Best Substitute For Sambal Oelek + 4 Other Alternatives

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Last Updated on February 22, 2023 by Toya

Sambal Oelek is discontinued. If you can’t find it at Walmart or in your local area, you’ll be glad to know that as of today, you can still grab a jar of sambal oelek chili paste on amazon. It’s more pricey, but the same great Sambal Oelek you’re probably missing right now.

However, if you don’t want to get it, there are 5 other great substitutes for Sambal Oelek that work too. They range from a super easy homemade alternative to other store-bought pastes and a handy do-it-yourself option made with red pepper flakes. Each substitute has some flavor variation, but will easily replace the taste of sambal in a pinch. 

What are the best sambal oelek substitutes?

These are the top substitutes for samal oelek worth checking out:

• Homemade Sambal Oelek
• Harissa
• Gangoujh
• Chili garlic sauce
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Common ways to substitute for  sambal oelek

Homemade Sambal Oelek

The best substitute for sambal oelek in a jar is homemade sambal oelek. This homemade substitute can be made with just a handful of ingredients, including red chile peppers, salt, and vinegar, in just 10 minutes. To make it, throw in ½ a pound of chopped, ripe chile peppers, ¾ tablespoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar into a blender and pulse until smooth. You can follow my simple sambal oelek recipe here for more tips. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio. 

Harissa (sauce or paste)

Have harissa on hand? If so, you have a great sub for sambal oelek. Harissa works because it’s made with many of the same ingredients as sambal oelek chili paste including red chili pepper, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, salt, and the earthy warm flavors of spices like cumin and caraway. It’s an excellent substitute if you don’t mind trading the neutral-flavored sambal oelek flavor for a more spiced flavor.

Gochujang red pepper  paste

This smooth, thick, bright red Korean paste is made of red chile pepper flakes or powder, sticky rice, salt, fermented soya beans, garlic, and onion. This paste is spicy, pungent, savory, and sweet and can be used to marinate meat, added to stir-fries, used as a condiment,  in pasta and noodles, and more. It doesn’t exactly taste like Sambal Oelek, but in a pinch, it can be used as a quick, spicy alternative. 

Chili garlic sauce

Chili garlic sauce is a chunky blend of several ingredients. Typically, it includes chili, garlic, distilled vinegar, salt, and thickening agents like xanthan gum. As you can see, chili garlic paste is made with ingredients that are similar to Sambal Oelek, with the addition of garlic and xanthan gum, and will make an excellent substitute. There are a few ways you can use chili garlic sauce as a substitute for sambal based on the recipe. You can use it on spring rolls, pasta, stir-fries, scrambled eggs, and more. Be mindful that the fragrant garlic smell and taste in chili garlic sauce will somewhat shift the overall flavor of your dish.

Crushed red pepper flakes

Crushed red pepper flakes are a good substitute for a lot of things including sambal oelek. Crushed red pepper flakes are very easy to come by and can substitute Sambal Oelek in a pinch. Crushed red pepper flakes are a dry spice and do not have the same consistency as Sambal Oelek, so it’s best to rehydrate the red pepper flakes before use.

To do so, add the desired amount of red pepper flakes into a small container or jar and cover it with warm water. Let it sit for 20 minutes or longer until the pepper flakes have been rehydrated. Add some vinegar and salt and blend. 

If a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of Sambal Oelek, I would personally use ½ a teaspoon of this rehydrated Sambal Oelek as a substitute.