Easy Sofrito

Recipe from Blanca Arzu

Adapted by Francis Lam

Updated January 8, 2025

  • Davide Luciano for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Gozde Eker.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(52)
Comments
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The flavor bases called sofritos exist throughout the Hispanic world, and many are made with peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic. Blanca Arzu, a Garifuna woman from Honduras, makes a lighter, more herbal version based on cilantro, onions, garlic and sweet peppers. —Francis Lam

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6-8

  • ½ cup packed cilantro

  • 1 small onion, roughly diced

  • 5 garlic cloves

  • 3 ajicito (aji dulce) peppers or 1 cubanelle pepper, stemmed and roughly chopped

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

3 grams carbs; 15 calories; 1 gram fiber; 2 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 1 gram sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender; add water as necessary to keep the blades moving. Sofrito may be frozen in ice-cube trays to use as a quick flavor boost. Makes about 1 ¼ cups

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Ratings

4 out of 5
52 user ratings
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Comments

Abuelita

-Add 1 or more peeled/seeded PLUM tomatoes for RED Sofrito, BEST! -Use 1 Red Bell Pepper & 1 Green Bell Pepper. -Toss in 1/2 tsp of chili paste if you like a little picante. Do NOT use Tabasco. A little piece of Jalapeno in the mix will work too. -Season with a little Salt &/or Sugar...taste it, you decide if you want either. -Try a little rinsed/peeled chickpeas (garbanzo beans) the same way you would add pine nuts to pesto. -Too thick, add a little olive oil. -3-4 garlic -Squirt lemon/lime?

hills

Ají Tio is the southern American word for peppers. My grandmother used green bell peppers in her sofrito and u think that would qualify for a “sweet” pepper (ají).

Abuelita

-Add 1 or more peeled/seeded PLUM tomatoes for RED Sofrito, BEST! -Use 1 Red Bell Pepper & 1 Green Bell Pepper. -Toss in 1/2 tsp of chili paste if you like a little picante. Do NOT use Tabasco. A little piece of Jalapeno in the mix will work too. -Season with a little Salt &/or Sugar...taste it, you decide if you want either. -Try a little rinsed/peeled chickpeas (garbanzo beans) the same way you would add pine nuts to pesto. -Too thick, add a little olive oil. -3-4 garlic -Squirt lemon/lime?

hills

Ají Tio is the southern American word for peppers. My grandmother used green bell peppers in her sofrito and u think that would qualify for a “sweet” pepper (ají).

Avery

Where can I find ajicito peppers in the relative isolation of Maine? Supermarkets? Online? Thanks.

Erin

Did you try the portland whole foods?

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Credits

Adapted from Blanca Arzu

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