This Simple Sofrito Recipe consists of peppers, onions, garlic, culantro leaves, olive oil and salt.

Sofrito is a flavor base of herbs and aromatics used in Latin cooking, much like a French mirepoix or the Cajun holy trinity. While there are many versions of Sofrito, this recipe most resembles one found in Puerto Rican cooking also known as recaito.

Sofrito is the foundation for dishes like Arrow Con Pollo (Latin Chicken & Rice), soups, stews and braises. Simply stirred into white rice will elevate the flavors. It’s great to have on hand to enhance the flavor of so many dishes.

Sofrito Ingredients

Culantro

The one ingredient that is sometimes difficult to locate is Culantro. Culantro is an herb, similar in taste to cilantro but quite different in appearance. Culantro leaves are long with ruffled edges. It has a deeper more pungent flavor than cilantro. It also holds up much better when cooked.

I have no problem locating it at our International market. Or you can try an Asian market under the name of ngo gai (Vietnamese). If you can’t locate culantro, fresh cilantro is your best substitute but double the volume called for in the recipe.

Peppers

For the peppers, I use green bell pepper and cubanelle peppers. Aji dulces (sweet peppers found in Latin-America) are also a common ingredient.

Onions & Garlic

I used both red onion and white onion, as well as garlic cloves.

The Process

Rough chop the ingredients then add to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until mostly smooth.

When ready to use, Sofrito is typically sauteed in oil to begin the recipe. You can store Sofrito in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for up to 6 months.

Sofrito Variations

As mentioned above, a sofrito is to Latin cooking what a mirepoix is to French cooking or the holy trinity is to Cajun or Creole cooking. There is also a Spanish sofrito which also contains peppers and onions, but also includes tomatoes or tomato paste, as well as paprika.

Mastering a Simple Sofrito Recipe opens the doors to a wonderful array of recipes!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby