Sofrito
Sofrito is a mixture of vegetables that will add a great flavor to rice, meat, soups, and many other dishes! Many Latin dishes call for this combination of vegetables. I personally use it often and so I make a lot, save it in a jar, and scoop it out as I need it! It saves so much prep time when I am cooking!
Update: I was recently asked about Cuban Sofrito and if this recipe will work for Cuban dishes.
I use this Sofrito for Puerto Rican and Dominican dishes. Although some people add Culantro or hot peppers to their Puerto rican or Dominican Sofrito, I do not. It's a matter of one's taste.
Usually, Sofritos are made from the main three ingredients used in any Latin cuisine. Then you can add other things like herbs or oil. From my research, the three main ingredients for Cuban Sofrito is onion, garlic and green bell peppers. Some people leave out the peppers and add cumin instead. Some add tomatoes. This depends on what you are making. For example if you are making a stew, add the tomatoes. If you are cooking it with meat or rice you may want to leave tomatoes out. Just ask yourself "do I want my Sofrito to color my end result and make it a bit juicier?" if you answered "yes!", then use something red like a Sazon packet (Found in your supermarket's ethnic section. The brand Badia has no MSG "Sazon" packets) and tomatoes in your Sofrito. If you answered "no!", then leave out the tomatoes and "Sazon" packet. You may want to make two different kinds of Sofrito to add to different dishes.I hope this helps!
Now as for how long the Sofrito will keep. It will not spoil in the refrigerator for a couple of months, but you can freeze bits in an ice cube tray and place it in a big freezer Ziploc bag and store it for much longer.
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 red or yellow onion, quartered
- 1 small garlic bulb, peeled
- 1 green pepper, quartered
- 1 bunch of cilantro, they sell cilantro by the bunch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Steps
- Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until it looks like the picture provided. The consistency should be thick enough to be able to spoon it. Don't make juice, lol.
- Use a Spatula to get the mixture out and into a jar or any tall container with a lid.
- You can play with the ingredients. For example, you may want to add a spicy pepper, different color onions, different color bell peppers or no peppers at all, etc. and keep it in the refrigerator for a few months! Use it to flavor soup, sauce, rice or any of your meals as needed :)
Recipes that call for sofrito
- Hearty Rice with Bacon, Black Beans, and Corn.
This rice is a meal by itself. It's hearty and tasty! It's great for when you want to make food for a sick friend. You can make a big pot of this rice for your friend and she/he can feed him/herself and her/his family for almost a week! It's great fo - Picky Kid Approved Cheddar Broccoli Soup and Fish Rollups
My 2 year old son is a fussy eater. He does, however, like most finger foods and soups. His favorite soup is broccoli cheddar. I tried something new with the fish sticks and he actually liked them. We became fans as well. Enjoy!!
