🇹 Ethiopian · Lentils, Beans & Vegetarian
🍅 Ethiopian Tomato and Onion Sauce
ቲማቲም ሽንኩርት — Timatim Shinkurt
Ethiopian Tomato and Onion Sauce — a base sauce of ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a light touch of spice that underpins many Ethiopian stews. This is the everyday sauce base — used as a starting point for fish stews, vegetable dishes, and lighter preparations.
Ethiopian tomato-onion sauce is the universal cooking base — made from tomatoes, onion, and garlic with minimal spice, it is used as the foundation for lighter Ethiopian stews and as a condiment alongside injera.
Ingredients
Equipment: Saucepan
- 500g ripe tomatoes — diced
- 3 onions — diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
Method
- Heat oil. Cook onion until very golden — 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute.
- Add turmeric. Add tomatoes.
- Simmer 12—15 minutes until thick.
- Season.
Chef Tips
- Cook this until the tomatoes have fully broken down — not chunky.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Under-cooking — raw tomato flavour remains.
The Science
Extended cooking of tomatoes concentrates their lycopene (antioxidant), glutamate (umami), and reduces their acidity through evaporation of volatile acids.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Lycopene from cooked tomatoes.
- Vitamin C.
- Very low calorie.
Cultural Note
The Ethiopian tomato-onion sauce is the universal canvas — the base from which dozens of different stews emerge through the addition of berbere, different proteins, or different vegetables.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 5 days. Freeze 3 months.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: As a base for fish stews, vegetable dishes, As a simple condiment with injera