks different if you got that from Pip and Ebby. I’m sorry for the confusion. This is an excellent recipe!
Hi Laura! Not at all! I could definitely smell the heat, but it didn't burn my eyes at all. Let me know how yours turns out!
Megan
My husband would love it if I would make him this–but tell me truly, did the fumes while it was cooking nearly burn your eyeballs out?
Love this!! So many possibilities to use this.
Connie
this looks scrumptious!
It looks fantastic… I don't think I've ever seen it before. What kind of restaurant were you at? Kind of curious! I think I saw something like it at a Thai place?
YUM….can not wait to make this. Used to make Chili paste by just using the peppers blackened and peeled then chop but this looks much tastier. Just started following you. Very glad I did
Thanks