This authentic Indonesian sambal recipe offers two delicious ways to cook this rich traditional Indonesian chili sauce. One uses a blender for a quicker and smoother consistency, while the other relies on the traditional mortar and pestle for a rustic, textured finish. Both options deliver the perfect balance of heat and depth, making this spicy sauce the ideal condiment for any dish.
During my recent 7-week trip to Indonesia, I fell in love with their sambal sauces from the very start. In local Warungs (restaurants), sambal was always served alongside meat, veggies, rice, eggs, and tempeh, adding the perfect spicy touch to various dishes.
While in Dean’s Warung on the island of Lombok, I asked Mita, the chef, for a private lesson to learn how to make this delicious sauce. Rest assured, this recipe stays true to authentic Indonesian cuisine. Fun fact... Mita told me she uses around 40 chilies when cooking for her family, but don't worry— I don't go that crazy with the amount of chilies, and I’ll provide options so you can adjust the heat to suit your taste buds.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this Indonesian Sambal Recipe
- Different types of Traditional Indonesian Sambal Sauce
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to make this Indonesian Sambal - Blender method
- How to make this Indonesian Sambal Recipe - Mortar and pestle method
- What to eat with this tomato sambal sauce
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tip!
- Other recipes you will love!
- Authentic Indonesian Sambal Sauce Recipe (Two Ways!)
- See what other people think about this recipe!
Why you will love this Indonesian Sambal Recipe
- If you're a fan of Indonesian food, or spicy food in general, this authentic tomato sambal will be a hit. It adds vibrant flavors and pairs perfectly with Indonesian dishes or other cuisine dishes.
- Adding a spoonful of this delicious sauce is a fantastic way to add great flavors and elevate simple dishes, like grilled veggies, chicken, or tempeh.
- This delightful spicy condiment can be customized to your preferred heat level. Whether you like mild spicy food (like me!) or are a spicy enthusiast and want to replicate the fiery flavors from Southeast Asia, you can cook this Indonesian sauce to suit your taste buds.
- It is ideal to make a big batch and store it in the fridge, to have it ready to go to elevate your meals.
Different types of Traditional Indonesian Sambal Sauce
Sambal is an Indonesian word for chili, so sambal sauce stands for chili sauce. Indonesia is home to many varieties of sambal, each with its unique twist. During my weeks in Indonesia, I tried many types of sambal, and most of them fall into the two categories below:
- Sambal Matah: "Matah" is an Indonesian word for "raw", so this type of raw sambal is a raw chili sauce. It is made with raw ingredients (chilies, shallots, garlic, and lime juice amongst others) finely diced or sliced. This type of sambal is served uncooked for a bright and fresh flavor.
- Sambal Goreng: "Goreng" is an Indonesian word for "fried" so this type of sambal is a fried/sauteed sauce. The ingredients are combined and sautéed to bring out a deep, rich taste. This tomato sambal recipe falls into this category.
Ingredients
To make this tomato sambal, you’ll need the following ingredients. You should be able to find most of them in general grocery stores except the fish/shrimp paste.
- Big red chilies (seeds removed) - big red chilies are mild chilies, therefore once you remove the seeds they won't add much heat to the sauce
- Small red chilies
- Tomatoes (ripe for a natural sweetness)
- Shallots (peeled)
- Garlic cloves (peeled)
- Fish paste or shrimp paste - this might be a hard ingredient to find unless you have a access to a fish shop or fish market, see note on substitutions below.
- Sustainably sourced palm sugar (optional)
- Sea salt
- Sustainably sourced palm oil for sautéing - see note on substitutions below.
NOTE! It is important to only buy sustainably sourced Palm oil and sugar, as non-sustainably sourced palm products contribute to deforestation.
The tomatoes add a mild sweetness to balance the heat, while the fish paste gives it a deep, umami flavor that is characteristic of Indonesian cuisine.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Play around with the amount of chilies: the main ingredient of this sauce is red chili peppers. Small chilies will add more heat, while the larger chilies won't, so play around with the combination of chilies to adjust the spiciness level of the sambal sauce.
- Fish sauce or miso: instead of fish paste. Fish paste is a traditional ingredient used in Indonesia, however, it might be hard to find in conventional grocery stores. Feel free to skip this ingredient or use a tablespoon of fish sauce or miso instead. They are both great substitutes to maintain that savory depth.
- Coconut sugar: While palm sugar or brown sugar is the traditional ingredient, you can use coconut sugar instead.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Instead of palm oil for cooking. I would only recommend cooking with palm oil if it's sustainably sourced.
- Tomatoes: Ripe, juicy tomatoes are best, but you can substitute with canned tomatoes in a pinch.
How to make this Indonesian Sambal - Blender method
Prepare and blend the ingredients
Clean all the fresh ingredients with water. Half the tomatoes, chop the shallots and garlic. Remove the seeds from the large chilies.
Transfer all the ingredients (except the sugar) to a blender or food processor along with a generous drizzle of palm oil, and blend until smooth.
Cook the sauce
Add a generous drizzle of palm oil to a pan or wok on medium heat. Transfer the sambal mixture to the pan, and stir fry for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly until ready. Taste and add more salt if required. Optional to add a dash of sugar at the end to balance the heat of the chilies.
How to make this Indonesian Sambal Recipe - Mortar and pestle method
Note - this method is great for preparing smaller amounts, so the amount of ingredients is about half the other. Feel free to double the amount if you like.
Prepare the ingredients
Clean all the fresh ingredients with water. Remove the seeds from the large chilies, and chop. Chop the tomatoes into medium chunks. Slice the shallots, garlic, and small chilies. See the photo for reference.
