- Category: Seasoning Base
- Tags: Cilantro, Cumin, Garlic, Onions, Recaito, Recao, Sazon, Seasoning Base, Sofrito
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
- Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Sofrito (technically recaito without tomatoes), is how we usually begin a pot of stew, soups, beans, and rice. But that’s not all. Sometimes I add it to omelets, savory pies. Next time you’re creating a marinade for veggies or meats, consider adding some to it as well.
If you’ve ever stumbled upon a recipe for sofrito, you’ll know it’s unique to the family that makes it. Mine happens to be made by a Russian woman, my mother, who married a Puerto Rican. This is really her recipe (which, quite honestly, is an eye-ball recipe but I measured it out for you here).
We always have a jar in the fridge, which lasts up to a month. We use a combination of cilantro and recao (aka culantro). If your market does not sell them, then add some more cilantro. We add much less of recao because of it’s strength in flavor. Nibble on one and tell me whatcha think.
Ingredients
small batch sofrito, makes 1 1/4 cup
- 125 grams red bell pepper (1/2 a medium-sized pepper) (loosely chopped)
- 100 grams onion (from small onion) (loosely chopped)
- 45 grams garlic (cloves from a whole head, peeled)
- 1.5 cups cilantro (stems included, chopped)
- 8 leaves of recao (or 1/2 cup more of cilantro)
- 1/2 tbsp sazón
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Preparation: 10 min
- Cooking: 2 min
- Ready in: 12 min
Instructions
- If using a small food processor, begin with only adding the onion, red pepper, and garlic. Pulse a couple of times to make room for the rest, then continue to pulse til desired consistency has been met.
Notes
Please be advised that whatever you use to puree onions and garlic in will forever smell like onions and garlic. I have a designated blender just to make herby, spiced sauces, dips, condiments, cooking bases.
Store in an air tight container for up to a month in the fridge.
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