Sofrito is the heart and soul of Puerto Rican cooking, a flavorful base used in stews, rice dishes, beans, and marinades. This homemade version is fresh, vibrant, and way better than store-bought!
click the image below for a video tutorial
Ingredients:
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 white onion roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch culantro (or substitute with extra cilantro)
- 1 bunch cilantro, stems included
- 2 heads of garlic, peeled
- 10 ají dulce peppers (small sweet Caribbean peppers) or substitute with mini bell peppers
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions:
- Prep the ingredients – Remove stems and seeds from the peppers and roughly chop all ingredients.
- Blend it up – In a food processor or blender, add everything except the olive oil. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Add olive oil – Slowly drizzle in the oil and blend until you get a chunky paste. Do not over-blend into a smooth puree.
- Store it – Transfer to a glass jar or airtight container. It keeps for 1 week in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
Notes:
Culantro is key! It has a deeper, more intense flavor than cilantro. If you can find it, use it!
Freeze sofrito in ice cube trays for easy use in future meals. Just pop out a cube when needed!
Use it as a base for arroz con gandules, beans, soups, stews, and marinades.
