Ramadan Sweet and Spiced Tomato Sauce

Name: Ramadan Sweet and Spiced Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 28 oz (800 g) canned whole tomatoes in juice, two 14 oz (400 g) cans; 3 tablespoons (45 g) tomato paste; 1 whole (150 g) medium yellow onion, diced; 4 cloves (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (30 g) raw honey; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) ground cloves; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cumin; ¾ teaspoon (4½ g) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) freshly ground black pepper; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro or parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warm, aromatic tomato sauce infused with warming spices—cinnamon, cloves, and a touch of honey—simmered slowly until the flavors deepen and meld. This Middle Eastern–inspired sauce is ideal for breaking fast during Ramadan, served over pasta, rice, or with warm bread. The gentle sweetness balances the acidity of tomatoes while the spices add a comforting, festive quality.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 8 hr 15 min
Makes: About 3.5 cups (830 ml) sauce

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Steps

Before you start

Read the slow cooker recipe through; slow cooking takes 8 hours on low
Have your slow cooker cleaned and ready
Gather all spices before starting so they're measured and ready to add

1
Prepare ingredients
- Dice the onion into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic cloves finely.
- Measure out the cinnamon, cloves, and cumin.
- Have all ingredients ready beside your slow cooker.
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Tip: Mise en place saves time and prevents adding the wrong amount of spice.
2
Layer sauce in slow cooker
- Pour the two cans of whole tomatoes and their juice into the slow cooker.
- Add the tomato paste, breaking it up with a spoon if needed.
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, honey, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
- Stir everything together gently but thoroughly, making sure the tomato paste is fully dissolved and spices are evenly distributed.
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Ready when: All ingredients are combined and spices are no longer visible in clumps
Tip: Stir gently to avoid breaking apart the whole tomatoes; they'll soften and break down during cooking.
3
Slow cook sauce
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
- Cook on low heat for 8 hours, or on high heat for 4 hours.
- Stir once halfway through cooking.
- The sauce is ready when the tomatoes have completely broken down into a smooth, thick sauce and the onions are very soft and nearly dissolved.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are completely broken down, sauce is thick and cohesive, no large tomato chunks remain, aroma is deeply spiced and sweet
Tip: If you forget to stir halfway, don't worry—the slow cooker will still produce great sauce. On low, this is nearly foolproof.
4
Finish and taste
- Stir the sauce one final time.
- If you prefer a smoother texture, use an immersion blender to puree it partially (a few pulses for a chunky sauce, longer blending for smooth).
- Taste the sauce carefully and adjust seasoning: add more salt if it tastes flat, a pinch more honey if it needs sweetness, or a tiny pinch more cinnamon if the spices are too subtle.
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Ready when: Sauce is the consistency you prefer (chunky or smooth) and flavors are balanced
Tip: Taste before serving during Iftar so you can adjust seasoning while the sauce is still hot.
5
Serve
- Ladle the warm sauce over cooked pasta, rice, or serve alongside warm flatbread for dipping.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley if desired.
- Serve immediately.
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Tip: Fresh herbs brighten the deep spice flavors and add color for the Iftar table.

Good to know

Tips

This sauce is perfect for Iftar—make it all day and it's ready when you break your fast. The slow cooker doesn't require active work, so it suits a fasting schedule perfectly.
The warm spices—cinnamon and cloves—are traditional in Levantine and Persian tomato sauces. They warm the belly after fasting and add festive flavor for holiday meals.
If your slow cooker runs very hot, check the sauce after 6 hours on low; some cookers can reduce the sauce faster, making it too thick. Thin it with a splash of water if needed.
Leftover sauce freezes beautifully and tastes even better after a day or two, as the spices continue to mellow and marry. Make a double batch if freezer space allows.

Make ahead

Prepare all ingredients (dice onion, mince garlic, measure spices) up to 1 day ahead and store in separate containers in the fridge. In the morning, add everything to the slow cooker before work or before daily duties, and the sauce will be ready by Iftar time. Alternatively, make the full sauce up to 2 days ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the slow cooker on low (1–2 hours) before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: Cool completely before covering; store in an airtight container for up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: Transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, or in the slow cooker on low for 1–2 hours. Freezer: Cool completely, then transfer to freezer bags or containers (leaving ½ inch headspace). Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop or slow cooker as above.

Substitutions

raw honey → maple syrup or date syrup (if you have it for an extra traditional taste). Use the same amount by weight. Maple syrup is slightly less sweet, so taste and adjust. Date syrup is traditional in Middle Eastern cooking and adds deeper sweetness.
ground cinnamon → a 2-inch (5 cm) cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon. Add the cinnamon stick during cooking and remove it before serving. This yields a more subtle, less powdery spice note.
canned whole tomatoes in juice → 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) tomato passata or sauce plus ½ cup (120 ml) tomato paste. Passata is smoother and more uniform than whole canned tomatoes. This works well if you prefer a silky sauce and want to skip the blending step.
ground cumin → ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground coriander. Coriander adds a citrusy, slightly floral note instead of cumin's earthiness. The sauce will taste lighter and more aromatic.