Hogao (Colombian tomato and spring onion sauce)

Name: Hogao (Colombian tomato and spring onion sauce)
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 6 spring onions, finely sliced, whites and greens kept apart; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 500g ripe tomatoes, finely chopped; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp ground black pepper; 15g fresh coriander, leaves chopped

The slow-cooked tomato and spring onion sauce that goes on almost everything in Colombia: arepas, potatoes, rice, eggs and grilled meat.

Time30 min
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.50 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

Estimated nutrition per serving

121kcal
15.6gcarbs
7.5gof which sugars
5gfat
1.4gsaturates
3.5gprotein
4.8gfibre
1.0gsalt

A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.

6 servings

Ingredients

Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.

2 tbspolive oil
1onionfinely chopped
6spring onionsfinely sliced, whites and greens kept apart
3garlic clovescrushed
500 gripe tomatoesfinely chopped
1 tspground cumin
1 tspsalt
½ tspground black pepper
15 gfresh corianderleaves chopped

Method

1
Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and the white parts of the spring onions and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft but not brown.
8 min
2
Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute until you can smell them.
3
Tip in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and jammy and a little oil shows at the edges.
15 min
4
Stir in the green parts of the spring onions and the coriander and cook for 1 minute. Taste and add more salt if needed.
5
Serve warm over arepas, boiled potatoes, rice, fried eggs or grilled meat. It keeps in a covered tub in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.