Essential and oh-so-flavorful Puerto Rican sofrito. This versatile aromatic base is the secret ingredient behind many Puerto Rican dishes, adding depth and complexity to everything from stews, beans, picadillo, and rice dishes like Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules.
While there are different names for sofrito across the Caribbean islands, the essence remains the same – a simple yet powerful combination of fresh ingredients that elevates the flavor of dishes.
Easy Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe (also known as Recaito in Puerto Rico)
Sofrito is a blend of aromatic ingredients like fresh herbs (cilantro and culantro) and vegetables (bell peppers, onions, garlic, sweet peppers) to create a base that is then sautéed into dishes to enhance their flavor. It's like the secret ingredient that transforms dishes.
Sofrito is a cornerstone of Latin American cuisine, with recipes varying by country. It is more than just a cooking base; it's a culinary tradition, a story passed down from generation to generation, with each family recipe having its own secret ingredient or unique twist and variation.
In this recipe, I will provide the simple steps you need to know to create your own homemade Puerto Rican sofrito and recipe ideas to use it.
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Favorite Dishes to Use Sofrito In
Sofrito is like a versatile workhorse in the kitchen, adding depth and complexity to various dishes. It's the essential flavor base for many Puerto Rican and Latin recipes.
Just a few tablespoons of sofrito can elevate your cooking to new level.
Here are a few of my favorite Puerto Rican recipes:
- Arroz con Gandules: This classic Puerto Rican dish features rice cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, olives, capers, and a touch of sazón seasoning. It's a hearty and comforting meal that's perfect for any occasion.
- Arroz con Pollo: This traditional Latin dish showcases the perfect blend of rice, chicken, sofrito, and spices. It's a staple in Puerto Rican and Latin households.
- Habichuelas Guisadas: This hearty bean stew is a Puerto Rican favorite, featuring kidney beans cooked with sofrito, sazón, and a touch of sweetness. It's often served over rice or with a side of mofongo, a plantain dish.
- Carne Guisada: This beef stew is a Latin comfort food classic. Sofrito, sazón, and tomato create a rich and flavorful sauce that complements the beef.
- Picadillo: This ground meat dish is a versatile filling for empanadas, pasteles, and mofongo. Sofrito adds depth of flavor to the ground meat mixture, creating a savory and satisfying dish.
- Any Beans: From black beans to red, white, or lentils. Like Puerto Ricans, I grew up adding a sofrito to every bean dish!
Simple Ingredients you will need for Homemade Sofrito
I have created my version of Puerto Rican Sofrito using simple staple ingredients, so here's what you'll need.
I also comment below about two other typical Puerto Rican Sofrito ingredients and where to find them.
See the Printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
- Fresh Garlic for maximum flavor
- Red Bell Pepper
- Green Bell Pepper
- Cilantro
- Yellow Onion (white or red onion are suitable substitutes)
- Olive Oil (optional). I add a little olive oil to help bond the ingredients.
Note: You will notice that Salt is not added since sofrito is used as a recipe ingredient.
Two additional ingredients typically used in Puerto Rican Sofrito can be added to this recipe
If you find these, add them to this recipe for enhanced flavor.
Additional ingredient #1: AJI DULCE
Ají Dulce (also called ajíes dulces or Ajicitos Dulces (plural) and translated to English as sweet peppers) is a type of sweet pepper in Latin America.
Growing up, we regularly used Aji Dulce in our Venezuelan sofritos for its unique sweet-pepper flavor. There is something special about the taste of Ajies Dulces.
They look like scotch bonnet or habanero peppers but are not hot. Ajies Dulces are mild and sweet! Unless they are clearly labeled as Aji Dulce or Sweet Peppers, ask your grocer before you buy!
Ajies Dulces are found in the produce area of Asian and Latin grocery stores but are hard to find. Suitable substitutes are Cubanelle peppers, Italian frying peppers, or mini sweet peppers. I used only green and red bell peppers for this recipe as a more practical adoption since I am still looking for Aji Dulce in Minnesota/Wisconsin. 😉
I figured I was not the only one faced with this challenge 😊.
If you find Ajies Dulces, add 1 cup to this recipe for enhanced flavor. There is no need to change the quantities in the current recipe.
