Sofrito is the base of many classic Spanish recipes. From stews and soups to more iconic dishes like paella, sofrito exists in many cuisines and many countries have their own version.
Essentially, sofrito is a flavor base made with gently cooked vegetables. Olive oil and tomato are essential ingredients.
Some will then include onion, garlic, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and other ingredients like paprika powder, ñora or pimiento choricero pepper meat.
The kind of sofrito I’m sharing with you in this recipe is the type most commonly made in Alicante, the region of Spain where I’m from.
Of course, as with any recipe, there are many different versions of Spanish sofrito, since every cook has his or her own preferences and touches.
Also, depending on the recipe that the sofrito is made for, the specific combination of ingredients can vary.
In general, sofrito is highly customizable and you can adapt it depending on your taste, the recipe you are making it for, or the ingredients you have on hand.
Sofrito is usually made right before cooking the recipe that calls for sofrito, but it can also be smart to meal prep it so you have sofrito ready to cook many dishes throughout the week.
Ingredients
- White onion – Traditionally white or yellow onion is used for sofrito since they soften and “disappear” easily. However, you can also use red onion. Shallots or leeks are also a wonderful addition or substitution.
- Red and green bell pepper – You can use both or only one of them, or use any other kind of pepper available. The only consideration would be to use sweet peppers, not spicy peppers.
- Garlic cloves – Only use fresh garlic, not garlic powder. A little goes a long way, so you won’t need more than 2-3 garlic cloves.
- Tomatoes – My recommendation is to grate ripe tomatoes. But if you don’t have any juicy, ripe tomatoes available, you can also use canned tomatoes or tomato concentrate (see recipe tips section).
- Olive oil – Use good quality olive oil for the best flavor. Don’t cook sofrito with any other type of oil, it would impact the flavor.
- Salt – Helps the onion release oil and enhances the overall flavor.
Optional additions:
- Paprika powder – Optional but recommended. It will amplify and deepen the flavor of the sofrito in such a lovely way. Choose sweet or smokey paprika powder.
- Pimiento chorizo meat or ñora pepper meat – These two kinds of dried peppers are sweet peppers that have been dried and have a smokey and slightly bitter taste. The round one is Ñora pepper and the long one is Choricero pepper. May be difficult to find outside of Spain, so feel free to skip it.
Recipe Tips
- The quality of the ingredients matters, so opt for fresh vegetables and good-quality olive oil.
- There are lots of different variations of sofrito. Some include only red pepper, others don’t include garlic or onion, so feel free to adjust the ingredients.
- Cut the vegetables into small, even pieces so they cook evenly.
- If you’re using canned tomatoes, add around 1 1/2 cups. If you’re using tomato concentrate use 2 tablespoons of it mixed with water until you have 1 1/2 cups.
- In Spain, you can find nora pepper or choricero pepper meat in small jars. If you can only find the peppers in their dried form (whole), you can soak them in warm water for 1 hour and then scrape their meat. It enhances and deepens the flavor of the sofrito incredibly, but don’t worry if you can’t get a hold of any of these peppers.
- The key is to cook the sofrito over medium-low heat for long enough to lightly caramelize the vegetables and extract all the beautiful flavors.
How to Make Spanish Sofrito – Step by Step Instructions
In this section, you can see exactly how to make this recipe for Spanish sofrito.
We’ve included all the recipe process photos so you can follow along at home and refer to them if you have any questions.
Alternatively, the recipe card with all the details is located at the end of the post!
First, prepare the vegetables. Wash them well, then finely dice the red and green bell peppers. Discard the stem and seeds.
Next, peel and finely dice the onion.
Also peel and mince the garlic cloves. You can either use a garlic press or mince the garlic with a knife.
Then cut the tomatoes in half, make a cross-cut in the flat side (not all the way down – see photo above for reference), and grate them into a bowl.
Now eat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, red and green bell pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the vegetables turn soft and slightly golden, make some space in the center of the pan and add the minced garlic.
Cook for about 1 minute, then mix well with the rest of the vegetables and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
In the center of the pan, add the paprika powder and the pimiento choricero meat if you’re using them. Gently cook for 1 minute, then mix well with everything else.
Lastly, add the grated tomato and mix well.
Cook for an additional 15 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the salt.
Use the sofrito immediately in a recipe or store it in the fridge in sealed containers so it is ready to use when needed.
Storage Tips
You can store sofrito in sealed containers in the fridge for up to 5 days, but my recommendation is to freeze portions in a ziplock bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
FAQ
Spanish sofrito is a versatile aromatic vegetable mix that can be used in lots of warm dishes like Pisto (vegetable stew), lentejas stew (without bell peppers), arroz caldoso, Empanada gallega, some paellas, and many more!
Sofrito is the Spanish name for the aromatic vegetable mix used in cooking, while Soffritto is the Italian name. Italian Soffritto is often made with onions, celery, and carrots as the base. There are different versions of Spanish sofrito, but tomato, bell peppers, and onions are common ingredients.
Related Recipes
Here are some classic Spanish dishes that are made with vegetables (some of which use Sofrito):
- Pisto (Spanish Vegetable Stew)
- Pan Con Tomate (Spanish Tomato Bread)
- Pipirrana (Juicy Spanish Salad)
Spanish Sofrito
Ingredients
- 1 large red bell pepper
- 1 large green bell pepper
- 1 white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes, ripe
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon paprika powder, optional but recommended
- 2 tablespoons pimiento chorizo meat or ñora pepper meat, optional
Instructions
Prepare The Vegetables
- Finely dice the red and green bell peppers, discarding the stem and seeds.1 large red bell pepper, 1 large green bell pepper
- Peel and finely dice the onion.1 white onion
- Peel and mince the garlic cloves.2 garlic cloves
- Cut the tomatoes in half, make a cross-cut in the flat side (not all the way down), and grate them into a bowl.2 to 3 large tomatoes
Cook
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, red and green bell pepper, and a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for around 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Once the vegetables turn soft and slightly golden, make some space in the center of the pan and add the minced garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, then mix well with the rest of the vegetables and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
- In the center of the pan, add the paprika powder and the pimiento choricero meat (if using). Gently cook for 1 minute, then mix well with everything else.1 tablespoon paprika powder, 2 tablespoons pimiento chorizo meat or ñora pepper meat
- Add the grated tomato and mix well. Cook for an additional 15 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the salt.1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Use the sofrito immediately in a recipe or store it in the fridge portioned ready to use when needed.
Notes
- This recipe is enough to use as the base for 2 recipes.
- There are lots of different variations of sofrito. Some include only red pepper, others don’t include garlic or onion, so feel free to adjust the ingredients.
- Cut the vegetables into small, even pieces so they cook evenly.
- Use ripe, juicy tomatoes if possible, but you can also use canned tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups) or tomato concentrate (2 tablespoons + enough water until you have 1 1/2 cups).
- Ñora peppers and Choricero peppers are sweet peppers that have been dried and have a smokey and slightly bitter taste. They may be difficult to find outside of Spain. If you can find them whole and dried, soak them in warm water for 1 hour, then scrape off the meat.
- The key is to cook the sofrito over medium-low heat for long enough to lightly caramelize the vegetables and extract all the delicious flavors.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
