Sofrito Recipe – This is a versatile, aromatic green puree made of bell peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, and onions. Sofrito’s robust base delivers flavor to dishes like stews, beans, and rice with many variations. Caribbean and Latin American countries all have their own twist on this all-purpose spice.
Homemade seasoning is always a winning ingredient for serious home cooks. Unlike store-bought spices and seasonings, you can adjust homemade to your preference. Plus, you know exactly what you’re serving your family (no chemicals included).
A disclaimer to all you purists out there: this sofrito recipe is a basic version using easy-to-find ingredients. Cubanelle peppers (small sweet peppers) are hard to come across in my neighborhood, as is culantro. However, I’ve found you can still make a gorgeous sofrito with other sweet peppers. 💚
Content…Make it From Scratch |
Why Make Your Own Sofrito From Scratch
This sofrito sauce is so aromatic and fragrant with a subtle kick. It tastes amazing, and it’s a breeze to whip up. Make insanely flavorful rice, stews, and other dishes with just a scoop.
While Latino and Caribbean markets offer jarred versions, you can’t beat an authentic sofrito with fresh herbs and vegetables. You can really taste the difference, and it’s super easy to make.
What You Need
As I mentioned, there are plenty of versions of sofrito. In Puerto Rico, sofrito includes aji dulce peppers (it looks like a habanero but doesn’t have the heat).
- Pepper Base – You’ll need red and green bell peppers and cubanelle peppers for the base ingredient. But feel free to use banana peppers, poblanos (for a little heat), or Italian Marconi peppers if that’s what you have available.
- Flavor Base – Cilantro, culantro, garlic, white and green onion, plum tomatoes, and fresh oregano all pack a punch in the aroma and flavor category. Replace the culantro with the same amount of cilantro if you can’t find it.
It goes without saying that you can customize the ingredients and quantities. This recipe has countless family variations, so go ahead and make it your own.
How to Make Homemade Sofrito
- Blend – Once you have all the ingredients together, give those vegetables and herbs a rough chop, place them in a food processor or blender, and blend them until they turn into a green puree. A bit of olive oil will help everything come together if it’s too thick. I prefer mine to have some texture, so I leave it out.
- Store it in a jar and place it in a fridge for up to 1 month, or freeze it in ice cube trays and keep the cubes in a freezer bag for up to a year. Use it as whatever recipe you’re using asks for. That said…
Making Sofrito Chicken Stew
- Wash chicken thighs and legs, then pat dry with a paper towel—season with salt and sazon.
- Marinate the chicken with a generous amount of sofrito (or your favorite spice mix). Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. To marinate longer, refrigerate it until ready to cook.
- Heat a Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Sear – Place chicken skin side up and sear it for about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes until browned. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in the pan. (Photo 1)
- Sofrito – Add as much oil as needed, followed by onions, garlic, and a few tablespoons of sofrito. Sauté until soft but not golden, 2-3 minutes. (Photo 2)
- Stew Base – Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add paprika, sazon, cumin, bell pepper, and chicken broth. (Photos 3-4)
- Simmer – Return chicken to the pot, bring to a boil, and lower the temperature. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is tender, adding more stock as needed. (Photos 5-6)
- Serve – Adjust seasoning to taste, turn the stove off, and serve hot.
Ways to Use Sofrito
This mighty green condiment makes a powerful base for stews, soups, beans, and rice dishes. Try it in the incredible one-pot Puerto Rican arroz con pollo, sancocho, or these ridiculously good Puerto Rican-style beans. Or if you’re into chips, sofrito makes an amazing salsa. 😋
Recipe Variations
- Puerto Rican sofrito recipe. My Puerto Rican friends tell me they can always tell when there’s no ají dulce and culantro. So replace the bell peppers and cubanelles with aji dulce and the cilantro with culantro. Of course, if you can’t get either one, use my recipe.
- Spanish version. Puree onions, garlic, peppers, and celery, then fry it in some olive oil with tomato paste and fresh herbs.
- Make it Italian. Add bacon to the Spanish version, and you’re good to go.
- Get Cajun. Spice things up with a Cajun twist (otherwise known as the holy trinity). Dice up some onion, peppers, and celery and saute them in lard or oil. Add cayenne, smoked paprika, and white pepper to the mix for more heat.
- Caribbean vibes. Add scotch bonnet peppers, ginger, and allspice to sofrito for a delightful Caribbean green sauce. Use it to season traditional rice and bean recipes, soups, and stews.
- Add carrots. French and Italian cooks often include carrots in their versions, so feel free to do the same.
- Make it toasty. Lots of variations start with caramelized onions and veggies. If you want that toasty, caramelized flavor, saute the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and tomatoes until they’re a lovely golden brown. Then, blend it all in the food processor with the rest of the ingredients.
More Homemade Seasonings You’ll Love
- Homemade Berbere Spice
- Green Seasoning (West Indies sofrito!)
