My Goodness Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • About
  • Contact
    • Amazon
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • About
    • Contact
    • Amazon
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home > Recipes > Vegan Sauces and Seasonings

    Homemade Shatta (Middle Eastern Hot Sauce)

    Updated: Jan 2, 2025 | Published: Sep 1, 2022 | by Amanda | 14 Comments

    Skip to Recipe

    If you love heat, you are going to love Shatta. This fiery Middle Eastern hot sauce is so easy to make and is endlessly versatile. Serve it with sharwama, spice up sabich, throw it on a tapas platter or add it to your favourite salad dressing.

    A jar of chilli sauce on a board.
    Jump to:
    • What is Shatta?
    • How is Shatta Fermented?
    • Why This Sauce Works
    • Ingredients & Equipment
    • Salt By Weight
    • Step-by-Step Guide
    • Fermentation Time
    • Solidifying Olive Oil
    • Food Safety
    • What to Eat With Shatta
    • Recipe Variations
    • FAQs
    • More Sauces and Sides
    • Make This Recipe
    • Leave a Comment

    What is Shatta?

    Shatta sauce is a fiery condiment that originated in the Middle East, specifically in Yemen. Popular in Syrian, Jordanian, Lebanese and Palestinian cooking, this spicy sauce is fresh and versatile. It's also going to blow your dang socks off.

    Traditionally, Shatta is made by pounding fresh red or green chilies with salt before sitting them in the sun for a few days to ferment. Afterwards the chillies are combined with extra-virgin olive oil, spices, and herbs.

    Don't worry, we're not doing that here. This version is super easy.

    How is Shatta Fermented?

    Shatta chilli paste is a product of lacto-fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) convert sugar into lactic acid giving lacto-fermented foods their characteristic sourness.

    Non-iodised salt is used to kill off any nasty bacteria creating a safe environment for LAB (the good bacteria) to thrive without any nasty competition.

    Why This Sauce Works

    If, like us, you keep a bottle of chilli sauce or spicy homemade kimchi on standby, I think you are going to love this Middle Eastern chilli sauce.

    • Shatta sauce is for lovers of chilli. It's made simply with minimal ingredients and is light, clean and unadulterated.
    • It is hot - especially if you are spice novice - but has a clean, acidic finish that cleanses your palate (I don't know how else to describe it without sounding completely obnoxious).
    • In addition to its delicious flavour, shatta sauce also has some potential health benefits. Chilli peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Win.
    • It keeps in the fridge for months.
    • Anyone can make shatta - it is so easy.

    Ingredients & Equipment

    Ingredients

    Labelled shatta ingredients laid out on a marble top.

    You'll find some recipe variations below, but I'm pretty faithful to my favourite version from Falastin: A Cookbook by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley.

    This Middle Eastern chilli sauce recipe is simple, has a handful of ingredients and keeps beautifully.

    Here's what you'll need.

    Chillies (Peppers). I use Cayenne chillies or jalapeño chillies. We go through a mountain of this paste so I like to alternate. One week I make a green Shatta, the next, red.

    Non-iodised salt. Use a salt that doesn't contain anti-caking agents or additives, they inhibit the fermentation process. Table salt won't work as it generally contains both iodine and anti-caking additives. You are after a nice, clean sea salt or something similar.

    Apple cider vinegar. You could use a white wine vinegar or a white vinegar but I like the slight sweetness and more subtle flavours of apple cider vinegar.

    Lemon juice. Fresh lemon gives a lovely fresh, zesty kick but if you don't have any on hand, just add more vinegar.

    Olive oil. Use the best quality oil you can manage.

    Equipment

    Sterilised jars - find full instructions on sterilising jars in my strawberry jam with chillies post.

    A food processor or mortar and pestle.

    Salt By Weight

    The original recipe for Shatta from Falastin uses a tablespoon measure of salt.

    If you would like to make a larger or smaller batch, you can go ahead and calculate how much salt you'll need to ferment your vegetables by weight.

