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Asian households and their kitchens are incomplete without the spicy sauces, and there are so many options available out there, such as sambal oelek vs. chili garlic sauce.
If you are considering buying these sauces but don’t know the difference, we have all the information that you need to know coming up!
Sambal Oelek Vs. Chili Garlic Sauce Comparison
| Sambal Oelek | Chili Garlic Sauce | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Indonesia | Mesoamerica/Mexico (Aztecs) |
| Ingredients | Red/Green Thai Chili, Rice Vinegar, Salt | Chili, Garlic, Vinegar, Sugar, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Tomato, Preservatives |
| Flavor | High Heat Tangy Sweetness With Lingering Burn & Prominent Spiciness | Heat Ranging Between Low And High With Tangy Sweetness |
| Consistency | Rustic, Thick, Paste-Like Sauce | Thickness Ranging Between Thin & Runny To Thick & Chunky |
| Uses | Sauce, Flavor Enhancer, Chili Replacement | Sauce, Flavor Enhancer |
| Affordability | $9 Per 18-Ounce Jar | $6-$7 Per 18-Ounce Jar |
| Availability | Global Availability (Stores & Online)- Gourmet Ingredient | Ready Availability In Stores Around The World & Online |
| Advantages | Reusable Jar, High Versatility | Wide Range Of Flavors Available, High Affordability |
Sambal Oelek Vs. Chili Garlic Sauce
Our comparison between sambal oelek vs. chili garlic sauce will give you everything you need to know to tell which of these two tasty sauces are best for your food and cooking. Despite similarities, they’re distinctly different condiments. Let’s take a closer look.
Sambal Oelek
Sambal oelek is a basic Indonesian recipe for a fresh chili sauce that’s ground with a mortar and pestle. The word ‘sambal’ refers to a sauce made from mostly chili, whereas ‘Oelek’ is the Indonesian word for mortar and pestle.
As one can see, the name directly identifies ‘Sambal Oelek’ as a manually ground chili sauce.
Origin
Although native to Indonesia, you’ll find sambal oelek to be widely used in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It’s believed to be first created as a sauce/condiment during the 16th century.
There are technically hundreds of different types of sambal or chili sauces, each including its own spices and other ingredients. In the US, Sambal oelek is the most commonly found.
Ingredients
Sambal oelek traditionally contains red or green Thai chili peppers, but other varieties like jalapenos, serranos, and cayenne peppers may also be used. The chilis are ground with rice vinegar and salt until a paste forms.
Some opt to add cloves and lime to the base recipe, as well as other variations, but the most basic sambal oelek is just chili, vinegar, and salt. The absence of sugar allows the rest of the flavors to pop with a vibrancy which ensures that this Indonesian condiment is bursting with flavor.
Flavor
Thai chilis are very hot which makes sambal oelek a sauce with a bold, lingering burn. It may actually be a little too hot at first for those who aren’t accustomed to a high degree of spiciness.
The acidity of the rice vinegar brings out the brightness and tangy quality in the chilis, giving sambal oelek a slightly sweet pungency.
Consistency
As a sauce that’s made by hand in most cases, sambal oelek has a thick, paste-like consistency with a rustic texture containing whole chili seeds. It’s not as pourable as a conventional sauce but also not as thick and pasty as a dense relish.
Imagine sambal oelek as a midway between a chili paste and a chili sauce.
Uses
While considered a sauce, sambal oelek is potent enough to replace chilis in various meals. All in all, one spoon of sambal oelek will easily replace a small jalapeno.
It’s a powerful flavor enhancer that you can use as you would a chili paste and a versatile sauce that can be included on just about anything.
Affordability
Despite being simplistic in its core recipe, sambal oelek is considered a gourmet sauce in most grocery stores, leading to a slightly higher price than most chili garlic sauce brands. An 18-ounce jar of sambal oelek chili paste retails for around $9 on average in the US.
Availability
As an Indonesian specialty sauce, sambal oelek is not as easy to find as chili garlic sauce. You’ll find it in gourmet foods stores and grocery stores with an Asian foods section.
