5 Best Lecho Recipes with Tomatoes, Peppers, Carrots, and Onions

Lecho is a favorite preserve for most housewives. This appetizer can be eaten on its own or served as a side dish for a holiday meal alongside meat dishes. This aromatic lecho, made with tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and onions, can be prepared for the winter using several recipes with photos. It takes no more than an hour to prepare, and the result will delight the whole family on cold winter evenings. Lecho can be made sweet or savory, which complements the sweetness perfectly.

Lecho made from tomatoes, peppers, carrots, and onions without vinegar

If you don't have vinegar at home, no problem. You can substitute it with citric acid or even seal the jars without adding any preservatives. In this case, the containers should be sterilized beforehand.

Ingredients:

• 2 kg bell pepper;
• 2 kg of tomatoes;
• 2-3 large carrots;
• 2 heads of onions;
• 100-15 g of granulated sugar;
• tbsp salt;
• tsp ground black pepper;
• teaspoon of citric acid.

Preparation:

Take the tomatoes, rinse them under water, and remove the stems. Blend the tomatoes until smooth. Pour the puree into a saucepan and simmer over low heat.

Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut it into medium-sized strips (4-5 centimeters). Peel the onion and cut it into half rings. Wash the carrots and grate them on a coarse grater.

When the tomato puree comes to a boil, stir in the salt and sugar, add the citric acid, and the prepared vegetables. Season the mixture with black pepper and stir well. Leave the pan on the heat and continue cooking for 30-40 minutes.

When the peppers have softened, turn off the heat. Without waiting for them to cool, pour the lecho into sterilized jars and cover with a lid. Place the jars in a saucepan filled halfway with water. The jars should be submerged in the water up to the shoulders. Turn on the heat and sterilize the lecho for 10-15 minutes in boiling water. Only then do you seal the lid and let it cool at room temperature.

Tomato lecho with butter

Adding sunflower oil gives the appetizer a glossy shine and makes the texture more uniform. Olive oil can be substituted for vegetable oil if desired.

Compound:

• 2.5 kg tomatoes;
• 1.5-2 kg sweet pepper;
• 2 heads of onions;
• carrots – 2-3 pcs.;
• ½ cup granulated sugar;
• tbsp salt;
• 2 tbsp. vinegar 6%;
• ½ cup vegetable oil;
• herbs and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Wash the tomatoes, cut them into slices, and put them through a meat grinder. You should get tomato puree. Add salt and sugar, stir, pour into a saucepan, and place on the stove.

The bell pepper is gutted and cut into small pieces. The pepper is then cooked with tomato juice.

Peel the onion and blanche it with boiling water to remove the bitterness. Cut the onion into large pieces. Wash the carrots and grate them into thin strips. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a frying pan and fry the vegetables for 5-6 minutes until they soften slightly and are lightly browned. Don't overcook them or let them cook through.

Add the sautéed onions and carrots to the tomato juice and pepper. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Finally, add the oil and vinegar. Add your favorite spices and herbs to taste.

The hot lecho is immediately poured into jars and sterilized in boiling water for 10-15 minutes. After cooling, the jars are stored in a cool place.

Tomato lecho with rice

You can add rice to the lecho as an additional ingredient. It will add a delicate flavor and make the appetizer nutritious. You can use either round or long grain rice, depending on your preference.

Compound:

• 1.5-1.8 kg bell pepper;
• 2-2.5 kg of tomatoes;
• onions – 0.5-0.7 kg;
• carrots – 0.5 kg;
• 1 cup of rice;
• vegetable oil – 1 cup;
• 3 tbsp vinegar;
• granulated sugar – 100-150 g;
• salt – 2 tbsp.

Preparation:

Bell peppers, onions, and carrots are peeled and cut into equal strips and placed in a large bowl.

Blend the tomatoes and pour the mixture into a saucepan. Combine the tomatoes with the chopped vegetables. Place the saucepan on the stove and turn on the heat.

Boil the rice until it's half-year-old and add it to the boiling mixture. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, stirring constantly and skimming off any foam.

At the end of cooking, when the rice is done and the peppers are soft, add vinegar, granulated sugar, and salt. Pour vegetable oil over the vegetables and stir.

Pour the lecho into jars and sterilize for 10-15 minutes.

How to make tomato and pepper lecho in a slow cooker

A multicooker is a great alternative to a saucepan for making lecho. Vegetables cook quickly, and the finished product tastes richer and more aromatic.

Compound:

• 1.5-2 kg of tomatoes;
• kg of sweet pepper;
• 2-3 onions;
• 2 carrots;
• ½ cup granulated sugar;
• 100 ml sunflower oil;
• tbsp salt;
• 2 tbsp. vinegar 9%.

Preparation:

Remove the stems from the tomatoes and blend them until smooth. Pour the mixture into the multicooker bowl and turn on the cooking mode. Close the lid.

The pepper is seeded and cut into strips. The carrots are grated. The onion is cut into thin half rings. The chopped vegetables are added to the tomato mixture and continue cooking for 25-35 minutes.

Five to 10 minutes before the end of cooking, add granulated sugar, salt, and vinegar and oil to the lecho. Mix thoroughly and close the lid.

Place the hot mixture into jars and microwave for 7-10 minutes. Once sterilized, seal the jars with airtight lids and, once cooled, store them away.

Tomato lecho without sterilization

Since sterilization requires additional time, it can be skipped. In this case, add more vinegar to the mixture—this will ensure the lecho will last longer—at least a year or more.

Compound:

• 1.5-2 kg of tomatoes;
• 1.5 sweet peppers;
• 2 onion heads;
• 2 large carrots;
• 100 ml sunflower oil;
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar;
• 2 tbsp. salt;
• 4 tbsp. vinegar 6%;
• red pepper - on the tip of a knife;
• ground black pepper – 1 tsp.

Preparation:

Tomato juice is prepared by blending the pulp and simmering the juice over low heat.

While the juice is heating, prepare the other vegetables: remove the seeds and guts from the bell pepper and cut it into long pieces. Slice the onion, and coarsely grate the carrot.

Once the juice boils, skim off any foam and add the vegetables. Cook the lecho for 30 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

At the end of cooking, add oil and a mixture of peppers, granulated sugar and salt, and add vinegar.

After turning off the heat, without allowing the mixture to cool, it is quickly poured into jars and closed with disposable lids.

When the jars have cooled, they are put into the refrigerator or cellar for storage.

Cooking tips

Lecho is considered a very easy dish to prepare—even a novice cook can handle it. However, there are a few nuances worth considering before cooking:

1. Tomatoes should be soft, with fleshy flesh and thin skin. These tomatoes produce delicious juice. If the skins are hard, remove them beforehand. To do this, immerse the tomatoes in boiling water for a couple of minutes, after which the skins can be easily removed.
2. For a beautiful lecho, use peppers of several colors. You can use green, yellow, and red peppers.
3. To add a spicy kick, add red chili pepper. For 2 kg of tomatoes, 1-2 chili peppers are enough.
4. All vegetables should be fresh and healthy. Any damaged or rotten spots on the skin should be trimmed off and the vegetables should be scalded with boiling water.
5. The finished product should have the consistency of porridge—moderately runny, but not too thick. If the mixture thickens too much, add water (little by little, ½ cup).

You can try the lecho as soon as it cools. If you need more salt, you can add it directly into the jar; this won't affect the quality of the preparation. An opened jar can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month. Typically, the appetizer doesn't last that long, as it's eaten within a few days.