Name: Sataraš
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients: 250 g yellow onion, thinly sliced; 650 g red sweet peppers, cored and cut into broad strips; 700 g ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired and chopped; 40 ml sunflower oil; 8 g fine salt; 2 g ground black pepper; 10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Yield 4 servings

Preparation time 15 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

Passive time 5 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Sataraš — peppers, tomatoes and onion reduced to a thick pan sauce

Sataraš is a pan of peppers, tomatoes and onion cooked until the vegetables become tender and their juices concentrate into a glossy sauce. The character of the dish comes from the vegetables themselves, so the method is more about sequence and evaporation than about building a heavy sauce. Onion starts first, peppers follow, and tomatoes arrive only after the peppers have begun to soften.

That order protects texture. Tomatoes release a large volume of water, and adding everything at once can leave the peppers stewing in liquid before they have developed their own sweetness. Giving the onion and peppers separate time in the pan lets each lose its raw edge first. Once the tomatoes are added, the task changes from sautéing to controlled reduction.

A wide pan is helpful because surface area lets water escape. The final target is neither a soup nor a dry fry-up: the vegetables should be coated in thick tomato juices, and tilting the pan should not reveal a watery pool. This endpoint is more reliable than an exact colour because tomato varieties differ greatly in moisture and acidity.

The peppers should remain recognizable rather than dissolve into the tomato base. Their strips need to bend easily and taste fully cooked, yet still have enough body to separate from the onions on the fork. Parsley is added only after the heat is off, so its fresh aroma stays distinct from the long-cooked vegetables.

Sataraš can be served warm or allowed to settle toward room temperature, when the sweet pepper and tomato flavours become even more apparent. Leftovers should be cooled promptly and refrigerated at 4 °C or below; reheating is best done gently so the vegetables do not collapse.

Practical

ControlGive onion and peppers their own cooking time before tomatoes release water.
ControlUse a wide pan and finish uncovered.
ControlStop when thick juices cling to the vegetables rather than cooking the pan dry.

Ingredients

250 g yellow onion, thinly sliced
650 g red sweet peppers, cored and cut into broad strips
700 g ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired and chopped
40 ml sunflower oil
8 g fine salt
2 g ground black pepper
10 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Prepare the vegetablesPrepare the onion, peppers, tomatoes and parsley before heating the pan. The peppers should be cut to a similar width so they soften at an even rate.
Soften the onionHeat the oil and soften the onion gently with part of the salt. The onion is ready when translucent and soft with only minimal browning.
Cook the peppersAdd the peppers and cook until they lose their raw crunch but still retain shape. The pepper strips should bend easily while remaining visibly distinct rather than collapsing into a purée.
Reduce with tomatoesAdd the tomatoes, remaining salt and pepper and simmer uncovered until excess liquid reduces. The sataraš is ready when the vegetables are coated in thick tomato juices and no watery pool collects when the pan is tilted.
Rest and finish with parsleyTake the pan off the heat, fold in the parsley and let the sataraš stand briefly before serving. After standing, the sauce should cling to the vegetables rather than run across the plate.

Practical

Serving, storage and planning

Sataraš works as a warm vegetable main or as a side dish. It can also be served closer to room temperature after a short rest, when the tomato juices have thickened slightly. Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate at 4 °C or below and use within 3–4 days; reheat gently so the peppers do not disintegrate.

Nutrition

Serving size1 serving
Calories205 kcal
Carbohydrates25 g
Protein5 g
Fat12 g
Fibre7 g
Sodium500 mg

These figures are approximate and can vary with ingredient brands, trimming, liquid retention and exact portioning.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens. No major allergen is present in the listed ingredients; check packaged seasonings if substitutions are made.

Food safety. Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate at 4 °C or below within 2 hours.

Result: Distinct tender peppers and onions coated in thick tomato juices rather than floating in liquid.

Key: Stagger the vegetables and reduce uncovered until the juices cling to them.