This hot tomato oil is truly the king of all the infused oils out there.
Its perfect balance of tangy and spicy flavors layered beneath the rich olive oil is truly one of the biggest examples of how sophisticated and minimalist French food can be.
Inspired by the spicy tomato dipping oil at Pastabilities restaurant in Syracuse, with this recipe recipe I have tried to achieve the same classic flavors with just some pantry staples.
While I’m no expert in French cooking, I’ve tried my hands at quite a few French-inspired recipes in the last year- everything from condiments like basil gremolata and pickled Italian peppers to appetizers like pan fried tomatoes and sauteed mushrooms.
What truly blew me away was how effortless and easy they were to make.
French food is more about refined cooking techniques, minimal ingredients and letting simple flavors shine, and that’s exactly what I managed to achieve with my tomato oil recipe.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
My favorite part about this spicy hot tomato oil is how quick it is to put together.
It barely takes 15 minutes from start to finish, and is a super versatile condiment that you can refrigerate for later too!
Ingredients For the Hot Tomato Oil Recipe
You’ll need just a few simple ingredients to make this spicy tomato oil.
Tomatoes: Tomatoes are the essence of this recipe, so make sure you pick the best juicy and ripe tomatoes.
Olive oil: Olive oil acts as the base for the hot tomato oil.
Garlic: Fresh garlic elevates the flavor of the oil and takes it to the next level. Use as much as you prefer.
Red chili flakes: Red chili flakes bring in a nice bit of heat and some chunky flakes into the oil.
Cayenne: For an extra kick of heat, I also added some cayenne. You can skip this if your spice tolerance is low.
Honey: To balance out all the flavors, I also added a dash of honey. To keep the infused oil vegan, you can skip this one.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Hot Tomato Oil
Got all your ingredients ready? Here’s what you’ll need to make this spicy dipping sauce.
In a saucepan, heat some oil and add in the sliced garlic. Fry until golden brown.
Now add in the boiled, peeled tomatoes and spices, and sauté for a few minutes. Smush the tomatoes using your spatula.
Let the tomato oil cool down a bit, give it a taste and adjust the seasonings.
Serve with your favorite bread and enjoy.
Substitutions & Variations
- Depending on the spice level you prefer, you can reduce or increase the amount of peppers and cayenne you’re adding.
- You could also use whole red chili peppers instead of the chili flakes and red chili powder if you want to.
- Don’t have fresh garlic? Just use some garlic powder instead.
- For best results and flavor, use extra virgin olive oil.
- To add a smoky flavor to the spicy tomato oil, you can use smoked paprika instead of the cayenne.
💭Top Tip
If you want a uniform texture, you can choose to pulse the boiled tomatoes in a blender or a food processor and then add it into the mix.
Equipment
How to Store the Spicy Hot Tomato Oil
You can store your batch of homemade spicy tomato oil for up to a week, if not longer.
Simply transfer it to a clear glass jar or an airtight container and refrigerate it.
You can also just cover the bowl up with some cling wrap and store it if you want to.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- I used a bit of honey to add some sweetness to the oil, but you could totally skip using that if you prefer a dipping oil that has predominantly spicy and tangy flavors.
- To season the dipping oil, I would recommend using pink Himalayan salt or sea salt for maximum flavor.
- You can also add a dash of vinegar into the oil towards the end, after it has cooled down to jazz up the flavors a bit.
- I prefer my hot tomato oil to have a bit of chunkiness, so I didn’t blend the tomatoes. If you want a uniform texture, you can choose to pulse the boiled tomatoes in a blender or a food processor and then add it into the mix.
How to Serve the Hot Tomato Oil
This vibrant and flavor packed oil can be enjoyed in a lot of different ways.
The best, easiest way to pair it with some crusty Italian bread as a dipping oil- it can be a great appetizer to serve at your next house party.
You can use it to sauté your favorite veggies and turn it into a nice stir fry dish too!
The tomato oil can be a fantastic addition to your breakfast eggs and avocado toast too. The tomato oil works perfectly with most pasta dishes too.
I love pouring it over my Marry me chicken pasta for an extra kick of flavor, and sometimes even on my homemade pizza.
In fact, you can use it pretty much anywhere you would use garlic oil - it is that versatile.
I just have to use it with my Italian chicken cutlets- it really takes the dish to the next level.
FAQs
San Marzano tomatoes are typically the best choice for this recipe, but you can also use any other tomatoes of your choice. Just make sure you choose red, bright and juicy tomatoes.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Hot Tomato Oil
Ingredients
- 1 can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 cup Olive Oil
- ¼ cup Garlic sliced
- 1 teaspoon Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Cayenne Powder
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 pinch Salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, heat some oil and add in the sliced garlic. Fry until golden brown.
- Now add in the boiled, peeled tomatoes and spices, and saute for a few minutes. Smush the tomatoes using your spatula.
- Let the tomato oil cool down a bit, give it a taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Serve with your favorite bread and enjoy.