Sataraš (satarash), a favorite Balkan vegetable sauce, tempts with its delicious blend of tomatoes, peppers, and onions cooked just right. This versatile dish has a gently sweet and comforting taste highlighting its rich flavors. Shall we?
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Sataraš (satarash), a classic Balkan vegetable sauce, is a flavorful delight you'll love from your first bite! It has a gentle, comforting sweetness like lecsó and menemen, highlighting its versatility and rich flavors.
In addition to being a sauce, sataraš (satarash) can be categorized as a light stew. You can eat it by itself, on top of bread, pogacha, local polenta (pura or kačamak), pasta, as well as a side with protein like fish, meat, or tofu.
Moreover, this gentle vegetable medley is typically made by simmering tomatoes, peppers, and onions until tender, releasing their best flavors. You can add scrambled eggs (similar to shakshouka), or mix in rice to sataraš to make it into a heartier meal.
However, we love today's classic, vegetables-only, version.
Ingredients
Here are all the (few) ingredients you'll need to make a classic satarash (sataraš).
- Tomatoes: juicy types like Roma or heirloom tomatoes are best. Avoid cherry tomatoes.
- Onion: yellow or white onion. Avoid red onion.
- Peppers: green, red, or yellow bell peppers, sweet Italian peppers. Substitute with local šilje, roge, or babura peppers.
- Herbs and seasonings: black ground pepper and salt. Optionally use stock powder, bouillon, or Vegeta and parsley.
- Optional: vegetable broth instead of water.
Instructions
Making satarash (sataraš) is easy. Here's how to do it. (You're essentially stewing the vegetables with a little bit of water at a time, rather than frying them.)
Step 1. Heat oil in a pan on medium. Add onions, lower the temperature, and simmer until soft, occasionally stirring. Add a little bit of water at a time.
Step 2. Add peppers. Simmer until soft, occasionally stirring, adding a little bit of water at a time.
Step 3. Add tomatoes to satarash (sataraš). Continue simmering and (here and there) stirring. You can add seasonings and this point. Continue adding a little bit of water at a time and stirring.
Step 4. You should be left with perfectly tender vegetables with a little bit of sauce. (If you prefer less of a sauce adjust your water accordingly.)
Handling
- Serving: serve sataraš (satarash) immediately or pretty soon after it's made. Additionally, a side of homemade bread or fried mini breads goes perfectly with this dish. Protein also works (e.g. ground beef patties).
- Storing: store in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.
- Heating: reheat using your preferred method. Add a pinch of water or vegetable broth if needed.
More Recipes
Check out our favorite vegetarian dishes ranging from a very delicious and not-your-average mushroom soup, to everyone's favorite cheese pie sirnica.
Thoughts?
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Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Classic Satarash (Sataraš)
Ingredients
- 2 red bell peppers diced or sliced; or Italian sweet Peppers or local roga peppers
- 2 yellow (or green) bell peppers diced or sliced; Italian sweet Peppers or local babura peppers
- 1-2 tomatoes diced or sliced, preferably skinned too; Roma or another juicy kind are the best
- 1 yellow onion diced or sliced; white onion also works
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup to 1 cup of water or vegetable broth
- (Optional) 1 tablespoon Vegeta or 1 vegetable bouillon or 1 tablespoon stock powder
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat oil over medium. Lower the temperature and add onions. Simmer them until soft, or about 10 minutes. Add a teaspoon or a few of water (or broth) as you are simmering. (The onions and veggies shouldn't fry per se, but lightly stew.)
- Add peppers. Continue simmering and stirring for about 10 minutes while adding a little bit of water (broth) at a time.
- Add tomatoes and seasonings. Continue simmering and stirring for another 20 minutes. As in previous steps, add a little water (broth) at a time if needed. (Satarash is ready when the vegetables are completely soft, savory with sweet overtones, and a tiny bit stew-y, but not overly.)
- Serve sataraš (satarash) immediately or pretty soon after it's made. Store in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. Reheat using your preferred method. Add a pinch of water or vegetable broth if needed when reheating.
Notes
- Serving sizes:
Nutrition
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