- Easy
- 30 min
- 16 serv.
- 4 synergies
- Now at its best: Dates
A rich, fruity ketchup made from real tomatoes, dates for natural sweetness and spices for depth. Kids and adults won't notice the difference.
Kids see the color and grab for it. Adults taste the difference and want the recipe. The secret? Tomato passata that simmers for fifteen minutes with dates, a splash of apple cider vinegar and a hint of nutmeg. The result is thicker, fruitier and richer than what you squeeze from a bottle. And once you know how easy it is — ten ingredients, thirty minutes — there's no going back.
- 10
- min prep
- 20
- min cook
- 30
- min total
Nutritional Synergies
This recipe combines ingredients that enhance each other:
apple cider vinegar 
garlic cloves Acetic acid preserves allicin and extends shelf life
Technical: Allicin, garlic's active compound, is unstable and degrades quickly. Acetic acid from apple cider vinegar lowers pH, keeping allicin intact longer. Additionally, acetic acid and allicin work through different mechanisms (membrane disruption vs. thiol reaction), providing a broader spectrum of bioactive compounds.
What does this mean for you? Combine garlic with apple cider vinegar in dressings or marinades — the vinegar keeps garlic's bioactive compounds intact longer.
Immune SystemDigestionAnti-inflammatory
tomato passata 
paprika Double carotenoids: lycopene + capsanthin for antioxidant power
Technical: Tomato passata is concentrated lycopene (cooked tomatoes contain 2-3x more bioavailable lycopene). Paprika powder contains capsanthin and beta-carotene. Together they form a broad spectrum of carotenoids with synergistic antioxidant action.
What does this mean for you? Add paprika to tomato sauces - this is why Hungarian goulash and Spanish dishes are so colorful and healthy.
HeartSkin & HairImmune System
tomato passata 
onion Lycopene + quercetin for broad-spectrum antioxidant protection
Technical: Tomato passata contains bioavailable lycopene (12-15mg/100g) from the cooking process. Onion's quercetin (20mg/100g) is a flavonoid that works complementarily to lycopene: lycopene neutralizes singlet oxygen (lipid phase), quercetin scavenges hydroxyl radicals and superoxide (aqueous phase). Together they cover the complete antioxidant spectrum. Onion's sulfur compounds also support Phase II biotransformation enzymes that process lycopene metabolites.
What does this mean for you? Passata with sauteed onion is the base of Italian cuisine (sugo). It's a top antioxidant duo you can eat daily — simple, affordable and effective.
HeartSkin & HairAnti-inflammatory
onion garlic cloves More than 20 organosulfur compounds in one soffritto
Technical: Onion contains diallyl disulfide and quercetin (20-40mg/100g). Garlic contains allicin, ajoene and S-allylcysteine. Together they provide more than 20 different organosulfur compounds that modulate NF-κB. Allium crops are intensively studied in nutrition science for their unique sulfur chemistry.
What does this mean for you? Start every dish with sautéed onion and garlic — not just for flavor, but for the unique concentration of organosulfur compounds. Cut garlic 10 minutes before heating to allow allicin formation.
DigestionImmune System
Instructions
- 1 Soak dates 10 minutes in warm water. Drain.
- 2 Sauté onion and garlic in a little oil until soft (5 min).
Nutrition per serving
Indicative values per serving.
Timing & Suitability
Shelf life: 14 days in fridge