Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito (Recaito)
Learn how to make my family’s version of Puerto Rican Sofrito, also known as Recaito, and use it as an easy and flavorful base for stews, rice dishes, and more! This traditional recipe comes together with a few easy ingredients in less than 10 minutes.
If you’ve ever tried any Puerto Rican recipes, chances are you’ve had Sofrito, aka Recaito.
While it’s pretty easy to find premade at the grocery store and online, the flavor is on another level when you made from scratch. Plus, it’s extremely easy to make in a matter of minutes.
Recaito is a traditional staple in Puerto Rican cuisine, often compared to mire poix in French cuisine. It’s commonly used as a base to build flavor in recipes like this Arroz con Pollo and Picadillo.
Ingredients
How to Make It
Culantro
Culantro is an herb that is basically a cousin to cilantro. It’s known to be stronger in flavor and smell, making it an excellent choice for this recipe.
Culantro and cubanelle peppers can be difficult to find depending on where you live, so feel free to make this recipe using cilantro and whatever mild peppers are available to you.
I usually have the best luck finding them at my local Asian or Hispanic market.
Where to Use Sofrito
One batch makes enough for several uses, so let’s dive in to some of my favorite recipes to make with it:
More Uses
Here are some of my favorite uses:
- As a base for soups & stews – sofrito makes a super flavorful base to almost any savory dish you would use onions and garlic in.
- Stuffed in things – similar to my empanadillas recipe, this recaito makes an excellent addition to anything you’re adding a filling to. Think empanadas, dumplings, and fritters.
- In sauces – swirl a spoonful of this stuff into your favorite sauce and taste the impact of the garlic, onion, peppers and herbs.
I also love using any leftovers in these sofrito scrambled eggs. Don’t let a drop of this delicious ingredient go to waste! Experiment with it and see what you can create.
Buen provecho,
Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito (Recaito)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Puerto Rican, Bases, Sauces
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican, Caribbean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Learn how to make my family’s version of Puerto Rican Sofrito, also known as Recaito, and use it as an easy and flavorful base for stews, rice dishes, and more! It comes together with a few easy ingredients in less than 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 onion (yellow or white)
- 2 cups peppers (cubanelle, aji dulce, bell peppers, Italian sweet peppers, etc.)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup culantro and/or cilantro (1/2 cup of each or 1 cup cilantro if it’s all you can find)
Instructions
- Prep the alliums & peppers. Peel the onion & garlic. Roughly chop the onion and peppers, taking time to remove the seeds.
- Blend. In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse until a consistent mix is formed. Use as a base for any savory dish you like!
Notes
Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze in large silicone molds and use for months.
I meant culantro!
I am puerto rican- american. I was born in New York from parents born in La Isla. I have been cooking for 45 years. Cooking is one of my passions. So I was so excited to find you. I look at your most beautiful photos of food and get so hungry and I want to get cooking right away. I can see your passion in your presentations. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your recipes. By the way. I also have a morrocan friend named Amy. We live in Brooklyn New York. HAPPY COOKING.Dios te bendiga siempre.
Thank you so much for your kind comment Madelyn! There are so many opportunities for growth and happiness when cooking and I feel lucky to be able to connect with others through it!
Thank you for your dishes. It makes me smile just to go back to the good old days with my mom in the kitchen cooking for the holidays.
This will go great with my rice and beans.
While your totally correct that in trying to find all ingredients when making the soffito or recadito, it’s essential to try and have them all.
Soffito is to saute..yes with the tomato sauce and the sazon v. The recadito is use in raw form.
The Cachucha Pepper’s/ sweet peppers to me are important and for those who like using them, one can grow them and freeze.
I make it a head and put the puree in ice cube trays.. love my Puerto Rico..thank you
Thank you for sharing your knowledge Nancy. I haven’t had any luck finding Cachucha peppers so I stick to bell peppers, but I’m totally using your ice cube tray trick for my next batch!
I can send you the seeds don’t mind at all. They are not hard to grow. Grows exactly like bell peppers. I also put the bell peppers In Along with all other stuff..
Thank you for that generous offer Nancy. Honestly, I would love to try growing them if you don’t mind sharing some seeds. If you email me at hello@salimaskitchen we can talk details!
Great idea for sweet plantains (maduros) that are soft to begin with. How many minutes for green plantain (tostones)?
Thanks Lillian! The tostones take about 20 minutes of cook time, you can grab the recipe here: https://salimaskitchen.com/tostones/#tasty-recipes-14321-jump-target
I soooooo love the tostones ( green platanos). Totally green are hard to find my way. So when I do find them I make large baches and freeze then I do the first fry, flatten them, put three in a row on the deli meat paper, something like parchment and then I wrap in plastic wrap put in a zip lock bag and freeze. As my Mami use to say “ if Goya can freeze their stuff, so can I “..she use to also freeze the Yuca/Cassava. Good luck
Yes boriquas by nature don’t eat spicy, savory yes. Spicy is a personal preference. I would never put jalapeños in my recado mix, but to each it’s own..
Iam eager to try this recipe. My husband is Puerto Rican and hasn’t eaten Puerto Rican food since he was a teenager so I’m trying to make this as authentic as I can. How many sweet peppers to you recommend I use instead of one bell pepper?
Hi Lisa, thanks for your comment! It will depend on the size of sweet pepper you’re using, but I would say 3-4 should be enough. Buen Provecho!
I love this recipe, so easy n added cilantro n culantro, the sweet mini peppers n jalapeno. I’m Mexican decent but the guy I’ve been dating is Puerto Rican. I’m good cook but wanted to surprise him with finally making Sofrito. Dinner will be
Picadillo, Rice, Black Beans n fried tostones😉
Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Queen it was marvelous. I did tweak it a little I used Better Than Bouillon (Sofrito and Roasted Garlic) and a sprinkle of Goya Adobo Seasoning.
I like to add sofrito after I pan sauté when beans are cooked and then I make the Sofrito and put that in with the dried herbs. My grandmother always cooked with a ham hock and splash of vinegar.
Do you add water or oil to this and can you use parsley with cilantro . My grandson does not like cilantro
You don’t need to add any water or oil. And you could try parsley, but it’s going to give a very different flavor profile and I haven’t tested it before.
My sofrito tastes bitter what can I do to take the bitterness away
Your sofrito should never be bitter. This could be caused by one of the ingredients being expired or not fresh.
You don’t add any spices/seasoning to this? Like salt, pepper or cumin?
Hi Mindy. I don’t add spices to mine as I like to have control over what spices I’m using and the quantities based on the dish I’m making. That said, you could totally add whatever spices you like if desired!