Ingredients for Sofrito (Photos: Margarita Persico)
When I was growing up in New York, we always had sofrito at home. Sofrito — a condiment composed of cilantro, onions, garlic, and red and orange sweet peppers — is largely used in Puerto Rican food. It is the equivalent of what pesto is to the Italian.
My mom used sofrito for all sorts of meals. It went into the pots of beans, meat stews, “arroz con gandules,” (rice with pigeon beans). Since we had beans everyday, we ate sofrito on a daily basis.
Sofrito reminds me of an e-mail I received years ago, whose author is unknown.
“How can you tell if you’re Puertorican?” asked the e-mail. “If mom can’t cook because there is no sofrito,” it said.
Ever since I restarted using sofrito on a regular basis. Every week, I purchase cilantro, culantro, red pepper, onions and garlic to cook my mother’s sofrito recipe.
Please join me in trying out this recipe, below. I’ll be waiting for your comments and your versions of sofrito.
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Sofrito
By Mery Sierra
Courtesy of Mery Sierra's family
Characteristics: Gluten Free, nondairy
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped
- ½ pound red pepper, chopped
- ½ pound onion
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (or more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or salt alternative (optional)
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sofrito (Photo: Margarita Persico)
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
- You may add some water or olive oil if needed.
- Storage:
- Keep what you will use in a small jar or container. “Seal” it with a layer of olive oil, to be poured on top of it before putting the lid on.
- Freeze in ice cubes trays what you won’t use immediately. Once frozen, take it out of ice cube trays and store it in plastic freezer storage bags, container or canning jars and keep in the freezer until needed.
Serving Idea
Use as a seasoning for beans. Use 1 TBS or more to taste.
![Sofrito](http://www.thehealthydish.com/wp-content/plugins/share-and-follow/images/blank.gif" height= "Sofrito"){kind=small}
Hi Margarita;
Congratulations on your new website! I liked your recipe for sofrito and would like to add the following. Your picture includes the ingredient culantro. I think in addition to culantro, ajies dulces and pimiento verde are also essential for a great sofrito. I prefer a seedless sofrito and a green colored sofrito by avoiding the red pepper or tomatoes. Like you, I use olive oil compared to other recipes that call for water. I think olive oil makes the sofrito last longer in a glass jar, adds great flavor, and gives sofrito a multitude of uses such as a marinate or rub for meat . However, using ice cube trays, the sofrito can be frozen in perfect sizes without having to worry about thawing all the sofrito when it is not used often. Lastly, I add herbs like dry bay leaves or dried oregano. I would avoid the salt because other ingredients in a recipe may also have salt.
Thank you for sharing titi mery’s recipes, and can’t wait to read about tio Saro’s recipes.
Love you;
Luz Mireya
Thank you, Luz Mireya! Please feel free to submit your sofrito recipe and/or any other healthy recipe.
Love you too!
Hi Margie,
Your photography is outstanding! It truly adds to the recipes. I wonder if you can help me. I would like to try to make the adobo and sofrito from scratch but I’m never comfortable when following the instruction “to taste”. Is there any way you can give some measurements that would work? As for cilantro, is it a must? I usually do not like this herb.
Anyway, your web site, recipes, and photography are absolutely wonderful!
Take care, dear friend.
Much Love…….Brenda