Tomato Saar | Maharashtrian Tomatocha Saar Recipe

Jump to Recipe

Tomato saar is an authentic Maharashtrian version of the famous Tomato Soup.

This tomato saar is mildly spiced, sweet & tangy in taste. This saar is made using fresh ripe tomatoes along with herbs and spices.

This is a healthy, no onion no garlic, beginner-friendly, gluten-free and vegan recipe.

About Tomatocha Saar (Tomato Soup)

Tomato saar is a tempered curry that is a sweet, spicy and tangy version of Tomato Soup.

Tomato saar is a simple, quick and easy soup that is famously paired with plain steamed rice, vegetable pulao and Maharashtrian Masale bhat.

This saar comes from the coastal region of Maharashtra and is also made in Goa and Karnataka.

Unlike tomato soup, a tempering of cumin seeds, curry leaves are added to saar.

If you love tomatoes then this is the recipe that you must try! In my childhood, Sunday was specially reserved for this luscious and delicious tomato saar as a change from the usual meals.

Served with steamed rice along with popadums this was our favourite vegetarian Sunday special lunch.

Everyone in the house used to cherish this Sunday’s special menu. It was like a tradition in our house! 😊

This tomato saar is deeply comforting, light on the stomach and does not involve cream, milk or cornstarch. This also makes a perfect soup for kids and weight watchers although we will be using sugar that can be adjusted as per personal preference.

Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and are natural antioxidants. In Indian cuisine, tomatoes are used as a base for many recipes hence at home we always have tomatoes stocked in our pantry throughout the year. Hence it becomes so much easy to make this delicious saar for a quick snack or for lazy weekdays!

A bowl of hot tomato saar makes a perfect meal or snack during winters or cold rainy days. Apart from grown-ups, this saar is loved by kids too.

To make this super simple, spicy, tangy & sweet tomato saar, try to use red ripe tomatoes instead of orange they tend to have the right balance of tanginess and sweetness that helps in balancing the flavours of the saar.

You may also use canned tomatoes here, but the taste would differ.

lngredients

Tomatoes – I have used fresh red ripe tomatoes. I blanched them in water for about 10 minutes and then pureed them in a blender and sieved (strained). You can use canned tomatoes here but the taste would differ a lot.

Herbs & Spices: To give a nice depth of flavour I have tempered this saar with cumin seeds and curry leaves, and red chilli powder. You may also add cumin powder or crushed black pepper powder too.

Oil: I have used a tablespoon of sunflower oil for tempering. You can also make the tempering using ghee which enhances the flavour.

Seasoning: Salt & Sugar. The quantity of sugar depends upon the sourness of the tomatoes. You may also add brown sugar or jaggery to make this tomato saar.

Water: To adjust the consistency of the saar.

Serving Suggestion

This tomato saar can be served as a starter with meals or as an evening snack.

Also, you can mix it with rice and have it as a full meal.

Storage Option

This saar stays good for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Variations

You can add coconut milk to this saar which gives a nice texture and subtle taste to this saar.

You can also temper the saar with crushed garlic, and dry red chillies which enhance the taste.

Related Recipes

Latest Recipe Post

Maharashtrian Recipes

Vegan & Plant-Based Recipes

Beginner-Friendly Recipes

No Onion & No Garlic Recipe

Snacks Recipes

More Soup Recipes

Green Moong Dal Soup (Weight Loss Soup), Pumpkin Soup

Step-by-Step Tomato Saar Recipe With Pitcures

How to make Maharashtrian Tomato Saar

• Rinse tomatoes under tap water. Place them in a deep vessel

• Add water till the tomatoes are fully submerged.

• Blanch tomatoes for about 20-30 minutes till they are soft and cooked.

• Let the tomatoes cool to room temperature.

• Once cooled, peel off the skin and add tomatoes in a blender. Without using water blend to a fine paste.

• Pour this tomato puree onto a sieve/strainer. Strain the puree to get a nice silky texture to the saar.

• Fine tomato paste is ready to make this delicious tomato saar.

• Add a teaspoon of red chilli powder, salt to taste and sugar to balance the tartness of tomatoes.

• Adding sugar here depends on your how tangy the tomatoes are, hence you need to add accordingly. I have added 2 tablespoons of sugar for making this tomato saar.

• Add water to adjust the consistency of the saar.

Meanwhile, let’s make tadka.

• In a tadka pan, heat oil. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them turn golden brown in colour. Add curry leaves.

• Pour this tadka over the tomato mixture.

• Now, let the saar come to a boil.

• Boil this tomato saar for 6-8 minutes on low to medium flame.

• Tangy, sweet & mild spicy tomato saar is ready to serve.

Note:

For a rich creamy texture, you can make use of coconut milk.

Make a crisscross slit on the bottom side of the tomatoes so it becomes very much easy to peel off the skin once they are cooked.

Instead of tempering this saar with oil, you can use ghee or vanaspati here.

You may also use spices like cumin powder or black pepper powder for extra taste.

Always use red ripe tomatoes for making this saar.

Join “Easy Indian Vegetarian & Vegan Recipes” on Facebook & be a part of our community.

If you like recipes like these, let’s connect on Youtube, Instagram & Facebook. Thank you for stopping by, I would really love to know your thoughts on this recipe.

Also, do check out my Lifestyle Blog eralivine.com if interested.

Recipe Card