A deeply savory, slow-cooked sofrito of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cumin — the foundational sauce that appears on virtually every Colombian plate.
Instructions
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1
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook 8-10 min until deeply softened and beginning to caramelize.
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2
Add garlic and cumin, cook 1 min until fragrant.
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3
Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Cook 15-20 min, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down into a thick sauce.
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4
The hogao is ready when the oil separates from the tomatoes and the mixture is thick and jammy.
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5
Season with salt and pepper. Stir in scallion.
Did You Know?
Every Colombian grandmother claims her hogao is the best, and honestly, they are all probably right.
The Story Behind Hogao
Hogao is Colombia's answer to Italian soffritto and Spanish sofrito — a slow-cooked tomato and onion base that underpins the entire cuisine. The word derives from "ahogar" (to smother), describing how the vegetables are slowly smothered in oil. It arrived with Spanish colonizers and was adapted with indigenous cumin and annatto.
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