Advantages
What we love about sambal oelek is that it’s available in jars, so you don’t have to waste the sauce like squeeze bottles. Not to forget, the jars can always be used for storing other spices when you’ve used the sauce.
Chili Garlic Sauce
For the most part, chili garlic sauce is considered the cousin of Sriracha sauce (the hot chili sauce), which is a common condiment on Asian tables and is ever-popular in Asian restaurants.
Both Sriracha and chili garlic sauce typically use the same chilis but given the variety of different brands and blends, there are actually endless flavor combinations available. Let’s take a closer look at what makes chili garlic sauce such a popular condiment.
Origin
It is extremely hard to place where chili garlic sauce was first combined and used. Chili sauce dates back to 7000 BCE and was favored by the Aztecs for cooking, medicine, and war.
Garlic sauce is credited to peasants in the Greater Syrian region, but it is likely that chili and garlic were combined together well before garlic sauce rose to popularity as a standalone condiment. After all, the ancient Aztecs often used garlic vine leaves as flavoring across their cuisine.
Ingredients
As the name indicates, chili garlic sauce contains various chilis and garlic. Most commercially produced chili garlic sauces also include vinegar, sugar, xanthan gum, and a range of spices specific to the blend.
Additionally, you may also find chili garlic sauces featuring tomato, and most typically include preservatives.
Flavor
The majority of chili garlic sauces have subdued heat and mild levels of spiciness with a definite tangy-sweet quality that simply isn’t present in sambal oelek. It’s generally a tangy sauce with such a low burn that it’s safe for anyone of any age or preference to try.
Consistency
Chili garlic sauce ranges in consistency from thin and runny with a texture akin to a slightly viscous vinegar to thick, creamy and syrupy, depending on the manufacturer and brand.
Most chili garlic sauce has a texture akin to salad cream with equal pourability and contains chunk bits of chili, onions, peppers, and garlic,
Uses
Chili garlic sauce can be used atop or in just about anything but despite the broad appeal, it can’t quite compare to the raw flavor and versatility offered by sambal oelek.
The tangy sweetness of chili garlic sauce translates to a taste that won’t work well with everything even when it excels on its own. There are certain recipes that don’t need the sugar from chili garlic sauce at all.
It’s also a less promising option when you want to use a sauce that imparts a high level of heat. Don’t try substituting most chili garlic sauces for raw chili or chili sauce, as the spiciness simply won’t cut it.
There are, however, certain chili garlic sauces that are hotter than others so keep this in mind and stick to one brand once you’ve found a heat level and flavor that you like.
Give chili garlic sauce a try with all your favorite recipes, such as dumplings, noodles, roasted pork, and more. In addition, it adds a perfect punch of flavor to marinades and roast chicken or other meats.
Affordability
In most cases, chili garlic sauce will be slightly cheaper than sambal oelek, even though it uses a more basic recipe. This is due to chili garlic sauce being considered a standard condiment, whereas sambal oelek is classed as a specialty sauce.
Most chili garlic sauce brands retail for between $6 to $7 for 8-ounces, with greater savings to be found when buying in bulk.
Availability
It’s extremely easy to find chili garlic sauce. You’ll typically find a broad range of different brands in-store, each featuring its own flavor highlights and specific level of heat, tanginess, or sweetness.
There’s everything from high-end gourmet chili garlic sauce to cheap and sweet sauces available.
Advantages
The great thing about chili garlic sauce is that it’s available in a broad range of different flavors. You’ll find everything from sweet and tangy chili garlic sauce to fiery hot available, including everything in between.
Sambal Oelek Vs. Chili Garlic Sauce
There’s no clear winner between sambal oelek vs. chili garlic sauce. Both are invaluable additions to any pantry, opening up endless avenues for new flavor across all your favorite recipes.
Sambal oelek is typically the spicier sauce, whereas chili garlic comes in any heat you need just shop carefully for the right brand.
