“If Colombian flavor had a mother, it would be hogao or guiso“. Quote loosely translated from an article in El Tiempo, a Colombian newspaper. Hogao (Tomato Onion Sauce), also known as guiso, ahogao or salsa criolla, is a traditional Colombian condiment. You can use it to give flavor to dishes like frijoles (Colombian Beans) and rice, or add it as a sauce to patacones (Fried Green Plantain) and arepas (Colombian Corn Cakes). It is versatile, easy to make, and contains loads of flavor.
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Hogao (Tomato Onion Sauce)
In most Latin American countries you will find some type of hogao, or guiso. Also within Colombia there are many different types of this tomato-based sauce. Some might even argue that there is a difference between hogao and guiso. As far as my knowledge goes, the terms are used interchangeably, although the exact ingredients of the hogao can differ. In this post, I’m sharing a basic, easy and traditional recipe. You only need 5 ingredients: tomato, green onion (scallion), garlic, cumin, and salt.
Hogao is different than other tomato salsas because you cook the sauce, instead of putting together the raw ingredients. Also in a traditional hogao no cilantro is added, although I do sometimes add cilantro to make this condiment even more flavorful (check out my recipe for cilantro hogao).
When I prepare hogao, I like to make a bigger batch. You can keep it in a jar in the refrigerator and it goes well with most Colombian dishes. Any leftovers also mix well with scrambled eggs.
Looking for other Colombian condiments or sauces? Here you find more recipes!
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Hogao (Tomato Onion Sauce)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 big green onions, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 4 big ripe tomatoes, finely grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add oil to frying pan and cook the green onion and garlic on low heat, for 5 minutes or until soft. You don't want them to turn brown
- Add cumin and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add grated tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes minutes on a low heat
- The hogao is ready when the color turned to a more deep red and the consistency is less liquid. Check the seasoning, you might want to add a bit more saltServe with the dish of your choice. Store leftover hogao in a container in the refrigerator
Notes
This is a nice sauce that combines easy with al kinds of food.
Thanks!
This is a good recipe with some great tips, the grated plantain is a game changer for my beans. Thanks so much for that!
I think you need to be careful a bit with the ratios and times though if you follow the recipe exactly. Depending on the pot, covering the beans with 2″ (5cm) of water is a lot of water. I had to add the other half of my plantain to get it to thicken enough because there was so much water. Also, 1 hour cook time in a pressure cooker is way too long, you’re going to end up with bean paste. I had a gut feeling about this one and reduced my cook time to 35 minutes and my beans came out wonderfully. Granted, I was using an Instant Pot, so there may be some time difference if you’re using a traditional pressure cooker. BUT, it’s worth considering that 1 hour is the generally accepted pressure cooker time for UNsoaked beans. This recipe calls for soaked beans, so the cook time should be significantly less than 1 hour.
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Great to hear the addition of plantain was a success. The ratios and times depend on many things, therefore it is indeed wise to check and try. Here I do need 55-60 mins in the pressure cooker, because of the type of bean (really different and harder than the ones I personally have experience with in Europe), and the fact that I live at a high altitude (in Bogotá). But this feedback is really helpful, I will incorporate it in the instructions to make it more US/EU proof! Thank you again 🙂
Oh no, I meant to post this on the bean recipe, not the hogao! The hogao was delicious.
Interesting that there’s such a huge difference in cook times with beans, beans are crazy! I’m using pintos and I’m at 5,500 ft in New Mexico. Thanks again for the recipe, my beans I had for lunch today were even tastier than they were last night when I had them for dinner.
Glad you liked the hogao! I was also thinking that the instruction is a bit open to interpretation, because I mean 1 h from the moment I turn on the stove, and 30/35 minutes from the moment it starts releasing pressure. So your feedback has been helpful, I changed the instructions to make them more clear. Fantastic that they tasted even better for lunch! I like them mixed with rice for breakfast as well 🙂