The Best Chilli Oil in Australia: A Buyer's Guide to Crispy Chilli Oil
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Crispy chilli oil has gone from a cult condiment to a pantry staple, and there are now more jars to choose from than ever. We stock a lot of them, from Melbourne small-batch makers to Hong Kong classics, so we've put together this guide to help you find the right one for the way you cook and eat.
Product details below come from each maker's own labelling at the time of writing. Recipes and labels change, so always check the jar, especially if you have an allergy.
Quick picks
- Best all-rounder: Six-Eyed Scorpion Original Crispy Chilli Oil
- Best value classic: Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chilli Crisp
- Best for garlic lovers: S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil or Shun Fat Ma Kee Chiu Chow Garlic Chilli Oil
- Best if you love umami (and MSG): UmamiPapi Crispy Aromatic Chilli Oil
- Best sesame-rich Japanese style: Chotto Motto Crispy Chilli Oil
- Best for seafood lovers: Yick Cheong Ho Crunchy Shrimp & Chilli Sauce
- Hottest: Tai Ma Super Spicy Ghost Pepper Chilli Oil
- Mildest: Six-Eyed Scorpion Crispy Garlic Oil: Miso Sesame
- Made with olive oil: Six-Eyed Scorpion Olive Oil Chilli Crisp or Morella Grove Chilli Crunch
Chilli oil, chilli crisp or la-yu: what's the difference?
Infused chilli oil is a smooth oil that has taken on the heat and colour of chilli. It's for drizzling and cooking. S&B La-Yu, the small bottle served with gyoza in Japan, is a good example.
Crispy chilli oil, or chilli crisp, is a spoonable condiment packed with crunchy pieces of fried garlic, shallot and chilli suspended in oil. Most of this guide is about this style.
Taberu-rayu, Japanese for "chilli oil you eat", is the Japanese take on chilli crisp. It's usually heavy on crispy garlic and lighter on heat, and is traditionally spooned over hot rice. S&B Kobashii Umai Okazu Rayu is a classic.
Italian-style chilli in oil is chopped chilli preserved in olive oil, closer to a Calabrian condiment than an Asian one. Bippi Chilli is our pick here.
What to look for
Crunch
The best chilli crisps use fresh garlic and shallots fried in-house, which gives a cleaner flavour and a crunch that lasts. Look at the ingredient list: the first few ingredients tell you what you're mostly paying for.
Heat
Heat varies hugely, from barely-there to genuinely painful. Some makers publish a heat rating; where they don't, we've given our own rough guide in the table below.
The oil
Most chilli crisps use a neutral oil such as canola so the aromatics come through. Some add sesame oil for a toasty, nutty note (Chotto Motto, S&B), and a few now use extra virgin olive oil (Six-Eyed Scorpion's Olive Oil Chilli Crisp, Morella Grove, Bippi).
MSG
MSG isn't a health concern for most people, but some buyers prefer to avoid it. UmamiPapi proudly uses it for an extra savoury hit. Six-Eyed Scorpion, Chotto Motto and Tai Ma say they don't add it.
Allergens
Almost every chilli crisp contains soy. Sesame is common, and some products carry a "may contain sesame" warning. Lao Gan Ma lists peanuts on our product pages, and seafood-based oils such as Yick Cheong Ho (shrimp) and Roar (dried scallop) are not suitable for shellfish allergies or vegans.
Comparison table
| Chilli oil | Style | Made in | Heat | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six-Eyed Scorpion Original | Crispy chilli oil | Melbourne | 6/10 (maker's rating) | Vegan, gluten-free, no added MSG. Contains soy; may contain sesame. |
| Six-Eyed Scorpion Extra Spicy | Crispy chilli oil | Melbourne | 8/10 (maker's rating) | Adds Bird's Eye chillies. Contains soy; may contain sesame. |
| Six-Eyed Scorpion Miso Sesame | Crispy garlic oil | Melbourne | 1/10 (maker's rating) | Super-mild. Contains soy and sesame. |
| Six-Eyed Scorpion Olive Oil Chilli Crisp | Crispy chilli oil in EVOO | Melbourne | 6/10 (maker's rating) | Australian extra virgin olive oil. Contains soy; may contain sesame. |
| UmamiPapi Original / Extra Spicy | Crispy aromatic chilli oil | Melbourne | Medium / Hot (our guide) | Uses MSG for extra umami. Vegan. |
| Chotto Motto / Extra Hot | Japanese-style chilli crisp | Collingwood, Melbourne | Mild–medium / Hot (our guide) | Sesame oil, sesame seeds and fermented black beans. Vegan, gluten-free, no added MSG. |
| Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chilli Crisp | Classic Chinese chilli crisp | China | Medium (our guide) | The original supermarket favourite. Contains soy; our listing notes peanuts. |
| S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil | Japanese taberu-rayu | Japan | Mild–medium (our guide) | Loaded with garlic chips and fried onion. Contains soy and sesame. |
| Shun Fat Ma Kee Chiu Chow Garlic Chilli Oil | Teochew garlic chilli oil | Hong Kong | Medium (our guide) | Big garlic flavour in the Chiu Chow tradition. |
| Tai Ma Super Chili Oil | Hong Kong chilli oil | Hong Kong | Hot (our guide) | No added MSG, artificial colours or preservatives. |
| Tai Ma Ghost Pepper Chilli Oil | Extreme-heat chilli oil | Hong Kong | Extreme | Made with ghost pepper. Tai Ma says it's about four times hotter than its Super Chili Oil. |
| Yick Cheong Ho Crunchy Shrimp & Chilli | Shrimp chilli crisp | Tai O, Hong Kong | Mild–medium (our guide) | Crispy dried shrimp and garlic. Contains crustacean; not vegan. |
| Roar Chilli Oil (Chan Supper Club) | Japanese-inspired chilli oil | — | Medium (our guide) | Made with Japanese soy sauce and dried scallops. Contains shellfish; not vegan. |
| Mrs Tran's Kitchen Sate Chilli Oil | Vietnamese sate chilli oil | Australia | Medium–hot (our guide) | Lemongrass, crispy garlic and roasted chilli. |
| Bippi Italian-Style Chilli | Italian chilli in oil | Australia | Mild, Hot or Extra Hot (7/10) | Australian chilli in olive oil. Vegan and gluten-free. |
| Morella Grove Chilli Crunch | Chilli crunch with EVOO | Australia | Mild–medium (our guide) | Contains sesame and black beans. Vegan. |
The chilli oils in detail
Six-Eyed Scorpion (Melbourne)
Created by Melbourne chef Sandra Seah, Six-Eyed Scorpion was voted Australia's favourite chilli oil in Gourmet Traveller's 2024 blind tasting. It's built on fresh-fried Australian shallots and garlic, two kinds of chilli, shiitake and Sichuan pepper, and each batch is left for two days so the flavour can develop. It's savoury, aromatic and properly crunchy, and it works on almost anything. Start with Original, step up to Extra Spicy, or try the four-flavour Variety Pack. Regular users should look at the XL jars and multipacks.
