5 Ways to Pair Chili Pepper Olive Oil with Your Dishes

With just a few drops, flavored olives oils are a great way to instantly add seasoning to your dishes.

One of Zucchi’s most popular flavored olive oils is chili pepper. Infused with real dried red chili peppers, Zucchi’s Chili Pepper-Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a spicy kick while also bringing out the natural bitterness and fruitiness of extra virgin olive oil. It’s made by adding whole dried chili peppers to a blend of high-quality extra virgin oil. Over time, as the chili peppers sit in the oil they release their natural flavors, adding a unique taste to each bottle.

So what pairs well with chili pepper olive oil?

Chili-pepper flavored olive oil is the perfect condiment for those who love to kick things up a notch with a little heat. And it’s versatile, too. This flavored oil goes well with a variety of dishes! Here are a few of our favorite pairings.

Sweet Starchy, Veggies

The soft sweetness of vegetables such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots, provide the perfect contrast for spicy chili pepper olive oil. Consider drizzling your chili oil on top of Carrot Hummus, Butternut Squash Orecchiette, and these Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes for an interesting twist.

Pasta

There are quite a few Italian pasta dishes that call for both extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of dried chili pepper. You can save an extra step by combining the two ingredients and simply using a Chili-Pepper Flavored EVOO instead! For example, Spaghetti Aglio, Olio e Pepperoncino is a classic Italian dish that uses just a few simple ingredients: spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, and dried, crushed chili peppers. Simply swap out the olive oil and chili peppers for our Zucchi Chili Pepper EVOO and you’ll be on your way to a quick pasta meal in less than 15 minutes.

Other pasta recipes to try: Spaghetti alle Vongole and Orecchiette with Butternut Squash.

Fruit-Based Salads

Although it might sound strange at first, certain fruits pair wonderfully with chili pepper olive oil because they provide a cooling, sweet contrast to the spiciness of the oil. Think: lime, watermelon, pineapple, oranges, and other tropical fruit. This Watermelon Cucumber Salad and Chili Lime Shrimp Salad are two excellent ways to use chili pepper flavored olive oil. You can use more or less of the chili pepper olive oil, depending on your heat preference.

Pizza

Ah yes, pizza. This is perhaps one of the most popular ways to enjoy spicy chili pepper olive oil! You can easily serve chili extra virgin olive oil along with just about any pizza, as it’s great for dipping crust in. For a more sophisticated approach, try adding it to a fig & gorgonzola pizza or a pizza topped with sausage, ricotta, and sauteed leafy greens.

Soups & Stews

Certain soups and stews can be livened up a bit with a few drizzles of chili pepper oil. Add a spicy kick to your next batch of butternut squash or try drizzling it on this plant-based Cauliflower Chickpea Soup. You can use it either during the cooking process or right at the end when serving by drizzling it on top of each bowl.

As you can see, there are a variety of ways you can use chili pepper olive oil when cooking. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new pairings, from adding a dash of flavored oil to your Bloody Mary to using it in your scrambled eggs.

Learn about Zucchi’s Chili Pepper-Flavored Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

How to EVOO