Sofrito

Description

Sofrito is the flavor foundation of countless Puerto Rican, Cuban, Spanish, and Caribbean dishes — it's what makes arroz con gandules taste like arroz con gandules. This version leans toward the Puerto Rican style with rehydrated sofrito herbs (recao/culantro), onions, peppers, and tomato. Make as much as you want; it freezes beautifully in portions.

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion (about 10 oz), roughly chopped
• 2 bell peppers, any color (a mix of green and red is traditional), roughly chopped
• 1–2 hot peppers: serrano, Scotch bonnet, or ají dulce depending on heat preference
• 4–5 stalks culantro/recao (Eryngium foetidum) — about a generous handful; if unavailable, use 2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley instead
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
• 28 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes (or 5–6 ripe Roma tomatoes), roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 1 tsp salazón adobo seasoning with Sazón Goya (optional, for depth)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. If using dried/rehydrated culantro or sofrito herb blends: rinse under cold water until softened, about 2–3 minutes. Drain well.
2. In a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add the onion, bell peppers, hot pepper, and drained herbs. Pulse until finely minced but not pureed — you still want texture. Scrape down sides as needed.
3. Transfer everything to a nonstick skillet or sauté pan. Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the vegetable mixture and cook gently for 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it softens and the raw onion smell disappears. Don't rush this — low and slow builds flavor without burning.
4. Add the tomatoes (or crushed canned tomatoes) and garlic to the pan. Stir well and season with adobo/sazón if using, plus salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered for another 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Remove from heat and let cool completely in the pan before transferring to airtight containers or freezer bags.

Notes

• Storage: Keep refrigerated up to 1 week. For longer storage, portion into ½ cup freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before using — it's even better thawed that way.
• Culantro vs cilantro: Culantro (recao) is the authentic choice but hard to find in most US grocery stores. The flavor is stronger, deeper than cilantro. Flat-leaf parsley is a much closer stand-in than cilantro is. In Puerto Rico, you might also use "hoja santa."
• Use it in: arroz con pollo, gandules, stews (asopao), bean dishes, rice, any sautéed meat or vegetables. It replaces basic onion-garlic-soffritto as your flavor starter.
• Adjust heat: swap serrano for jalapeño if milder, or Scotch bonnet/aji if you want serious funk and fire.