UmamiPapi (Melbourne)
UmamiPapi is unapologetically savoury. It's loud, crunchy and aromatic, with MSG doing what MSG does best. If you want maximum flavour for a modest price, it's hard to beat. Choose Original or Extra Spicy.
Chotto Motto (Melbourne)
From the Japanese restaurant in Collingwood, Chotto Motto's chilli crisp leans on sesame oil, sesame seeds, fried garlic, scallion and fermented black beans. It's more fragrant than fiery, which makes it brilliant on rice, eggs and gyoza. Want more heat? Try the Extra Hot.
Lao Gan Ma (China)
The red-labelled jar that started it all for many people. Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chilli Crisp is crunchy, salty and moreish, and still the best-value chilli crisp around. Stock up with the 670g jar, or try the wider range in our Lao Gan Ma Six of the Best pack.
S&B (Japan)
S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil is a garlic lover's dream: golden garlic chips and fried onion in sesame-scented chilli oil, with gentle heat. It's the jar to reach for on ramen, fried rice and buttered toast.
Hong Kong specialists
Tai Ma makes chilli oil the Hong Kong way, without added MSG or preservatives. Super Chili Oil has serious heat, and the Ghost Pepper version is only for experienced chilli-heads.
Shun Fat Ma Kee, established in 1986, makes a Chiu Chow Garlic Chilli Oil in the Teochew style: bright red, garlicky and great with noodles and dumplings.
Yick Cheong Ho, from the fishing village of Tai O, makes a Crunchy Shrimp & Chilli Sauce in the "typhoon shelter" style, with crispy dried shrimp, garlic and chilli. Think of it as a cousin of XO sauce. It's superb on steamed fish, fried rice and congee.
Other favourites
Roar Chilli Oil from Chan Supper Club adds dried scallops and Japanese soy for deep umami. Mrs Tran's Kitchen Sate Chilli Oil brings Vietnamese lemongrass and roasted chilli, perfect for pho and noodle bowls. Bippi Chilli is the one for pasta, pizza and paninis. Morella Grove Chilli Crunch combines extra virgin olive oil with black beans and sesame.
How to use crispy chilli oil
Spoon it over fried or scrambled eggs, dumplings, noodles, fried rice and congee. Stir it through pasta, swirl it into mayonnaise or yoghurt for a quick dip, or drizzle it over pizza, roast vegetables, avocado toast and even vanilla ice cream. Use the crunchy bits as a finishing topping, and the oil itself for dressings and stir-fries.
How to store chilli oil
Use a clean, dry spoon every time and keep the lid tight. Many chilli crisps are shelf-stable, but some makers, including Six-Eyed Scorpion, recommend the fridge to keep the crunch. Follow the storage instructions on each jar.
Frequently asked questions
Which chilli oils don't contain added MSG?
Six-Eyed Scorpion, Chotto Motto and Tai Ma all say they don't add MSG. UmamiPapi deliberately uses it.
Which chilli oils are vegan?
Six-Eyed Scorpion, UmamiPapi, Chotto Motto, Bippi and Morella Grove are vegan. Yick Cheong Ho (shrimp) and Roar (dried scallop) are not. For other brands, check the label.
Which chilli oil is best for someone who doesn't like much heat?
Six-Eyed Scorpion's Miso Sesame Crispy Garlic Oil (1/10), S&B Crunchy Garlic with Chili Oil and Chotto Motto Original are all good gentle options.
What's the hottest chilli oil you sell?
Tai Ma Super Spicy Ghost Pepper Chilli Oil. Start with a very small amount.
Do you deliver chilli oil Australia-wide?
Yes. We deliver Australia-wide with Australia Post, and orders are usually dispatched within 2–3 business days. Cafés and restaurants can also apply for trade pricing.
Ready to find your favourite? Shop our full chilli oil range or browse the Six-Eyed Scorpion collection.