- Peri Peri Sauce
- Jamaican Jerk Sauce
- Creole Cajun Seasoning
This blog post was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Homemade Sofrito Recipe
Ingredients
Easy Sofrito
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 cubanelle, seeded and chopped (see notes for substitute)
- 1½ cups (24g) cilantro, chopped
- 1½ cups (30-40g) culantro leaves, chopped (also called recao)
- 9-10 cloves garlic, whole
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 3-4 green onions, chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes, cut into slices or chunks
- 2 tablespoons (7-8g) fresh oregano
Sofrito Chicken Stew
- ¼ cup (60ml) or more cooking oil (olive oil, canola ) divided
- 6-7 chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons (10g) minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons (45g) sofrito
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes or 2-3 diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon (8-9g) ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (3g) paprika
- 1 packet sazon
- 1 large bell pepper (green, red, or both)
- 3-4 cups (700-950ml) chicken broth
Instructions
Sofrito
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Add enough water or oil to blend if necessary. (I don't add liquid when using a food processor).
- Blend to the desired texture.
- Store in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator or freeze in ice cubes.
Sofrito Chicken Stew
- Wash chicken thighs and legs, then pat dry with a paper towel—season with salt and sazon.
- Marinate the chicken with a generous amount of sofrito (or your favorite spice mix). Let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. To marinate longer, refrigerate it until ready to cook.
- Heat a Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in about 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Place chicken skin side up and sear it for about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes until browned. Transfer chicken to a plate, leaving drippings in the pan.
- Add as much oil as needed, followed by onions, garlic, and a few tablespoons of sofrito. Sauté until soft but not golden, 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add paprika, sazon, cumin, bell pepper, and chicken broth.
- Return chicken to the pot, bring to a boil, and lower the temperature. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is tender, adding more stock as needed.
- Adjust seasoning to taste, turn the stove off, and serve hot.
Tips & Notes:
- Homemade sofrito lasts about 10 days in a glass jar in the fridge
- Replace cubanelle peppers with anaheim, bell peppers, and banana peppers if you can’t find them
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe. The nutritional data only includes the sofrito.
June says
Wow this is incredible!!!!!!!!!Thankyou
Immaculate Bites says
Thanks for dropping by, June!
Cheri says
This recipe is out of this world!! Seriously, the fresh ingredients along with all of those spices – I can’t even! I am still dreaming about the flavours! Thank you for sharing it. This year we discovered Sofrito in Florida and we had never even heard of it but after tasting this wonderful thing, I was sold! And now that I have to the time to cook with the Stay at Home orders, I searched for a recipe to replicate and found yours, so happy I did! I made this for my family and I looked like a gourmet chef! I served the chicken with rice, beans, and homemade guacamole with a dollop of sour cream. I highly recommend the guac on top, it is the bomb!
ImmaculateBites says
Woohoo! Now I have to make it soon with all these fixings . Sounds Delicious!!! Thank you so much.
Karen says
That one pot Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice recipe talks about Sofrito flavor but has no sofrito added in the recipe. Would you just add sofrito TO that recipe or would you replace some of the ingredients WITH sofrito?
imma africanbites says
Hi Karen. The One-Pot Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice doesn’t use sofrito sauce, per se. But most of the ingredients or herbs used in that sauce are considered sofrito, as pointed out as well by one of readers. If desired, yes you can add a pre-mixed sofrito sauce to the recipe and just adjust depending on your preference.
Kelli says
You’re recipe lists cilantro and culantro… you use both or just one if them if the other isn’t available?
Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Yes just use either of them , if one is not available.
Trudy says
Hello!
I’m new to your site. What a great find!
This looks delicious.
I have a question about the culantro:
Your recipe notes:
“1 1/2 culantro leaves , chopped”
Is that the correct amt?
Or should be 1 1/2 cups?
Just dbl checking because I read that culantro has a stronger flavor and the leaves are tougher than cilantro.
I’ve never cooked with culantro before!
Thx
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Trudy,
Yes, Culantro has an intense flavor but it’s not overwhelming . It’s 1 cup plus 1/2 cup chopped Culantro leaves . Hope this helps.
Maria says
Hi, how can I fix my sofrito if it is spicy.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Maria
You will have to blend in more bell pepper and herbs.
nan says
Thank you. You have a typo …”…in my neck of the words” unless you meant that.
Monica Frances Goubaud says
How much rice should I use for the chicken with rice?
ImmaculateBites says
Check out his chicken and rice recipe right here . https://www.africanbites.com/coquito/ It would definitely help
Colin says
I live in Maine and can’t find culantro. I might try growing it next summer. If I leave it out will it ruin the recipe?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Colin. You can substitute it with the same amount of cilantro. Please do let me know how it turns out for you. Thanks.
Wendy says
Didnt miss the culantro in mine .
Lucy says
Awesome, I’ve been wanting to know what all goes into making sofrito! Yeah thanks
gregory anderson says
Thank you for this recipe. I’ll enjoy making my own, and it is a little spendy for how much they put in the container.
Btw, I have enjoyed using refrito as well.
I liked the ice-cube tray utilization. What a great idea.
Milagritos Dominguez (Millie) says
Pollo en fricase that how we call it. Very impressive recipe. Congrats! I think it is almost the same as mom’s recipe. Stew chicken!
Thank you for this authentic flavor of the Puertorrican cuisine! Wepa!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for all the kind words, Milagritos! Hoping to visit Puerto Rico again! 🙂
Perez says
Gosh you are always on spot with these outstanding recipes… I cant say which is my favorite because I love all of them…My brother in law is from Nigeria and I love so much when he cooks. Do you have more African dishes you can share? Thank you for taking the time to share outstanding recipes!
imma africanbites says
Awww.. Thank you! You can check out more African recipes here >>> https://www.africanbites.com/category/african-recipes/ Can’t wait for you to try some of those. 🙂