Roasted Potatoes in Chinese Black Bean Sauce
Published Mar 10, 2015, Updated May 31, 2023
Food52 Chili Oil
I promise this is my last post about chili oil for the foreseeable future, but I had to share this one because I’m so happy that it’s on Food52, the absolute best food site/blog/community for recipes. My Chili Oil #3 features preserved black beans and crispy shallots. The preserved black soybeans (douchi) make it particularly rich and intense. They make a statement. But even so, this oil has multiple uses—as a stir-fry sauce for clams (or chicken) with black beans; mixed with soy sauce as a noodle sauce; as the red oil in Sichuan cold dishes.
An unexpectedly great use for the black bean sauce is on roasted potatoes or cauliflower. While the method is not Sichuanese—Chinese don’t roast vegetables because most of them don’t have ovens—the taste is pure Sichuan.
I hope you’ll check out the recipe for black bean chili oil at Food52. (The only note I would add is that the best brand of douchi I’ve found in the U.S. besides ours is Pearl River Bridge, which is less smokey than the brand pictured in the recipe.) While you’re there, I bet you’ll find any number of other scrumptious things to cook, as I always do. Then come back here to make these umami-packed black-bean potatoes.
Previously: recipes for my original Hongyou Red-Oil Chili Oil, and Crispy Shallot Chili Oil.
Roasted Potatoes in Chinese Black Bean Sauce
Ingredients
- Potatoes (preferably small Yukon gold or red new potatoes)
- Black bean chili oil (or crispy shallot chili oil)
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut potatoes into large bite-size pieces. Mix generously with black bean chili oil and salt and spread out evenly on a baking sheet.
- Back at 400°F for 15 minutes, then stir to make sure potatoes aren't sticking to pan. Lower oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned and crispy.
- Remove to a bowl and stir in more black bean chili oil to taste before serving.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Wow, amazing blog project! I’m so glad I found it. It’s comprehensive beyond my imagination. I’ll have to share with my dad. He’s an obsessive cook too! We’ll have to try out the black bean chili oil.
Thanks so much, Lu! I’m thrilled that you find it comprehensive. Your blog supernummy is enticing too. I’m going to have to make that boba tea for my daughter!
Another delightful recipe!!! I promise to stop stalking your site now..heheh!
Please don’t! 🙂
I tried this recipe earlier this week and it was delicious!
I didn’t make the black bean sauce myself this time,so I used chili in oil.
I can’t wait to try your blackbean sauce recipe 🙂
Thank you so much!
Thank YOU so much for letting me know. I too have made it with other chili oils besides black bean and it’s good either way. I appreciate your writing!
I am loving your blog! the only problem is that my spouse can not handle hot spice foods, so I go crazy reading about them! When she is out of town I do go nuts, though!
Not all Sichuan food is spicy! 🙂 And many of these dishes can be made with less chili pepper and Sichuan pepper. I hope you’ll win her over. Thanks for writing!
I’m trying these tonight! Just got back from a week in Chengdu and still haven’t had enough. I want to modify some meaty recipes using mock meats. So many people ask if I ate dog while I was there (people who don’t think they are being racist) I tell them no but I did break down and eat some pork and since pigs are about as intelligent as dogs. I find it no more acceptable. Well . . . I have never eaten dog, but I imagine pigs are much more delicious. Still , from gout to heart disease to factory farming there are plenty of reasons to explore alternatives more often than not. To the pigs I have eaten and will eat – I appreciate your sacrifice, you ARE delicious!
Ha! Fortunately, Sichuan food has so much flavor that you can often leave out the meat. In fact it’s oftentimes more like a garnish to a dish anyway. Good luck with your experiments at capturing Chengdu at home!
I just got a jar of guizhou black bean chilli sauce , is this basically the same thing? I plan on using it on roasted potatoes and shallots tonight.
Hi Karen, thanks for reading. I have not used the LKK black bean chili sauce but it looks like more of a sauce condiment, whereas the black bean sauce in this recipe is just the black soybeans (douchi) in a chili oil base. I think it’s great that you were inspired to try something similar with what you already have at home!