Shatta sauce is a bold Middle Eastern hot sauce made with fresh chilies, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It's quick, punchy, and exactly what you want when your food needs a fiery boost.

a ceramic bowl filled with crushed green chili sauce — The vibrant color and texture of freshly pounded shatta is enough to make my mouth water every time.

Middle Eastern sauces really are something special, think toum, bold and garlicky adding personality to the table.

I first learned about shatta, a Levantine chili sauce, from my son's Palestinian grandmother, who calls it duggah, a nod to the traditional pounding method in the mortar and pestle.

She makes it often, and it's one of those condiments that never stays in the fridge long. It's used as a dip, a topping, a dressing, anything that needs a little heat and bold sharpness.

Serving ideas - This is delicious over Arabic hummus, moutabal eggplant dip, drizzled over roasted veggies or with lentils and rice. My non-plant based family members love it with kebab skewers and similar type of dishes.

Ingredients

a lemon, green chili, olive il, salt and garlic on a white bench top

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

You can find this sauce in both red and green versions. I'm partial to both, but today we're focusing on the green version.

To make green shatta sauce, you'll need just five ingredients, each one bringing something to the mix:

Long green chili peppers - chopped with the seeds in for proper heat. Adjust as you like. I use these chilies for their brightness, but any fresh chili variety will do as long as it matches your heat tolerance.
Fresh garlic cloves - crushed for bite.
Fresh lemon juice - adds sharpness and helps balance the heat.
Extra virgin olive oil and salt- brings it all together.

green hot sauce in a brown ceramic bowl — Made in a food processor

Janelle's Tips

There are two methods to create this fiery condiment:

The traditional way with a mortar and pestle, which results in an authentically chunky texture. I just adore the texture!
Using a food processor, which yields a smoother, less chunky sauce.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to wear gloves when handling chilies to avoid transferring the heat to your hands and potentially rubbing your eyes, ouch!

Storage

Use within 3-5 days - Store in a clean jar in the fridge and give it a stir before each use. It can also be frozen in small batches.

Other good hot sauces to try is this guajillo peppers or zhoug.

two brown ceramic bowls with crushed green chilli sauce — Which texture difference between pounded and blended shatta do you like?

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

Shatta Sauce

Shatta sauce is a bold Middle Eastern hot sauce made with fresh chilies, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It's quick, punchy, and exactly what you want when your food needs a fiery boost.

Prep: 5

Total: 5

Servings: tablespoons

Author: Janelle Hama

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Levant, Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

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Ingredients

4 large Fresh green chilies chopped with seeds (about 1 heaping cup)
3-4 medium Garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium Lemon juiced
2 tablespoons Olive oil extra virgin
½ teaspoon Salt or to taste

Instructions

Add the chilies and salt to the mortar and pestle, and pound until a chunky paste forms. Next, add the garlic cloves and continue pounding until they are fully incorporated into the paste.
If you’re using a food processor, pulse the chilies, salt, and garlic together until a chunky paste is achieved.
Transfer the paste to a bowl, then add the fresh lemon juice and olive oil, blending everything together. Serve as desired.