    A general rule of thumb is to use 2 to 3% of salt by weight of the vegetables or fruit being fermented. To calculate the amount of salt needed,

    • Weigh your produce. For this example, let's say we are using 400 grams of vegetables.
    • Calculate how much salt needed by multiplying 400 x 0.03 (3%)= 12 grams of salt.

    Step-by-Step Guide

    You'll find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Honestly, making this chilli sauce is super easy.

    Step 1.

    Remove the stems and slice the chillies in to coin-width rounds

    Step 2.

    Add the slices to a large bowl and stir in the salt

    Step 3.

    Transfer the salted chillies to the sterilised jars, pop a lid on and transfer them to a cool corner of the kitchen to ferment for 3 days. You can also leave them in the fridge for 3-5 days.

    A jar of salted peppers.

    Step 4.

    After the 3 days, strain the chillies through a fine colander and transfer them to a food processor. Add the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice and process until desired consistency.

    Chilli paste in a processor

    Step 5.

    Spoon the chilli paste back in to the jars and pour in enough olive oil to cover. Store the Shatta back in the fridge for up to 6 months.

    A small bowl of shatta sauce.

    Fermentation Time

    The good bacteria produced during lacto-fermentation thrive at temperatures between 18°C and 22 °C (65 °F and 72 °F), but they do tolerate a much wider range. Cooler temperatures slow down fermentation, and warmer temperatures speed it up.

    If you live in a cooler climate, leaving the salted chillies out in a dark corner of your kitchen for 3 days is fine. If it's hot where you live, or humid, ferment them for a day on the counter (out of the sun) and then pop them in the fridge for 3 days. The longer you leave the chillies, the more sour they will get.

    Solidifying Olive Oil

    Olive oil solidifies in the fridge but you have a few options to bring it back to room temperature.

    Either, pull out the shatta for at least 10-minutes before serving or you can sit the jar in a bowl of warmish water until the oil liquifies again. Finally, you can just spoon out what you want to use and pop it in the microwave for 10-seconds.

    Food Safety

    While this shatta recipe generally keeps in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to 6-months, it would be safest to start checking it at the 3-month mark. If it smells "off" or has developed dark mould, ditch it. Better safe than sorry.

    What to Eat With Shatta

    • Shatta is essentially a chilli paste so you'll find it is as versatile as it is delicious. Serve it as a condiment on pitas, sandwiches and falafel.
    • Add a few tablespoons of Shatta to a vinaigrette for a fiery hit to a salad or tossed through grilled veggies.
    • Combine a few tablespoons with some vegan mayonnaise in the processor to a make a spicy creamy sandwich spread.
    • Stir it through your hummus for a delicious kick in the pants.

    Hummus, olives and chilli sauce on a plate.

    Recipe Variations

    I am faithful to this base recipe, but you can mix your shatta up a number of ways.

    • Try using different chillies. I've used both cayenne and jalapeño.
    • Add fresh herbs. Cookie + Kate offers a herby variation on the shatta recipe with fresh coriander and parsley.
    • Add spices. Try adding a some lightly toasted cumin seeds or a touch of sumac.
    • Love tomatoes? Yotam Ottolenghi mixes it up by adding fresh tomatoes to his shatta.

    FAQs

    How long does Shatta keep?

    In the fridge, shatta will last up to 6-months. Always check though. If you notice black in your paste or it smells "off", get rid of it. Better food-safe than sorry.

    Is chilli paste gluten-free?

    This one is!

    Do I have to ferment the chillies?

    You can make this chilli paste without fermenting it, but it won't keep as long. Use a half teaspoon rather than the full 1 tablespoon of salt and process all the ingredients (except the olive oil) together. Transfer to a jar and keep in the fridge for up to 1 week only.

    What does Shatta taste like?

    So, the not-so-secret secret is that this vegan hot sauce is really spicy.

    However, blending the salted chillies with vinegar and lemon juice tempers the heat a little and you are left with a spicy but clean chilli taste. You can add fresh herbs to the mix and temper the flavour even further.

    Can Shatta be frozen?

    It can. The fermentation will stop in the cold freezer, but it will freeze and thaw quite well. Freeze it in smaller portions as you can't thaw a full container and then refreeze it.

