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Sofrito Recipe (How to Make It and Use It)

Name: Sofrito Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 green bell peppers (seeded and chopped); 2 cubanelle peppers (seeded and chopped); 4-5 aji dulce peppers (seeded and chopped); 1 large white onion (chopped); 8 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 bunch cilantro leaves (about 1 cup loosely packed); 2 culantro leaves (chopped (replace with extra cilantro if you can’t find it)); 2 plum tomatoes (chopped); Salt to taste; ¼ cup olive oil

by Mike Hultquist · Feb 8, 2022 · 43 Comments

5 from 16 ratings

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The best sofrito recipe is a flavor building puree of fresh peppers, onion, garlic, tomato and herbs widely used in Latin America and Caribbean cooking. It’s a “secret ingredient” for building dynamite flavor, a base for dishes like arroz con pollo, picadillo, soups, stews, and so much more.

What is Sofrito?

Sofrito is a flavor base used to build depth in countless dishes, from soups and stews to beans and rice. It’s typically a blend of chopped or pureed aromatic ingredients that is cooked in oil (or sometimes used as a fresh puree) to create a rich starting point for a recipe.

Like many staple “foundation” recipes, sofrito changes from region to region, but the core idea stays the same - layer aromatics early so the finished dish tastes fuller, rounder, and more complex. You will love it for your own cooking.

Where Does Sofrito Come From?

Sofrito is widely used across Mediterranean and Latin American/Caribbean cuisines, with each region putting its own spin on the same concept. You’ll see different names like sofregit, estrugido, refogado, or recaíto, and different ingredient combinations depending on local ingredients and traditions.

Some versions lean tomato-forward and sautéed (common in Spanish-style cooking), others are onion-and-oil focused (Portugal), and Caribbean/Latin versions often shift greener and more herb-heavy with peppers and fresh herbs. Sofrito can be green or red, depending on the peppers and whether tomatoes/tomato paste are included.

Region / Name	Key Ingredients (Typical)	Notes
Spanish (often “sufrito” / “refogado”)	Peppers, onion, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil	Usually cooked in oil; often more red/orange from tomatoes
Portuguese (“estrugido”)	Onion, olive oil (sometimes garlic, bay leaf)	Simpler, onion-forward base
Italian / Catalan-style (“sofregit”)	Onion/garlic + (often) tomato, olive oil	Conceptually similar sautéed aromatic base; varies by region
Puerto Rican (“recaíto”)	Onion, garlic, aji peppers, green bell pepper, cilantro, culantro	Herb-forward, usually green; often used as a puree
Dominican sofrito	Mixed bell peppers, red onion, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, cilantro, vinegar	Bold and tangy; typically more red from paste

Let me show you how to make sofrito at home.

Sofrito Ingredients

My version is more Caribbean in influence, but you can adjust it to your desires with other peppers, herbs and seasonings. The full list is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Chilies. I'm using a combination of bell peppers, cubanelle peppers, and aji dulce peppers, which are traditional for certain versions. Feel free to use any of your favorite peppers.
Fresh Onion and Garlic.
Fresh Herbs. Cilantro and culantro.
Tomatoes. Optional.
Olive Oil.

How to Make Sofrito - the Recipe Method

Add chopped peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, culantro, tomatoes (if using), olive oil, and salt to a food processor or blender. Blend to your desired consistency, chunky or smooth.

A smoother sofrito is easier to freeze and mix into dishes.

Processing fresh peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs in a food processor to make homemade sofrito.

BOOM! Easy enough, right? Homemade sofrito is very easy to make. This makes about 3-4 cups, depending on the sizes of your peppers and onions mostly.

It smells so fresh right out of the food processor, like a newly made salsa.

Recipe Notes and Variations

Other Ingredients

You can and should experiment with other ingredients. Consider adding apple cider vinegar, like cooks do in the Dominican Republic. Try it with other peppers or tomato sauce.

Spice It Up

If you're a chilihead like me who craves spicy food, incorporate some hotter peppers into the mix. In fact, habaneros are essential to a Mexican variety of sofrito.

Culantro

Culantro is an herb similar to cilantro, though stronger in flavor. Depending on where you are from, it is called by other names, including spiny cilantro, long-leafed coriander, saw-toothed mint, cilantro de hoja ancha, or "broadleaf cilantro" in Spanish, recao in Puerto Rico, or chandon beni in parts of the Caribbean.

You can often find it in Hispanic and Asian markets, but if you are unable to obtain culantro, use extra cilantro instead.

What is Sofrito Used For?

Sofrito is a base to add flavor to many different types of recipe dishes. Spoon it into a pan with chopped aromatics to build a big flavor base.

Add it to soups and stews, ground beef dishes.

It is a big component in rice dishes, like Puerto Rican Arroz con Pollo, Pernil (Puerto Rican Roast Pork), or rice and beans. Puerto Rican sofrito is a big component of Puerto Rican cuisine.

In Cuban cooking, it is used in dishes like Ropa Vieja and Picadillo.

The best sofrito recipe incorporates fresh peppers, onion, garlic, and herbs. You can also include tomato if you'd like.

It’s one of Latin America's “secret ingredients” for building dynamite flavor. Check out my Caribbean Recipes.

Freshly made sofrito in a bowl, ready to season up your meals

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.

Sofrito Recipe

Sofrito is a flavor base of chopped or pureed fresh peppers, onion, garlic, and herbs used in Latin American and Caribbean cooking, a “secret ingredient”.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Cuban, Spanish

Keyword: chili peppers, recipe

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 5

Total Time: 10

Calories: 16kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: tablespoons

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5 from 16 ratings

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Ingredients

2 green bell peppers seeded and chopped
2 cubanelle peppers seeded and chopped
4-5 aji dulce peppers seeded and chopped
1 large white onion chopped
8 cloves garlic chopped
1 bunch cilantro leaves about 1 cup loosely packed
2 culantro leaves chopped (replace with extra cilantro if you can’t find it)
2 plum tomatoes chopped
Salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Process until you reach the consistency you prefer. Either chunky or very smooth.
Taste and adjust for salt.
Store in the refrigerator and uses as needed or freeze in small batches.

Video

Notes

Makes 3-4 cups.

Storage Information

Store in the refrigerator and use as needed or freeze in small batches. Sofrito will last 2 weeks when properly stored in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer.

Ice cube trays are great for making small portions you can use for just about anything to build flavor. Once they are frozen, transfer them into large freezer bags. Then keep in the freezer.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 16kcal Carbohydrates: 1g Fat: 1g Sodium: 6mg Potassium: 41mg Vitamin A: 70IU Vitamin C: 23.1mg Calcium: 3mg Iron: 0.1mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

What is the Difference Between Recaito and Sofrito?

Recaíto, often called Puerto Rican sofrito, is a puree of of onions, garlic, aji peppers, green bell pepper, and cilantro and culantro. It does not contain tomatoes, typically, though they can be added.

That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your sofrito! Let me know what you make with it. I'd love to hear.

This Recipe Is In our Cookbook - FLAVOR MADNESS

Did you know that you can find this recipe in our new cookbook FLAVOR MADNESS? It's waiting for you on PAGE 55.

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You will LOVE these cubes. They are perfect for freezing sofrito, as well as sauces, salsas, soups, stews, and more.

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Try Some of These Recipes with Your Newly Made Sofrito

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/12/25 to include new photos, information and video. It was originally published on 4/10/19.

5 from 16 ratings

Sofrito Recipe (How to Make It and Use It)

What is Sofrito?

Where Does Sofrito Come From?

Sofrito Ingredients

How to Make Sofrito - the Recipe Method