Seed Oil Free Sambal Oelek
Bright, fiery, and built from scratch, this sambal oelek delivers the kind of bold chili heat that store-bought versions rarely match — and without the refined vegetable oils that show up in nearly every jarred condiment on the shelf. Fresh Fresno or red jalapeño chilies get pulsed with garlic and ginger until the paste is chunky and alive with texture, exactly the way a good sambal should be. A splash of lime juice lifts the heat and keeps everything tasting sharp and fresh, while extra virgin olive oil binds it all together cleanly. The whole process takes just a few pulses in a blender or food processor, so you're not standing over a stove — just building something genuinely delicious in minutes. Spoon it over rice, stir it into noodles, or use it as a dipping sauce and you'll wonder why you ever reached for the bottle. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week, which means one quick batch has your meals covered all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 8 oz fresh red fresno or red jalapeño chilies, stems removed, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Combine the chopped chilies, garlic, and ginger in a food processor or blender. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely ground — the texture should be chunky and rough, not a smooth purée.
- 2
Add the lime juice, olive oil, and salt. Pulse 3–4 more times until just combined and the paste holds together but still has visible chili flecks. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
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