Shoarmasaus – Dutch Red Shawarma Sauce

This Dutch shoarmasaus is the mild red tomato sauce served alongside knoflooksaus at shoarma shops and snack bars across the Netherlands. Lightly sweet, gently tangy, and intentionally restrained, it is designed to balance spiced meat without competing for attention. If you are looking for the other classic Dutch red snackbar sauces, try Kerrieketchup – Dutch Curry Ketchup for patat speciaal, or Poestasaus – Spicy Dutch Kebab Sauce for a chili-forward kick more common in döner and kebab shops.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup tomato ketchup
• 1½ tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp water, plus more as needed after chilling
• 1–1½ tsp sugar
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp mild curry powder
• pinch sambal oelek or cayenne (optional)
• ¼ tsp table salt, or to taste
• 1 tbsp white or apple cider vinegar

Directions

Combine the Sauce

Combine the ketchup, tomato paste, water, sugar, paprika, onion powder, curry powder, sambal oelek or cayenne (if using), and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk until smooth.

Cook the Sauce

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce just begins to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring often. Do not allow the sauce to boil vigorously or reduce heavily.

Add the Vinegar

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt, sugar, or vinegar as needed. The sauce should be lightly sweet and tangy, with mild background warmth rather than pronounced heat.

Cool and Chill

Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Once thoroughly chilled, stir well and thin with 1–2 tbsp additional water if needed.

Notes

Preparation

• This sauce is intentionally mild; heat should be barely perceptible, if present at all.
• The brief cooking time mellows the tomato paste and allows the paprika, curry powder, and onion powder to blend into the sauce without developing a heavy, barbecue-style flavor.
• Adding the vinegar after cooking preserves its brightness.
• The curry powder provides a warm background note that balances the paprika without turning the sauce into curry ketchup.
• No garlic is added by design, preserving contrast with knoflooksaus.
• Always make final seasoning and consistency adjustments after the sauce is completely cold.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve alongside Dutch-style shoarma with knoflooksaus.
• Drizzle over pita sandwiches, fries, or grilled meats.
• Offer sambal oelek at the table for those who prefer extra heat.

Variations

• Classic Snackbar Style: Thin with 1–2 additional tbsp water after chilling and use only 1 tsp sugar.
• Deeper Tomato Flavor: Add an extra ½ tbsp tomato paste and a few additional drops of vinegar.
• Late-Night Shoarmazaak: Increase the sambal oelek to ½ tsp for a gently warming finish.
• Curry-Forward House Sauce: Increase the mild curry powder to ½ tsp for a more noticeable curry note.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Best made at least 4 hours ahead; the flavor improves overnight.
• Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Stir well before serving and thin with a little water if needed.