Additional ingredient #2: CULANTRO
Culantro, also known as Recao in Puerto Rico, is another herb typically added to Puerto Rican Sofrito. The aroma and flavor are similar to Cilantro but with long leaves.
If you are lucky to find Culantro, add half a bunch to this recipe. It's more common to find Culantro in Asian supermarkets' produce areas.
Equipment
Essential tools to create a homemade Sofrito:
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Food processor or strong blender
- Mason jar for storage
- Containers for freezing (optional)
How to make Sofrito
Quick step-by-step on how to create sofrito from scratch:
Step 1: Rough Chop the Vegetables: Start by roughly chopping the red bell pepper, green pepper, cilantro, and onion. Combine with the garlic cloves peeled.
Step 2: Process: Transfer the ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. Some prefer a smooth sofrito, while others prefer a chunky texture.
Step 3: Check for consistency: I add 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil as a bonding agent. You may add a few tablespoons of water (optional) if needed.
Step 4: Use or Store: Your homemade Puerto Rican sofrito is ready to use!
This process takes little time, and you have your own sofrito ready to enhance your dishes!
How Long Does Homemade Sofrito Last in the Fridge?
This recipe produces a large batch of sofrito for use in various recipes. Sofrito can be stored in a glass jar or an airtight plastic container and will last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator
Freezing Instructions
- Sofrito can also be frozen for up to 6 months, retaining its color and flavors. To freeze sofrito, you may use some of these options:
- Scoop it into ice cube trays for convenient portions, and freeze until it is solid. Once frozen, transfer the sofrito cubes to a freezer-safe bag.
- Store in small airtight containers for convenient portions.
- Store in small freezer bags, then thaw one bag at a time in the refrigerator for use within 2 weeks
I hope you find this homemade Puerto Rican sofrito recipe easy and will incorporate it into your recipes for extra flavor and depth.
Comment below with your recipes!
And whatever you make with your homemade Sofrito, say ¡Buen provecho!
Related
Other Latin sauces, bases and spreads you may like:
📖 GET THE RECIPE! 🍽️
Easy Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Description
Sofrito is a blend of aromatic ingredients like fresh herbs (cilantro and culantro) and vegetables (bell peppers, onions, garlic, sweet peppers) to create a base that is then sautéed into dishes to enhance their flavor.
It's like the secret ingredient that transforms dishes!
Equipment: Essential tools to create a homemade Sofrito.
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Food processor or strong blender
- Mason jar for storage
- Containers for freezing (optional).
Ingredients
- 1 head of Fresh Garlic
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Bunch of Cilantro
- 1 large Yellow Onion (white or red onion are suitable substitutes)
- 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil (optional). I add a little olive oil to help bond the ingredients.
Note: You will notice that Salt is not added since sofrito is a recipe ingredient.
See the "Notes" section below about additional ingredients used by Puerto Ricans in their sofrito.
Instructions
Step 1: Rough Chop the Vegetables: Start by roughly chopping the red bell pepper, green pepper, cilantro, and onion. Combine with the garlic cloves peeled.
Step 2: Process: Transfer the ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. Some prefer a smooth sofrito, while others prefer a chunky texture.
Step 3: Check for consistency: I add two tablespoons of Olive Oil as a bonding agent. You may add a few tablespoons of water (optional) if needed.
Step 4: Use or Store: Your homemade Puerto Rican sofrito is ready to use! This process takes little time, and you have your sofrito ready to enhance your dishes!
Notes
Two additional ingredients typically used in Puerto Rican Sofrito can be added to this recipe. If you find them, add them to this recipe for enhanced flavor.
1. AJI DULCE (also called ajíes dulces or Ajicitos Dulces (plural) and translated to English as sweet peppers) is a type of sweet pepper in Latin America.
They look like scotch bonnet or habanero peppers but are not hot. Ajies Dulces are mild and sweet! Unless they are clearly labeled as Aji Dulce or Sweet Peppers, ask your grocer before you buy!
Ajies Dulces are found in the produce area of Asian and Latin grocery stores but are hard to find. Suitable substitutes are Cubanelle peppers, Italian frying peppers, or mini sweet peppers. I used only green and red bell peppers for this recipe as a more practical adoption.
