If you’re anything like me, then you probably love Trader Joe’s. The American grocery store is known for their unique food finds and inexpensive prices, making them heaven-on-earth for foodies like me. And when it comes to Trader Joe’s products, one of their latest and greatest products is their Chili Onion Crunch, a unique spin on traditional chili oil. My Copycat Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch not only tastes just like the “real” thing, but is made with better-for-you ingredients and comes together at a fraction of the price, making it the ultimate pantry staple that you won’t be able to live without!
Friends, when it comes to finding new and unique foods, there’s no better place to go than Trader Joe’s. They are truly the kings when it comes to new food finds, and every time I go there I find a new product to become obsessed with. My favorite obsession lately? Their Chili Onion Crunch.
This spicy, crunchy condiment is truly perfect on almost anything. But at nearly $5 a jar, it isn’t exactly the most wallet-friendly ingredient. In fact, I could go through a jar in just a few days, on my own! So, I knew that I needed to create my own version, and lo and behold, it’s perfect.
This recipe is SO simple and easy to throw together, and is made healthier by using pure olive oil. Plus, it comes together for a fraction of the price, meaning you can make a HUGE jar of this Chili Onion Crunch at once. I keep a jar of this in my pantry at all times- it has truly become a classic in my household!
7 Ingredients to Make This Copycat Recipe
- Dried Onion & Garlic: You will need DRIED minced onion and garlic for this recipe. Not fresh, and not powdered! This is very important (see my notes below on avoiding Botulism). You can find them on Amazon if you can’t find them at your local grocery store!
- Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika adds a deep smoky flavor that tastes delicious in this Chili Onion Crunch!
- Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt helps this recipe perfectly come together.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Of course, we need red pepper flakes to give this Chili Onion Crunch its signature spicy flavor! You can always add more to make this Chili Crunch extra spicy, or less to make it less spicy. It’s totally up to you!
- Chili Powder: Just like with the Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, you can vary the amount of chili powder that you use, depending on your tolerance for spice.
- Olive Oil: While you can technically use any type of oil for this recipe, I like using olive oil because it’s the healthiest AND has the best flavor.
How to Serve This Crunchy, Spicy Condiment
The best part about this Chili Onion Crunch? It goes with almost anything! There truly isn’t a recipe that it wouldn’t pair well with. But, here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Drizzled on Eggs: Love to add an extra kick to your morning eggs? There’s no better way to do so than adding some Chili Onion Crunch!
- With Your Favorite Avocado Toast: The best part about avocado toast is that it’s the perfect blank canvas for all of your favorite toppings – Chili Onion Crunch included.
- Added to Your Favorite Salad Dressings: A drizzle of the Chili Onion Crunch in your favorite, creamy salad dressings is the perfect way to kick up the heat.
- Mixed into a Noodle Dish: Of course, the most traditional way to enjoy chili oil is in an Asian-inspired noodle dish.
2 Steps to Making This Trader Joe’s Copycat Chili Oil
The best part to making this Chili Onion Crunch? It comes together in only TWO steps. Can you believe it?! Once you have all of the ingredients on hand, you’ll be able to whip it up much faster than if you were to run to Trader Joe’s to get yourself a jar. It’ll save you both money, and time!
To make this Chili Onion Crunch, starting by adding all of your ingredients to a small bowl. Next, mix them together, then transfer the mixture into a small mason jar, store in the pantry, and enjoy! That’s it! This recipe should stay fresh, in the pantry, for up to two months.
A Note on Garlic & Oil (Botulism)
Botulism is a serious bacterial infection that can be caused by eating certain foods that have not been stored properly. One of the most common culprits of botulism is garlic stores in oil. Botulism is extremely detrimental to your health, so it’s important to follow proper food safety standards.
Since this recipe calls for DRIED minced garlic and onion, it can safely be stored on the counter or in the pantry, for up to two months. However, it is important that your garlic is fully dried. I recommend buying pre-dried garlic, to ensure the highest safety standards.
However, you can make this recipe with fresh minced garlic, in which case this Chili Onion Crunch MUST be stored in the fridge and consumed within two days.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Ingredients
- ¼ Cup Dried Onion, minced
- ¼ Cup Dried Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- ½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
- ¾ Cup Olive Oil
Instructions
- To make this Chili Onion Crunch, starting by adding all of your ingredients to a small bowl.
- Mix them together, then transfer the mixture into a small mason jar, store in the pantry, and enjoy! That's it! This recipe should stay fresh, in the pantry, for up to two months.
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Wonderful, yummmmmm! Will definitely be making again, thank you!
Woohoo! I am so happy to hear that, Nancy! Thank you so much for making this recipe, and for leaving a review!
Where do you get your minced garlic, I don’t think I have ever seen any.
Hi Barbara, I get mine at Trader Joe’s!
I don’t have dried minced garlic. Do you think garlic powder could be substituted?
Hi Kimberly! Garlic powder can work, but dried minced garlic will add a better flavor ☻
This is definitely the best recipe for Chili Onion Crunch. It’s delicious and comes together quickly. Thank you so much.
Wow, I am so honored to hear that, Joann! Thank you so much for making it, and for leaving a review!
Will it last longer stored in the fridge? We go out of town a lot so I’d like more than 2 months to finish it up.
Hi Liz, I don’t recommend storing it in the fridge, as the oil will harden.
Used avocado oil instead, and I found an intriguing garlic pepper sugar salt blend in the bulk section. I also heated up my oil and poured it over the red chili flakes to “fry” them first. Yumm!
That sounds delicious, Mary! Thank you so much for making this recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Had one question – there’s a slight bitter aftertaste in the one I made – I tasted the garlic & the onion as I suspected either to be the culprits but they taste fine. Any idea what could have gone wrong & how I could fix it. I’m so excited & want to share this with family & friends . Many thanks in advance
Hi Kauser! It sounds to me like the oil might be the culprit. Are you using fresh oil?
I also may have used olive oil that was a bit old – it tasted a bit “off”. I’m going to try again with fresh avocado oil. I also thought that the smoked paprika was a bit overwhelming. I used dried garlic powder – I will look at Trader Joes for dried minced garlic. A work in process for me.
I’ve made this (double batches each time) probably 5-6 times in the past couple of months. I can’t keep enough of it in my pantry! We have it on cheese and crackers, mix it with homemade hummus, and barely have enough for putting on scrambled eggs or other food. This is a 5-star; thanks for sharing!
I am so thrilled to hear that, Cathie! Thank you so much for making this recipe and for all of your support!
The smoked paprika gave us a surprise! the smoky flavor really comes out and we loved it. I’ve also switched to regular paprika and love it as well! I have to make this at least once a week!
I am so happy to hear that, Diane! Thank you so much for your review!