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Open jar filled with bright green homemade sofrito with spoon inside, surrounded by bell pepper, red onion and herbs for an easy 5?minute flavor base.
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5-minute Homemade Sofrito

This 5-minute homemade Puerto Rican sofrito blends green peppers, onions, garlic, culantro, and cilantro into the flavor base for arroz con gandules, stews, beans, and more. Make a big batch and freeze it in cubes!
Course Sauce
Cuisine Latin
Keyword 15-minute, Easy Recipes, Easy to Make, Quick and Easy Recipe, Sofrito
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 5 cups
Calories 105kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Let's gather the ingredients!

  • 1 head garlic peeled
  • 2 medium yellow onions peeled
  • 2 green bell peppers seeds removed
  • 1 bunch culantro
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 2 tbsp adobo
  • 2 tbsp sazon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Let's Begin!

  • Peel and prepare all ingredients.
  • Place all ingredients in a blender.
  • Blend until smooth and uniform in consistency.
  • Store 2 cups in the refrigerator and freeze the remainder in ice cube molds.
  • Yields approximately 4-5 cups, depending on the size of your produce.
  • Enjoy with family and friends!

Notes

  • Freezer cubes: Each ice cube tray cube equals about 2 tablespoons of sofrito. Once frozen, pop the cubes into a freezer bag so you can grab exactly what you need.
  • Storage: Keeps up to 5 days in an airtight jar in the fridge, or several months in the freezer.
  • Blending tip: If your blender struggles, add a splash of olive oil or water to get things moving. For a chunkier texture, pulse instead of blending until smooth.
  • Can't find culantro? Use a second bunch of cilantro. The flavor will be a little milder but still delicious.
  • No ají dulce? Swap in cubanelle peppers or a few mini sweet peppers.
  • Watch the salt: Adobo and sazón both contain salt, so taste your dish before adding more when cooking with sofrito.
  • Make it red: Stir in a few tablespoons of tomato sauce or tomato paste for a red sofrito, perfect for stews and rice.
  • Want heat? Sofrito isn't spicy on its own. Add a scotch bonnet pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you like it hot.
  • How to use it: Sauté 2–3 tablespoons in oil as the first step for rice, beans, soups, and stews. Try it in my Sancocho or Authentic Cuban Ropa Vieja.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1529mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 409IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg