A few simple ingredients are quickly transformed into one of the most full-of-flavour recipes on the blog – our Red Chilli Paste. I love having this on hand, and freeze it so I can enjoy it anytime. With dozens of ways to use this flavour booster, it will become your new favourite condiment!
Why we love this recipe:
This is a recipe close to my heart – passed down to me by my godparents. A few simple ingredients are transformed into the most delicious, flavoursome and useful Red Chilli Paste.
I love to have long red chillies and tomatoes on hand. They’re frequently used in so many of my favourite dishes.
For this recipe, these humble ingredients are combined with pantry staples of salt, sugar, oil, garlic and onion to make this delicious condiment.
I love to freeze the Red Chilli Paste in ice cube trays – they defrost quickly, and you can easily add them to soups and sauces for a fast flavour boost.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Long Red Chillies – these can certainly vary in heat but tend to be milder than many other varieties. I love the flavour of them and the boost of warmth and slight heat they offer.
Sea Salt – I add sea salt flakes to taste.
Sugar – a little sugar helps balance out the flavour of the paste.
Garlic – one of my most loved flavour boosters. Add fresh garlic cloves to this recipe, and not powder or jarred garlic.
Tomato – for a little extra added flavour and sweetness.
Onion – I have used a medium brown/yellow onion. You could also use shallots.
Grapeseed Oil – or another neutral oil of your choice, to fry off the paste.
Step by Step Instructions:
You’ll need to start by washing and drying your chillies and tomato.
- Remove the stems of the chilli, and roughly chop;
- Add the chillies to your blender or food processor, along with the garlic, which has been peeled, and the tomato and onion which have been quartered;
- Blend until completely smooth.
- In a large pan or wok, heat the oil on a low heat and add your paste.
- Stir well, to avoid the paste from sticking and burning.
- After about 35 minutes, the paste will be cooked, and you will note the colour change. The oil will have been absorbed into the paste, and it won’t have a raw taste to it. Add in the salt and sugar and stir well.
Tips for Success and FAQs:
When making your own condiments and sauces, always ensure you are sterilising the jars you will store them in. This is very simple to do:
- Choose glass jars with an airtight, metal lid and ensure they have been washed by hand in hot soapy water then rinsed well.
- Check that the metal lids do not have rubber inserts.
- Preheat the oven to 130 Degrees C (270 F) and leave the jars in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
The Red Chilli Paste will last for one week in the fridge when stored in a sterilised jar.
The paste will last for three months in the freezer. I like to freeze the paste in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, remove the chilli paste cubes, and place in a sealed container or freezer bag.
Our preference is to use the milder long red chillies – they still have an element of warmth, and make for a paste that has a round flavour. However, you can certainly add some hotter chillies to this paste if you desire!
Yes, this is a step you must not skip. The cooking of the paste ensures the onion, garlic and other ingredients are cooked and allows the flavour to develop.
When it comes to serving:
My Red Chilli Paste will quickly become your favourite way to elevate the flavour of so many dishes!
It is so versatile, and the options to use it really are endless. I have listed some of my favourite ways to enjoy the paste below, and I would love to hear if you have any more suggestions!
Use it to:
- add extra flavour to any dish that could use a little heat! Instead of fresh or dried chilli, this paste is really a game-changer!
- make spicy scrambled eggs – top with fresh coriander and bean sprouts for a delicious breakfast;
- add a kick to your nachos (this one might be my favourite yet!)
- make a super tasty plate of roasted sweet potato fries or potato wedges – top with some sour cream and Red Chilli Paste;
- elevate the flavour of a bowl of soup or pasta;
- spread on salmon fillets or prawns and pop on the grill;
- add to a cheese platter – it is so delicious with soft cheese especially!
- dip meatballs or chicken wings in.
Other delicious recipes for you to try:
Love your chilli as much as we do? Then these recipes are some other must-try ideas that are all so easy, and so much better than anything storebought!
Enjoy the full flavours of this Red Chilli Paste – let me know in the comments below when you give it a try and how you use it!
Alex xx
Red Chilli Paste
Equipment
- High-speed blender or food processor.
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 ounces) long red chillies See Note 1
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium brown/yellow onion
- 1 tomato
- 1-2 teaspoon sea salt See Note 2 and 3
- 1-2 teaspoon sugar See Note 3
- â…“ cup (75 ml) grapeseed oil See Note 4
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
Instructions
- Remove the stems of the chilli, and roughly chop. Peel the garlic cloves, and quarter the tomato and onion.
- Add the chillies, garlic, tomato and onion to a blender or food processor.Blend until completely smooth.
- In a large pan or wok, heat the oil on a low heat and add your paste.
- Stir well regularly to avoid the paste from sticking and burning. Scrape down the sides of the pan regularly.
- After about 35 minutes, the paste will be cooked.The oil will have been absorbed into the paste, and it won't have a raw taste to it. Add in the sugar and salt and stir well. Check the seasoning is to your liking and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the paste to cool before storing.
