Puerto Rican Sofrito

Puerto Rican sofrito, a fragrant blend of fresh vegetables and herbs, serves as the foundation for numerous dishes.

Sofrito is the quintessential Puerto Rican seasoning that gives many dishes their special flavor. It is used as a base for rice, beans, soups, and more. Sofrito is a blend of peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and recao (culantro or shado beni). Technically, this green seasoning, when made without fresh tomatoes, is considered “recaito” because of the essential ingredient, “recao,” also known as culantro. Colloquially, many Puerto Ricans outside of the island refer to this green season as sofrito.

Making delicious Puerto Rican sofrito is a great way to add flavor to any meal. To make this traditional sauce, you’ll need to gather the following ingredients: onions, green bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, culantro, olive oil, and ajicitos dulces Ajicitos dulces are a variety of sweet peppers essential to this dish and can be hard to find in some cities. Check your local Latin American or Caribbean markets to find fresh ajicitos and culantro.

To begin, roughly chop all of the ingredients. Chop or add the garlic, cilantro, and culantro whole to a food processor. Combine all of the ingredients and process until the mixture is finely incorporated but not completely blended. Store it in freezer-safe containers, and it will stay fresh for months. Your Puerto Rican sofrito is now ready to be used in your favorite dishes! When ready to use, defrost in the refrigerator.