    More Sauces and Sides

    • A glass jar full of vegan mayonnaise on a white table
      Vegan Mayo in 5-Minutes
    • Green pesto in a jar.
      Vibrant Kale Pesto
    • A slice of bread with beetroot hummus and greens.
      Roasted Beetroot Hummus
    • Bowl of green salad with a bowl of carrot salad dressing.
      Carrot Ginger Dressing

    Sign up to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Insta for all the latest news. If you like this recipe, please check out my cookbook "Great Vegan Meals for the Carnivorous Family" It's full of simple, carnivore-approved family recipes.

    Make This Recipe

    Hummus and chilli sauce own a plate with olives.

    Shatta (Middle Eastern Chilli Paste) Recipe

    This Middle Eastern hot sauce is simple make, endlessly versatile and it keeps in the fridge for months.
    4.91 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Condiment | Sauces
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern
    Diet: Gluten Free | Vegan
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Fermenting: 3 days days
    Total Time: 3 days days 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 31kcal
    Author: Amanda Logan

    Equipment

    • Sterilised jars
    • Food processor or mortar & pestle

    Ingredients 

    • 250 grams long red or jalapeño chillies stems removed
    • 1 tablespoon salt, non-iodised with no caking agents
    • 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil enough to cover the paste in the jar

    Instructions

    • Sterilise a 500ml jar and lid. Instructions for sterilising jars.
    • Slice the chillies into coin-width rounds
    • Combine the sliced chillies with the salt and stir through well.
    • Transfer the salted chillies to the jar and pop the lid on. Place the jar in a cool, shady place for 3 days or transfer to the fridge for up to 7 days.
    • Drain the chillies through a colander or sieve and transfer them to a food processor or mortar and pestle.
    • Add the vinegar and lemon juice and process - or pound in the pestle - until you are happy with the texture. I like my saucy but with texture.
    • Transfer the chilli paste back to its jar and pour in enough olive oil to cover it. Store in the fridge for up to 6 months.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Notes

    Yields = 1 and ¼  cups
    Recipe from Falastin by Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley
    Recipe Notes
    Solidifying olive oil. Olive oil solidifies in the fridge but you have a few options. Either, pull out the shatta for at least 10-minutes before serving or you can sit the jar in a bowl of warmish water until the oil liquifies again. Finally, you can just spoon out what you want to use and pop it in the microwave for 10-seconds.
    Fermenting time. If you live in a cooler climate, leaving the salted chillies out on the counter for 3 days is fine. If it's hot where you live, or humid, maybe pop them in the fridge for 5-7 days.
    Food safety. While this shatta recipe generally keeps in the fridge in a sealed jar for up to 6-months, it's safest to start checking it at the 3-month mark. If it smells "off" or has developed dark mould, ditch it. Better safe than sorry.
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoon | Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    Tried It?I'd love to hear your feedback. Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below. Or you can tag @mygoodnesskitchen or hashtag #mygoodnesskitchen on Instagram.

    « Loaded Patatas a lo Pobre
    Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes »

    Comments

      4.91 from 10 votes (5 ratings without comment)

      Questions or Comments? Drop them Right Here. Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Pete says

      November 28, 2024 at 11:13 am

      I have a chilli and garlic ferment ready to go I am going to experiment with for this I have made a lot of fermented chilli sauces before but this looks lovely thanks.

      Reply
    2. GF says

      October 02, 2024 at 1:36 am

      5 stars
      Hi, love the simplicity of this recipe. It's delicious. One challenge I'm running into is the skins of the fresnos are not fully breaking down in the food processor. So the texture of the paste is nice and soft but the skins are present and a bit distracting.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        October 03, 2024 at 8:17 am

        That's a tricky one. I am not sure how you get around the skins, to be honest. I've never really noticed them. Sorry, I am not much help to you here. Maybe try smaller, younger chillies? Or process the paste down a little longer for a smoother paste?

        Reply
        • GF says

          October 10, 2024 at 11:38 pm

          Thank you for the reply. It's delicious nonetheless. Keep up the great work!