If you find Ajies Dulces, add 1 cup to this recipe for enhanced flavor. There is no need to change the quantities in the current recipe.
2. CULANTRO, also known as Recao in Puerto Rico, is another herb typically added to Puerto Rican Sofrito. The aroma and flavor are very similar to Cilantro but with long leaves. If you are lucky to find it, add half a bunch of Culantro to this recipe. It's more common to find Culantro in Asian supermarkets' produce areas.
Shelf-life: This recipe produces a large batch of sofrito for use in various recipes. Sofrito can be stored in a glass jar or an airtight plastic container and will last for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Freezing Instructions:
Sofrito can be frozen for up to 6 months, retaining its color and flavors. To freeze sofrito, you may use some of these options:
- Scoop it into ice cube trays for convenient portions, and freeze until it is solid. Once frozen, transfer the sofrito cubes to a freezer-safe bag.
- Store in small airtight containers for convenient portions.
- Store in small freezer bags, then thaw one bag at a time in the refrigerator for use within 2 weeks.
Recipes to use Sofrito: Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules Recipe or Arroz con Pollo.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 424
- Sugar: 16.6 g
- Sodium: 28.9 mg
- Fat: 29.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.4 g
- Fiber: 9.3 g
- Protein: 6.7 g
Deb says
Yum. Probably the best sofritos I’ve tried.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Wonderful! so happy to hear. Thanks for leaving your review!
Nicole Kendrick says
I LOVE sofrito, and your recipe is so delicious. Bonus points for being so darn easy, too.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Yes! Easy is the perfect word. 🙂 So happy you love sofrito. So good to have it handy.
Tisha says
A must-try traditional Puerto Rican Sofrito recipe, bursting with authentic flavors perfect for elevating any dish.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
I agree with you, Tisha! So versatile.
Agnieszka says
This is an excellent sofrito recipe. Turned out perfect.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Great! So easy too. It adds such a great flavor to so many dishes. Glad you liked it.
Nora says
Such a great flavourful dish! We will make it again for sure!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Such a great base for many dishes. Especially Latin ones. Thanks for trying the recipe, Nora! And for leaving your review. ❤️😊
Elizabeth says
I loved this recipe and all the hidden veggies! So flavorful!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Agree! The base of so many Latin dishes. So glad you loved it!
Claudia Cristina Ciorteanu says
Just tried this recipe and it’s fantastic! The sofrito came out perfectly and added such a great depth to my dishes. Definitely a keeper!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Happy to hear, Claudia! A great base to so many dishes. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Stephanie says
Love this sofrito recipe! It is simple to put together and quite versatile as it works with so many dishes. I planned to have this on hand often!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Hi Stephanie,
High-five for loving the sofrito!✋😉 It's the backbone of so many Puerto Rican dishes. And I'm happy you're making it a pantry essential. Thanks!
Lathiya says
Awesome share. I love such easy recipes. I used sofrito in beans for dinner.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Hi Lathiya,
Happy this recipe helped you add flavor to your beans dish. That's the beauty of keeping sofrito handy. Remember you can freeze it in ice trays for future use. So versatile!
Thank you for your review. 🙂
Stephanie says
Such a delicious and versatile recipe for sofrito. An added bonus is how simple it is to whip up and have on hand to enhance various recipes.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Hi Stephanie,
Yes! Sofrito is like a superhero in the kitchen, and I am glad that you are now a fan too. 🙂 Thanks for the note!
Liz says
This is SO easy to make and perfect to keep on hand to add deliciousness to many dishes. I added it to our rice last night and it was so yummy!!!
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
I know, right!? Sofrito on hand = flavor on demand. A spoonful can add an instant depth to any dish, and it sounds like your rice was a hit. Happy that the recipe was helpful for you. Thanks for the note!
Adriana says
This sofrito is perfect. Thanks for the recipe. Nothing better than homemade.
Juyali (ju-ja-lee) says
Hi Adriana,
Homemade truly is the best, and it sounds like this recipe is a keeper. Thanks for trying it out! 🙂