What Is Sofrito?
A sofrito is an aromatic blend of vegetables, herbs, and spices used to flavor beans, fish, meats, rice and stews. It has centuries of history behind it; the first mention of sofrito was found in the Libre de Sent Soví, a cookbook written in approximately 1324, that contains recipes from the Catalan region of Spain. Sofrito is a Spanish word that means “lightly fried”.
You can cook some sofrito to eat as a stew or use it as a richly seasoned base for soups and sauces. It can be made in large batches and then divvied up and frozen for future use. A sofrito can be frozen into various amounts—put it in a larger container if you want to eat it all at once, or freeze it in portions as small as the cubes in an ice cube tray. Then you could drop a cube or two into their soups and stews for an extra boost of flavor. The possibilities for sofrito are endless.
Sofrito in Different Countries and Regions
When Spain embarked on their era of exploration and colonization, they took this cooking style with them as they sailed around the world. This aromatic way approach to cooking became an integral and essential part of Hispanic cooking. Cuban, Dominican Republican, Puerto Rican, and Spanish families all use sofritos in their cooking—but it can also be found elsewhere. Some version of a sofrito can be found in Italy, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia. There is even a version of sofrito called ginisá that is made in the Philippines.
While these versions all reflect local preferences in terms of which ingredients and seasonings are used, they all share the idea that aromatic ingredients should be cooked together over low heat to coax out the maximum amount of flavor from them. This will allow the sofrito to develop a robust and appealing base of flavor, which can then be used in a wide array of dishes.
Spain
A modern Spanish sofrito is mild and sweet. It is based off of the simple combination of onion and oil—the grandfather of all sofritos. Spanish sofritos primarily consist of garlic, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes, cooked slowly in olive oil. It is also called refogado in Spain, which means “braised”, or cooked slowly.
Spanish sofritos are seasoned with traditional Spanish spices and herbs like smoked paprika, saffron, parsley, or thyme. Spanish sofritos are widely used in Spanish cooking and can be found in just about everything savory, from paella to empanadas.
Puerto Rico
The Puerto Rican sofrito tends to be pungent, made with cilantro, culantro (or recao) leaves, aji dulce peppers, and annatto seeds. It will occasionally include a salted pork called tocino, ham, pimentos with olives, or salted capers called alcaparrado.
Puerto Rican sofrito tends to be green instead of red, since it’s often made without tomatoes. If the tomatoes are excluded then Puerto Rican sofrito is often called recaito, though they are essentially the same thing.
The flavors in a Puerto Rican sofrito reflect the spices and seasonings that are regularly used in Latin American cooking, so consider boosting the flavors with cinnamon, oregano, coriander, or anise. Use sofrito or recaito when making pigeon peas, soups, and rice dishes.
Corfu, Greece
Sofrito is one of the most celebrated dishes that you can find on the Greek Island of Corfu, but it is a little bit different than a standard sofrito found in Latin American cuisine. This is a very specific dish, not a saute that can become something different, like a stew or seasoning base.
This Corfiot specialty is made with beef or veal, cooked slowly with vinegar, white wine, olive oil, and an aggressive amount of garlic, simmered together to create a dish that features tender meat surrounded by a rich gravy. It is enhanced with classic Mediterranean ingredients like parsley, lemon, and capers, and is traditionally served with something starchy like rice or potatoes.
Easy Sofrito Recipe
Chicken is the most popularly eaten meat in the world and there are many delicious sofrito recipes you can find that can help you turn a simple chicken into a rich, satisfying sofrito dish. We recommend giving our Chicken Sofrito Stew a try. It starts with a base of garlic, tomatoes, peppers, and onions, for a hearty aromatic foundation, which the cook can then build upon to create a fragrant stew. The inclusion of Sazon Seasoning tends to make it more of a Dominican dish and gives the dish a beautiful red color thanks to the inclusion of achiote (or annatto) seeds in the blend.
You may be able to find a pre-made sofrito base in the freezer section of your supermarket, consisting of finely chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic. While this is a great option if you’re pressed for time, learning to make your own base gives you much more flexibility when cooking. You can include exactly how much or how little of an ingredient as you’d like and blend it with the seasonings that are only limited by your imagination.
What Is Sofritas?
Sofritas come to us from the corporate kitchens of organic tofu maker Hodo Foods and the fast-casual dining chain Chipotle. Sofritas are a plant-based protein that diners can enjoy instead of meat. It is made with shredded tofu braised in a blend of chipotles, roasted peppers, and other aromatics. Inspired by the idea of traditional Latin American sofrito, the commercial sofritas mix is allowed to simmer until all the flavors are incorporated into a harmonious whole.
Sofrito is almost more of a concept than a recipe. It generally requires the use of aromatics, like onion and garlic, simmered for a long and luxurious period of time with other strong base flavors like peppers and tomatoes. But this flexible approach to meal preparation allows the cook to include their favorite flavors for seasoning, whether it’s ham or beef, Sazon or capers. The Spanish custom of creating a dish by cooking it slowly to enhance flavor and texture has been around since the Medieval era. It’s still being used in both traditional and innovative approaches today.