Description
This Chunky Onion and Tomato Recipe is simple yet flavorful made with just a few ingredients: olive oil, onions, salt and tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sliced into chunky slices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4-6 fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced into chunky pieces
- 1 teaspoon vegetable spice or your preferred dried herbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup passata
- 1/2 cup water
- freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a non-reactive pan and cook the onions with the salt. Halfway through, when the onions are shimmering and getting soft but don't have brown edges yet, add the dried pepper flakes, stir them in. Cook for a minute or so.
- Add the chopped fresh tomatoes, salt, vegetable spice and red wine vinegar. Stir to combine and leave it to cook on a medium-low simmer for a couple minutes (2-3minutes). Now add 1/2 - 1 cup water and 1 cup passata, stir and continue simmering for about 15 minutes in total. Taste for salt and adjust.
- Add freshly chopped basil, parsley, oregano or your favorite herb. Give it all a stir, turn the heat off and serve as side dish or mains with meat, bread, veggies, and more.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Garlic: We don't add garlic to this recipe but feel free to add it in step 1 and we add the fresh black pepper just before serving.
- Spice: Use your dried spice preference but don't leave it out because it certainly adds to the flavor.
- Smoky flavor: For that extra depth of smoky flavor, I like adding ½ teaspoon of liquid smoke at step 2.
- Sauces: Feel free to add other condiments to this for flavor like HP sauce, braai sauce (BBQ sauce) hot sauce etc.
- Sweet Element: We don't add any type of sweetener however you can add sugar, jam, honey and so forth. Remember, cooking the onions on low till soft, also sweetens them.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: In an airtight container for 4-5 days and up to one week.
Freeze: In freezer-safe containers for 3-4 months. Remember to thaw (overnight if possible) before using.
Frequenty Asked Questions for Onion and Tomato Relish
Any tomatoes that are ripe, ready and juicy.
Yes you can! When not in tomato season, we use canned tomatoes, they're a great substitute. Note, that canned tomatoes often contain citric acid as a preservative, which can slightly alter the flavor. Keep in mind the texture might be a little different, but the relish will still turn out delicious!
Tomato paste, spices, garlic, ginger, balsamic vinegar, red wine, ketchup, lime ginger, sugar, worchestershire sauce, Mrs Balls chutney (South African condiment), chipotle peppers, braai sauce (a South African style BBQ sauce), meat like bacon, Italian sausage and vegetables.
Baked beans,chickpeas, add frozen peas into the simmer. It also goes well with sandwiches, toast, burgers, any kind of bread, hot dogs, eggs in a shakshuka-style sauce,
The longer you cook tomatoes and the lower the heat, you reduce the liquid and they become more concentrated with a thick texture.
Tomates don't need sugar but it can be added if you find that the taste is a little sour. However, your tomatoes were probably not fully ripe and ready if they taste like they need sugar. In which case, you can add a touch of sugar or honey which will counteract the acid from any lime, lemon or vinegar that's added. Cook them longer on lower heat and keep adding water until soft and cooked through.
I know that many will say that it doesn't matter which sugar you use but personally I find the taste is different and brown sugar is my preference. As a matter of fact, the deeper darker sugar like muscovado sugar is perfect. But then again, that just's probably my anosmic taste buds singing for flavor!
We love the textured look, feel and taste of a chunky onion and tomato relish so we don't peel them. Besides, they're nutritious and delicious especially when cooked low and slow, which is known to increas the antioxidant activity. However, if you really don't like the peels, simply cover them with boiling water in a bowl and let them sit for a couple of minutes. Cool naturally before peeling or place in an ice bucket if time is of the essence. You can make an X (with a sharp knife) on the bottom of each tomato before soaking in hot water but if you don't the tomato skins will still peel easily, just wait a few minutes. Make sure you use kettle boiled water to soak the tomatoes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Mains, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American Italian, Italian, South African
Nutrition
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 605
- Fat: 11
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 11
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2