How to Make Basic Sofrito

By Hector Rodriguez

Updated 10/29/18

Close-Up Of Food In Jars On Table
Maria Nyman / EyeEm / Getty Images
Ratings (61)
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 15 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 1 quart (Serves 8)
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
50 Calories
0g Fat
11g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 quart (Serves 8)
Amount per serving
Calories 50
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 2g
Calcium 50mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Sofrito is the secret ingredient in many Latin Caribbean dishes, and it's easy to make. It's a versatile, aromatic puree of tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, onions, and garlic. You may use a food processor or blender to get the desired results.

During harvest season, you can use your garden produce or buy it at the peak of flavor from the farmers' market to make and freeze sofrito for use throughout the year. Spending just a little time in the kitchen will be a good investment for having your additive-free sofrito to use in your recipes.

You'll need a knife for chopping, a cutting board, food processor, and storage jars for this recipe. This variation doesn't require any cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium green peppers (seeds removed)
  • 1 red sweet pepper (seeds removed)
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 2 medium onions (peeled)
  • 1 head of garlic (peeled)
  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 bunch parsley leaves

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Peel the garlic and onion and chop, along with the other ingredients, into sizes that are small enough to fit into a food processor ​or blender. You don't have to dice them finely as you will be processing them. Focus on removing the seeds and any tougher stems that might leave grit in the finished sofrito.

  3. Place the chopped ingredients into a food processor or blender. You can process in batches if your food processor isn't big enough to accommodate it all at once. (Tip: If you find it necessary to add liquid, you may add water or olive oil a tablespoon at a time. Use as little liquid as possible, because you don't want the sofrito to be too runny. The tomatoes will provide some juice, so you may want to ensure they are in the mix before adding any liquid.)

  4. Blend all ingredients well. You want the finished sofrito to be finely processed. If you're not familiar with sofrito, think of it being the consistency of pesto, a thick paste.

  5. Once blended, your sofrito is ready to use.

  6. Use with rice, stews, beans, or protein and enjoy!

Storage Tips

  • For immediate use, store it in a glass container. Plastic containers are not ideal, because plastic will absorb the odor of garlic and onions.

  • For future use, you can freeze the sofrito to use at any time. Depending on how much you use in a recipe, you may want to freeze it in 1/4 to 1/2 cup portions or freeze it in an ice-cube tray for 2-tablespoon cubes. After the cubes are frozen, place them in a freezer bag. They should be good for up to a year frozen.