Peri Peri Oil

A warm, garlic-forward peri peri oil built on olive oil, paprika and gentle heat. Balanced, rounded and made to be used across multiple dishes.

Piri piri carries more than heat. Its roots trace through Africa and into Portuguese cooking, where chilli became part of a bold, flavour-driven food culture that still holds an important place at the table. Over time, piri piri became loved not only for its warmth, but for the way it lifts simple ingredients with depth, colour and character.

A good peri peri oil brings that feeling into everyday cooking. Spoon it over hummus, drizzle it onto potatoes, use it to finish grilled seafood, or bring it to the table alongside roast meats and bread. Around here, it already has a natural place with my Peri Peri Butterflied Roast Chicken, where the same flavour thread carries across the whole meal.

Small condiments like this often become part of the meal itself. A little jar in the fridge, ready to be spooned over lunch or added to dinner, can quietly become one of the hardest-working things in the kitchen.

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 5 min · Cuisine: Portuguese · Category: Condiment

Ingredients

Peri Peri Oil

• 120 ml olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional but recommended
• 1/2 to 1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 to 2 tsp lemon juice, added at the end
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Add the olive oil and crushed garlic to a small pan over low heat.
2. Warm gently, allowing the garlic to soften and infuse the oil. Do not let it fry aggressively.
3. Add the sweet paprika, smoked paprika, chilli flakes and dried oregano.
4. Let everything warm through for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently. The oil should smell fragrant, not cooked or burnt.
5. Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon zest, salt and black pepper.
6. Once slightly cooled, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
7. Taste and adjust as needed with extra salt or lemon juice, then spoon into a clean jar or serving bowl.

Notes

The garlic should stay soft and fragrant, never browned.

The heat should feel warm and rounded, not aggressive.

Start with the lower amount of chilli flakes if you want a gentler finish.

The lemon juice is best added once the oil has cooled slightly so the flavour stays fresh and bright.

This oil should be spoonable, not thick.

Beautiful served with hummus, roast vegetables, seafood, or alongside my Peri Peri Butterflied Roast Chicken.

The Grace Table Tip

Keep a small jar of this in the fridge and let it come back towards room temperature before serving. A spoonful over chicken, potatoes or hummus can make a simple plate feel far more complete.