          Reply
    3. Neil Stevens says

      October 01, 2024 at 5:42 pm

      5 stars
      Savagely hot but deliciously saltly and sour.

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        October 01, 2024 at 8:11 pm

        Absolutely. It is a total kick in the pants, but so good. I am glad you enjoyed it, Neil. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Liz says

      August 30, 2024 at 4:21 am

      4 stars
      This sounds delicious!

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 30, 2024 at 7:11 am

        It is! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Jo says

      August 22, 2024 at 7:14 pm

      Would it work without salt please?

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 22, 2024 at 8:10 pm

        Hi Jo. If you don't want to use salt, you can make the Shatta straight away. Mince all the ingredients in a food processor before transferring the paste (sauce) to the fridge. However, without the salt, it does not ferment and will only last in the fridge for up to a week. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Gill Brennan says

      August 18, 2024 at 11:13 pm

      5 stars
      Hi,
      I've made this twice now and it's great! To save time, can I use a blender to mince the chillis before fermenting?

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        August 21, 2024 at 8:06 am

        Hi Gill. I am so happy you're enjoying the recipe. Ottolenghi does a quick Shatta where he chops up the peppers at the start. It isn't a fermented version, however. I haven't done it myself, but Shatta is traditionally made my pounding the peppers/chillies with salt so it should work. 🙂 I would love to hear how you go. A.

        Reply
    7. Ss Lutfi says

      March 16, 2023 at 6:13 am

      5 stars
      I have t made it yet. Can I use sea salt or Kosher salt?

      Shezell Lutfi

      Reply
      • Amanda says

        March 16, 2023 at 7:57 am

        Hi Shezell, you can use any salt that doesn't have iodine in it so sea salt or Kosher are fine. I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    A woman eating a bowl of food with a dog next to her.

    Nice to Meet You!

    I'm Amanda and that's Scout with her eye on you.
    I believe you can make good food that's great tasting with simple, fuss-free ingredients. I will show you how to cook creatively even when you're on a budget or short on time.

    LEARN MORE

    Healthy New Year

    • A roasting tray with stuffed butternut squash.
      Stuffed Butternut Squash (GF)

    • A bowl of Dahl on a wooden box.
      Red Lentil Dahl (Masoor Dal) With Roast Eggplant

    • Green smoothies and limes on a table.
      Spinach and Pineapple Smoothie

    • A breakfast table setting with granola in a bowl.
      Budget Friendlier Grain-Free Granola

    • Make Your Own Vegan Kimchi

    • Coated and uncoated bliss balls on a white surface.
      Almond Butter Bliss Balls

    Slurp-Worthy Soups

    • A man holding a bowl of pumpkin soup.
      5-ingredient Pumpkin Lentil Soup

    • Bowl of soup with spoons on a wooden tray.
      Simple Butter Bean Soup

    • Bowls of soup on a pink background.
      Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

    • A bowl of mushroom soup on a wooden table.
      The Creamiest Vegan Mushroom Soup

    • Bowls of zucchini soup on a grey background.
      3-Ingredient Zucchini Soup

    • A bowl of noodle soup on a rough white background.
      Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup

    Fresh Salads

    • Tofu and noodles in a bowl with greens.
      Lemongrass Tofu Salad

    • A white plate with tomatoes.
      Tomato and Onion Salad

    • A table setting with a large bowl of coleslaw.
      Healthy-ish Vegan Coleslaw

    • Kimchi Salad with Noodles

    • A bowl of cabbage and noodle salad on a rustic table.
      Chang's Crispy Noodle Salad

    • A large bowl of rainbow vegetable salad.
      Rainbow Salad with Orange Miso Dressing

    Footer

    Read

    Read Privacy Policy

    Accessibility Statement

    Terms of Use

    Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    Join the cook's community and get your free vegan baking guide.

    Contact MGK

    Contact

    Copyright © 2025 My Goodness Kitchen

    By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies. Cookies provide you with a more personalised user experience and help this website run more effectively.
    .
    OK NoRead Privacy Policy
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    This is an necessary category.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    Non Necessary
    This is an non-necessary category.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    Powered by CookieYes Logo
    • 22

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.