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Hand holding fork with tomato sauce and pasta over white bowl.

Šalša (Šug o' Poma) Croatian (Dalmatian) Tomato Sauce

Aida
Elevate your dishes with homemade Dalmatian šalša, a rich tomato sauce bursting with Adriatic flavors.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course, Vegetarian
Cuisine Croatian
Servings 4
Calories 315 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 pounds fresh tomatoes heirloom, roma, or beefsteak tomatoes
  • 4-5 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable, coconut, sunflower oil
  • 1-2 tablespoons butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons sugar
  • (Optional) a pinch of baking powder
  • 2-3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • (Optional) 1-2 onions peeled and diced to your liking

Herbs and seasonings (mix, add, omit and adjust to your taste)

  • 1 tablespoon parsley
  • 1 tablespoon basil
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste use less if you plan to use it later
  • (Optional) 1 tablespoon mint
  • (Optional) 1 bay leaf take out after cooking

Instructions
 

  • Cut an 'x' on the bottom of each tomato. Fill up a large pot halfway with water, and bring to a boil on high. Place tomatoes into the boiling water and leave for 3-5 minutes. (Don’t overboil.)
  • Transfer tomatoes into a medium-sized bowl with cold water and ice cubes, and leave for a couple of minutes. Skin tomatoes with fingers or a knife keeping as much tomato meat and juices as possible, and transfer to a dry bowl. (Discard skins.) Squeeze each tomato until it's falling apart while keeping all the juices. Cut up remains with a knife.
  • In a large pot heat up oil and butter on medium. Add garlic and onion (if using it) and simmer. Add the tomatoes, and continue simmering, stirring often. (You can mix the herbs and seasonings in now, or at the end of cooking.) Cook for 40-45 minutes. Bring the temperature down to low.
  • If you haven't, add herbs and seasonings, and simmer the sauce on low for another 30-45 minutes, or until ingredients have reduced and liquid mostly evaporated, frequently stirring. (Total cooking time is between 70-90 minutes or until your preferred sauce thickness.)
  • (Optional) For a smoother, creamier sauce, blend down more with an immersion blender.
  • Serve over pasta, polenta, or rice, or use it as a base for lasagna. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Reheat using your preferred method. (Look at the article for jarring instructions.)

Video

Notes

  • Acidity 
If the sauce is acidic even after adding the sugar, add a pinch (or up to a teaspoon) of baking powder. Don't overdo it.  
  • Ingredients
Tomatoes:  All tomatoes are great for this dish, especially smaller and cherry. The ripeness of the tomatoes decides šalša acidity. The less ripe the tomatoes, the more acidic the sauce.
Oil: olive oil is preferred. Sunflower, vegetable, and avocado oils also work.  
Butter: optional but we highly recommend it! 
Garlic: mince or dice. 
Onion: also optional, and you can dice or mince it. 
Herbs and seasonings: adjust to your taste. Fresh are better, but dry will work too. 
Other ingredients: šalša is versatile and can be adjusted to your taste even more with carrots, celery, bay leaf, oregano, chili pepper, and/or white wine.
  • Volume
If you have a lot of tomatoes, we recommend making šalša in large quantities and jarring it for later. Jarring instructions are in the article. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4Sodium: 65mgCalcium: 60mgSugar: 18.1gFiber: 6.3gPotassium: 1140mgCholesterol: 15mgCalories: 315kcalSaturated Fat: 6.3gFat: 24.4gProtein: 4.6gCarbohydrates: 25.5gIron: 2mg
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