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–+ servings
Colombian hogao sauce in a bowl surrounded by fried plantains.
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5 from 3 votes

Hogao (Colombian Tomato and Green Onion Creole Sauce)

Hogao is a traditional Colombian tomato and green onion sauce recipe that can be used a dipping sauce or as a soffrito to flavor other recipes. It comes together in under 20 minutes. Make this any time of year but especially in the summer months when tomatoes are in season.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Appetizer, condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine: colombian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $5

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil - Or vegetable oil
  • 1 Bunch Green onions (spring onions) - Trimmed and chopped finely
  • 3 Garlic cloves - Finely minced
  • 1 tsp Ground cumin
  • ½ tsp Ground turmeric
  • 4 Plum tomatoes - Finely diced
  • Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
  • Cilantro for garnish - Optional

Instructions

  • Sautee Aromatics. In a frying pan set on medium heat, fry the scallions, garlic, cumin and turmeric in olive oil until soft. This should take 4-6 minutes.
  • Add Tomatoes. Add the crushed or chopped tomatoes with a big pinch of salt and fresh black pepper to the frying pan and continue to cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes thicken up, 6-8 minutes.
  • Season. Taste and season the sauce to your liking.
  • Serve. Serve your hogao sauce with patacones (fried green plantains), arepas or even chips. Feel free to garnish with fresh cilantro if serving as a dip.

Notes

See the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.
Ingredient notes:
  • Tomatoes: For this recipe, I recommend using plum tomatoes. They will be fleshier and less juicy than standard slicing tomatoes. They typically have fewer seeds too.
  • Onions: You can use regular white onions, but green onions (scallions) are more traditional.
  • Spices: Turmeric and ground cumin are used to give the sauce flavor and color. If you have Colombian Triguisar seasoning, you can use that too.
 
Serve with arepas, patacones (green plantain fritters), yuca frita, bandeja paisa (breakfast platter), beans and eggs.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg