Balkan Sataraš Recipe

Sataraš is a traditional Balkan stew made with tomatoes, onions and peppers. They are first sautéed in oil, lightly seasoned then gently cooked into a chunky stew. It is served as a side or main dish.

Some variations contain more vegetables, adding foods like garlic, eggplants, carrots and potatoes. Others contain meat such as chicken or sausages.

Sataraš can be eaten as an accompaniment for meat or with starches like bread or eaten alone as a stew. When prepared for breakfast, it is topped with eggs.

Within the Balkans, there are several tomato and pepper based stews which are often compared with sataraš, namely Hungarian lesco, Turkish menemen and shakshuka.

Origin & Cultural Significance

Sataraš is an immensely popular and versatile sauce that is eaten during all seasons and at any time of the day. The exact origin of sataraš is unknown since many Balkan countries have claimed it as their own.

The Balkans are located in South Eastern Europe, encompassing the countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, parts of Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania and disputably small portions of Turkey, Ukraine and Italy.

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Balkan Sataraš Recipe

Yield: 6 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Sataraš is a traditional Balkan stew made from tomatoes, onions and peppers, lightly seasoned.

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Ingredients

• Onions (diced finely) - 2
• Sweet peppers (diced) - 2 cups
• Tomatoes (very ripe, diced) - 4 cups
• Olive oil - ½ cup
• Garlic - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Black pepper - to taste
• Vegeta (optional) - ½ tsp

Instructions

1. Dice the tomatoes, onions, and peppers into small to medium pieces. Keep them seperate.
2. If using garlic, mince it finely.
3. In a large pan with a generous amount of olive oil, sauté onions on medium heat until soft, golden, and translucent. Do not let them burn or get crispy.
4. Add the peppers, let them cook for about 10 minutes with the onions. Keep stirring and keep the heat low.
5. Add the garlic, if using, and let it cook for about two minutes or less while stirring as the garlic becomes fragrant.
6. Add the diced tomatoes, cover and lower to lowest setting
7. Let the Sataraš cook for about 30 minutes.
8. Check halfway to make sure it is not burning and stir the contents.
9. Add salt and pepper and vegeta if using.
10. Continue cooking on low, stirring, to evaporate any excess liquid.
11. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 207Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 105mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.

Photo Credit: Petar Milošević