Editor’s Note: This Puerto Rican Sofrito recipe post was updated in October 2024.
I’ve made many recipes from my beloved Puerto Rico, but the one thing that I realized was missing is how to make sofrito, Puerto Rican style. Sofrito is our cooking base—it’s what makes our food so aromatic and yummy. The roots come from Spain, but other countries like Italy and France have their own versions, too. Of course, this version has a little tropical twist!
Every Family’s Sofrito Is Unique
If you ask ten Puerto Ricans how to make sofrito, it will all be slightly different – this is my disclaimer! I based this recipe on my mom’s, but unfortunately, I cannot source ajicitos dulces here in Belgium. It’s difficult to source the same ingredients you can find in Puerto Rico living in Europe, but with a little creativity, you can make an authentic-tasting sofrito. Thanks to the recao I found at a Vietnamese supermarket and the cubanelle peppers from a farmers market, this recipe still has the aroma that makes my Brussels apartment smell like home. If you don’t live in a place with a large Latino community, I recommend going to Asian and African supermarkets to find the ingredients.
Preparing The Vegetables
The first step to making Puerto Rican sofrito is cleaning, cutting, and preparing the vegetables. The easiest part about this recipe is that it all happens in the blender, so a rough chop on the peppers, onions, and herbs is perfect.
Blending The Sofrito
Now, we’re going to add all the ingredients to the blender. First, I like to start with bell peppers because they liquify much faster and make blending easier. Next, add the onions, cilantro, recao, dried oregano, and garlic. Continue blending until smooth. I use a Vitamix at home, a pretty strong blender, but that’s fine if you don’t have one. If your sofrito struggles to blend, I would add some olive oil to soften it until it reaches the right consistency.
Storing
There are a few different ways I like to store my sofrito. Fresh sofrito can last in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can store it in reusable containers, which is an excellent opportunity to reuse old yogurt containers, peanut butter jars, etc. Just be sure to wash and sterilize the old containers before reusing the containers/jars. You can also preserve it in the freezer for several months. I like to use an ice cube tray to have ready-to-use portions (each cube is around 2 tbsp). Tip: get an ice cube tray with a cover so the smell of the sofrito doesn’t permeate the rest of the food in your freezer.
Now that you know how to make Puerto Rican sofrito, you’re ready to cook! But do you need some recipe inspiration to accompany it? Try making alcapurrias with a picadillo seasoned with sofrito, a hearty caldero of arroz con Pollo, or vegan habichuelas guisadas.
Puerto Rican Sofrito
If you ask ten Puerto Ricans for their sofrito recipe, it’s all going to be slightly different – this is my disclaimer! I based this recipe on my mom’s, but unfortunately I cannot source ajicitos dulces here in Belgium. Thanks to the recao I was able to find at a Vietnamese supermarket and the cubanelle peppers from a farmers market, this recipe still has the aroma that makes my Brussels apartment smell like home.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 Cups 1x
- Category: Cooking Base
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients
2 green cubanelle peppers (or bell pepper)
1 red cubanelle pepper (or bell pepper)
3 small onions or 1.5 large onion
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of recao (culantro)
1 tbsp of dried oregano
1–2 bulbs of garlic
Olive Oil (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and roughly chop all of the vegetables and herbs.
- To a blender, add the bell peppers and blend until they liquify.
- Next, add the onion, cilantro, recao, dried oregano, and garlic to the blender.
- Blend until smooth. If you’re having trouble blending, add a bit of olive oil until you achieve your preferred consistency.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for several months.