Crush ingredients with the mortar and pestle
Crush all the fresh ingredients with the mortar and pestle, following this order: Start by crushing the small chilies, garlic, and salt until well combined. Next, add the shallots, crushing them and mixing them with the previous ingredients. Finally, add the large chilies and tomatoes, crush them, and mix everything together thoroughly.
Cook the sauce
Add a generous drizzle of palm oil to a pan or wok on medium heat. Transfer the crushed sambal mixture and the shrimp paste to the pan, and stir fry for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly until ready. Taste and add more salt if required. Optional to add a dash of sugar at the end to balance the heat of the chilies.
What to eat with this tomato sambal sauce
This Indonesian sambal recipe pairs well with a variety of dishes, whether they are Indonesian dishes or from other cuisines. Adding a few heaped tablespoons of this tasty chili paste is the best way to bring a delicious Indonesian touch to your dishes.
- Pair it with traditional Indonesian food like nasi goreng, nasi kampur, or stir-fried chicken, veggies, or tempeh.
- Eat with grilled chicken, tempeh, or veggies: this fiery condiment will turn an easy chicken, veggies or tempeh dish into a flavorful combo. These air-fryer chicken wings or these potato hash browns work great with this sauce too!
- Add to stir-fries - pairs great with rice, chicken or tempeh, and veggies.
- Serve with rice, this sambal sauce pairs great with a simple grilled fish with rice side dish.
Equipment
All you need to make this Indonesian sambal sauce is...
Blender method
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Blender or food processor
- Large pan or wok
- Spatula
Mortar and pestle method
- Sharp knife
- Chopping board
- Mortar and pestle
- Large pan or wok
- Spatula
Storage
Store the sambal sauce in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It could easily last more and 2 weeks is on the safe side. Always smell and taste a small amount of the sauce if unsure.
This sauce is also suitable for freezer up to 3 months.
Top tip!
Be mindful of how many chilies you use! As I mentioned earlier, large red chilies are mild and won't add much heat to the recipe once the seeds are removed. In contrast, small chilies are very spicy and will significantly increase the heat of the sauce. I always believe it’s better to be safe than sorry, so err on the side of caution and avoid adding more small chilies than your taste buds can handle.
The amounts in this recipe are for a medium level of spiciness, by Western standards. I say "Western" because, in Asian cuisines, the concept of "medium" is much spicier than in the West. What they consider mild, we would often classify as medium-hot or even hot.
Other recipes you will love!
Authentic Indonesian Sambal Sauce Recipe (Two Ways!)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10-15 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Indonesian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This authentic Indonesian sambal recipe offers two delicious ways to cook this rich traditional Indonesian chili sauce. One uses a blender for a quicker and smoother consistency, while the other relies on the traditional mortar and pestle for a rustic, textured finish. Both options deliver the perfect balance of heat and depth, making this spicy sauce the ideal condiment for any dish.
Ingredients
Blender method
- 5 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 1 cup of shallots (peeled)
- 6 small tomatoes (I used plum tomatoes)
- 3 big chilies (seeds removed)
- 10 small chilies
- 1 tsp of fish or shrimp paste
- ½ tsp of salt
- Virgin palm oil or extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp of palm sugar (or subs) - optional
Mortar and pestle method
- 2 garlic cloves (peeled)
- 5 shallots (peeled)
- 4 small chilies
- 3 large chilies (seeds removed)
- 2 small plum tomatoes
- ½ tsp of fish or shrimp paste
- ¼ tsp of salt
- Virgin palm oil or extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp of palm sugar (or subs) - optional
Instructions
BLENDER METHOD
- Prepare the ingredients: Clean all the fresh ingredients with water. Half the tomatoes, chop the shallots and garlic. Remove the seeds from the large chilies.
-
Blend: Transfer all the ingredients (except the sugar) to a blender or food processor along with a generous drizzle of palm oil, and blend until smooth.
- Cook: Add a generous drizzle of palm oil to a pan or wok on medium heat. Transfer the sambal mixture to the pan, and stir fry for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly until ready. Taste and add more salt if required. Optional to add a dash of sugar at the end to balance the heat of the chilies.
MORTAR AND PESTLE METHOD
- Prepare the ingredients: Clean all the fresh ingredients with water. Remove the seeds from the large chilies, and chop. Chop the tomatoes into medium chunks. Slice the shallots, garlic, and small chilies. See the photo for reference.
- Crush the ingredients with the mortar and pestle: following this order - Add the small chilies, garlic & salt and crush well. Add shallots, crush and combine. Add large chilies and tomatoes, crush, and combine.
- Cook the sauce: Add a generous drizzle of palm oil to a pan or wok on medium heat. Transfer the crushed sambal mixture and the shrimp paste to the pan, and stir fry for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly until ready. Taste and add more salt if required. Optional to add a dash of sugar at the end to balance the heat of the chilies.
Notes
The mortar and pestle method is great for preparing smaller amounts, so the amount of ingredients is about half the other. Feel free to double the amount if you like.
Be mindful of how many chilies you use! Large red chilies are mild and won't add much heat to the recipe once the seeds are removed. In contrast, small chilies are very spicy and will significantly increase the heat of the sauce. I always believe it’s better to be safe than sorry, so err on the side of caution and avoid adding more small chilies than your taste buds can handle.
The amounts in this recipe are for a medium level of spiciness, by Western standards. I say "Western" because, in Asian cuisines, the concept of "medium" is much spicier than in the West. What they consider mild, we would often classify as medium-hot or even hot.
Store the sambal sauce in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. It could easily last more and 2 weeks is on the safe side. Always smell and taste a small amount of the sauce if unsure.
This sauce is also suitable for freezer up to 3 months.
Paul
This recipe took me back to my Indo trip from last year! Loved it thanks
alicia gonzalez tome
Glad to hear Paul x