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This Calabrian chili paste will become your new favorite condiment. It is flavorful, spicy and versatile. You can use it in sauces, on pizza, in hummus, on sandwiches… the possibilities are endless. There is something I love about Calabrian chilis. If I ever go to a restaurant and see a dish with this as an ingredient, I am most likely going to order that dish. It might just be my chili pepper of choice.

Calabrian chili peppers originate from (you guessed it!) the Calabrian region of Italy. They are bright red in color and have a delicious heat. You have probably tried this chili pepper in an Italian dish, even if you didn’t know it. You may not see them in the aisles at your local grocery store. However, they are not as hard to find as you may think.

Calabrian chilis can be found dried or pickled, but they are most commonly sold packed in olive oil. I happened to stumble upon fresh Calabrian chili peppers at my local farmers one Sunday. I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to do with them, but I couldn’t resist buying some. Eventually a few ideas came to me of what to do with these beautiful peppers, but I ended up settling one this chili paste. Why? Well, it was super easy, and the paste could be used in several different ways.

It is only 3 ingredients- Calabrian chilis, garlic and olive oil. I used fresh Calabrian chili peppers, but this recipe will also work fantastically with the ones packed in oil. Just pulse the ingredients in a food processor (or blender). Then you store it in a mason jar or container with a tight lid. You’ll be minutes away from having an awesome chili paste. I’d highly recommend trying it in an arrabiata sauce!

If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and post on Instagram. Make sure to tag @blasianbonvivant and use hashtag #bbvrecipe.

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Calabrian Chili Paste

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Equipment

• food processor

Ingredients

• 1 cup Calabrian chilis fresh or packed in oil
• 3 large garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• If using fresh chilis, remove the stems. Combine the chilis, garlic and oil in a food processor. Pulse until a paste forms. Keep in a mason jar and store in the fridge for up to a month.