Notes
- I have used the milder long red chillies for this recipe, as I like their subtle heat and flavour. You can use chillies of your preference, and certainly, add in hotter ones if you like more heat!
- Ensure you use cooking salt or coarse sea salt, as regular table salt may contain caking agents and is much stronger.Â
- Adjust the salt and sugar to your taste. This will vary, depending on the chillies and how ripe your tomatoes are.
- Grapeseed Oil or any other neutral oil is ideal for this recipe, so as to not overpower the flavour of the paste.Â
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on the entire recipe, which yields approximately 2 cups (500ml).Â
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Tanya
This has an incredible chili flavor and the perfect amount of spice for me and my husband! We love spicy food so have been adding this to pastas and curries. It’s such a great flavor enhancer. A must try!
Alexandra
Hi Tanya, thank you so much for letting me know how much you enjoy our Red Chilli Paste. It really does add great flavour to so many dishes. 🙂
CHRISTOPHER
How much paste use !!
Alexandra
Hi Christopher,
This will depend on what you’re using it for, how hot your chillies are and how spicy you want the dish to be.
I would recommend starting with 1-2 teaspoons, and adding more to taste if you like.
Thanks, Alex
Anne
Can you tell me what kind of chilies to use exactly? I hope I don’t sound dumb, but here in the States we cook with a lot of different kinds of chili peppers. If I go to my grocer and ask for “long red chilies,” he’ll scratch his head and ask me “OK, so they’re long and they’re red but what kind are you referring to exactly?” We’re just used to more specific names for chili peppers. Again, I hope I don’t sound dumb, but this is actually a common issue with Americans when reading cookbooks published in England and Australia which refer to “red chillies,” or just “chillies,” and then say nothing more specific about them. I’ve Googled this but have gotten vague info, but I really want to try all these recipes, including yours, so I hope someone can finally “crack the code” for me.
Alexandra
Hello Anne,
Thank you so much for your message! It is very helpful, as I certainly appreciate I will need to update some posts with this information.
So, the chillies we call “long red chillies” here, seem to be called “long red cayenne”. Another substitute is a “finger hot pepper”.
Just to give some insight – our long red chillies can vary from mild to quite hot but tend to fall somewhere in the middle.
So, I would say that any chilli pepper that has a good balance of heat and flavour would work well in this recipe.
The chilli paste should be nice and warming!
If you can find the long red cayenne, that is what we use – I hope this helps?!
Let me know – and I can always have a chat to some grocers here to find out some more info!
Kind regards, Alex
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Yum, this recipe is so tasty fun. It would be perfect for making homemade Mexican rice!
Alexandra
Thank you, Heidi! So delicious with so many things, and definitely Mexican rice would be one of those! 🙂 Enjoy!
Jessie
This is amazing! I love freezing it in the ice cube trays makes it so easy to pop out and add a nice kick off flavor!
Alexandra
Hey Jessie! Thank you so much –
I am pleased you enjoyed this recipe. Kind regards, Alex
Milena
Omg this was heavenly – we have been adding it to everything (soups, pasta, mayo for a dipping sauce!)
I think we will eat this batch quickly but definitely love the idea of freezing it! Thanks!!
Alexandra
Hi Milena, I am delighted to hear that you loved the Red Chilli Paste. You are much like me – I constantly find new ways to use it, it is so good! Thank you for letting me know. 🙂
Aga
Im just attempting to make it but not sure if I need to deseed the chillis or just blend it all with the seeds?
Thanks
Alexandra
Hi Aga,
I leave the seeds in 🙂
Thanks, Alex
Caitlyn Erhardt
This recipe is wonderful and you give so many great tips and tricks.
Alexandra
It is a fantastic recipe, Caitlyn, I am so pleased that you like it. I mixed some through my scrambled eggs this morning. Delicious! 🙂
Jill
I had never thought about serving a chili paste on a cheese platter. Delicious! Homemade is always best!
Alexandra
Definitely Jill, when we make it at home we control the quality and the ingredients. So good! 🙂
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Wow! This is packed with flavor. Perfect for adding to dishes. I love that it can be frozen and pulled out for a quick flavor booster!
Alexandra
Hi Kathy, it really is a great flavour booster and there are so many ways to use it. It’s a favourite of mine. 🙂
Shashi
Such a great idea to freeze this delicious yet easy sauce in an ice cube tray to use whenever! Thanks for that tip and this recipe!
Alexandra
Shashi, I’m so pleased that you like the suggestion of freezing the Red Chilli Paste in an ice cube tray. It’s a great way to keep the paste to use in so many ways. 🙂
Peter
You aren’t kidding when you say this is an amazing flavor booster. This stuff is very, very flexible and I can see myself using it for many different things, especially if I want to make something even spicier. I LOVE that you added in a ton of potential uses for it!
Alexandra
Thank you, Peter! We are so pleased to hear you like the Chilli Paste so much!