Sofrito
Make vibrant Latin sofrito for soups, rice, beans, and stews. Tips on swaps, storage, and how to use it fresh or cooked.
Sofrito is a popular Latin American & Caribbean cooking base for soups, meat stews, rice, and beans. It can also be used as condiment.
Submitted by: Carlos from 37 Cooks,
- Blend peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, and recao into a chunky base. Pulse to avoid a watery paste.
- Use sofrito as a starter for soups, stews, rice, beans, or as a condiment; sauté briefly to bloom flavors.
- Store refrigerated for about a week or freeze in portions for several months. Use ice cube trays for easy portions.
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Featured in this Recipe
Preparation Instructions:
Mix each ingredient one at a time into a food processor. Process to a chunky consistency, not watery.
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More About This Recipe
Ajices dulces can be replaced with any small, sweet peppers. If you can't find culantro, just use additional cilantro.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sofrito and what is it used for?
Sofrito is a Latin American and Caribbean flavor base made from peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and recao. Use it to start soups, stews, rice, and beans or serve it as a fresh condiment.
How do I make this sofrito recipe?
Add each ingredient to a food processor one at a time and pulse until chunky. Do not overprocess into a watery puree. The recipe includes green and red peppers, ajices dulces, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro with stems, recao (culantro), salt, and pepper.
Can I substitute ajices dulces if I cannot find them?
Yes. Replace ajices dulces with any small sweet peppers. Choose mild, aromatic peppers rather than hot chiles to keep the traditional sweet flavor.
What is recao or culantro and can I use cilantro instead?
Recao, also called culantro, has a stronger, more pungent flavor than cilantro. If you cannot find culantro, use extra cilantro. The flavor will be milder but still delicious.
Do I need to cook sofrito before adding it to recipes?
You do not have to cook it, but sautéing 1 to 2 tablespoons in oil for a minute or two brings out deeper flavors. For quick uses or as a condiment, you can add it raw.
How should I store sofrito and how long does it keep?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 5 to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze in portions for up to 3 to 6 months. Freezing in ice cube trays or small containers makes portioning easy.
Can I preserve sofrito by canning?
Canning sofrito at home is not recommended unless you use proper pressure-canning methods and tested recipes because it is low in acid. Freezing is safer and simpler for home cooks.
How much sofrito should I use in a recipe?
As a guideline, use 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving for rice and vegetables. For soups or stews, start with 1/4 cup per quart or 1/4 to 1/2 cup for every 1 to 2 pounds of meat, then adjust to taste.
What is sofrito and what is it used for?
Sofrito is a Latin American and Caribbean flavor base made from peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and recao. Use it to start soups, stews, rice, and beans or serve it as a fresh condiment.
How do I make this sofrito recipe?
Add each ingredient to a food processor one at a time and pulse until chunky. Do not overprocess into a watery puree. The recipe includes green and red peppers, ajices dulces, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro with stems, recao (culantro), salt, and pepper.
Can I substitute ajices dulces if I cannot find them?
Yes. Replace ajices dulces with any small sweet peppers. Choose mild, aromatic peppers rather than hot chiles to keep the traditional sweet flavor.
What is recao or culantro and can I use cilantro instead?
Recao, also called culantro, has a stronger, more pungent flavor than cilantro. If you cannot find culantro, use extra cilantro. The flavor will be milder but still delicious.
Do I need to cook sofrito before adding it to recipes?
You do not have to cook it, but sautéing 1 to 2 tablespoons in oil for a minute or two brings out deeper flavors. For quick uses or as a condiment, you can add it raw.
How should I store sofrito and how long does it keep?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for about 5 to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze in portions for up to 3 to 6 months. Freezing in ice cube trays or small containers makes portioning easy.
Can I preserve sofrito by canning?
Canning sofrito at home is not recommended unless you use proper pressure-canning methods and tested recipes because it is low in acid. Freezing is safer and simpler for home cooks.
How much sofrito should I use in a recipe?
As a guideline, use 1 to 2 tablespoons per serving for rice and vegetables. For soups or stews, start with 1/4 cup per quart or 1/4 to 1/2 cup for every 1 to 2 pounds of meat, then adjust to taste.
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