What is Sofrito?
Sofrito is a blend of various vegetables and herbs used in Latin cuisine, especially in Caribbean islands like Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Recipes vary from place to place but primarily consist of onions, garlic, cilantro, culantro, a variety of peppers, and sometimes tomatoes. It is mainly used to add a delicious flavor to rice, beans, meats, soups, and stews.
The word sofrito comes from another Spanish word “sofrier” which means to stir-fry. Typically the sofrito is stir-fried in a bit of oil, before using in a recipe. According to Google’s dictionary, sofrito means; a Caribbean and Latin American sauce of tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, and herbs. Depending on Latin America, sofrito is made with different ingredients, and used in various ways.
Check out our complete article on what Sofrito is and how to make it here.
Can You Dehydrate Sofrito?
You can definitely dehydrate sofrito. As a matter of fact, as part of our mission to make life easier in the kitchen, we created a dehydrated sofrito (no refrigeration needed) for you!
We know how busy life can be, and sometimes we just don’t have time to shop for all the ingredients and make sofrito from scratch. That is why we created our new dehydrated sofrito! Just add water, hydrate, and use in your favorite recipes- also a great alternative for those who don’t use sofrito regularly.
Check it out here!
What Can I do with Sofrito?
Here’s 9 most delicious recipes you can make with sofrito:
1. Arroz con gandules (rice and peas)
Arroz con gandules is a classic dish in Puerto Rico. It is a traditional side dish during the holidays and special occasions. It is typically accompanied by roasted pork or chicken. But it can be enjoyed during any time of the year and with any protein and extra side you would like. Check out our recipe here.
2. Ground Beef & Taco Meat
Using sofrito in all my ground beef recipes is my personal favorite. I truly believe ground beef is better with sofrito. Whether it’s for tacos, a meatloaf, pasta, or lasagna, sofrito is a key ingredient. You can add sofrito in the meat as you cook it along with other seasonings to make it extra delicious. I’ll include a tasty recipe for “Picadillo” (as we call it in Puerto Rico) at the bottom of this post.
3. Habichuelas guisadas (bean stew)
Beans stew is just not the same without flavorful sofrito. This bean stew is a favorite in almost every Puerto Rican household. It’s the perfect compliment to “arroz blanco” plain white rice. Check out our full bean stew recipe here.
4. Bistec encebollado (Steak and onions)
“Bistec”, as we call it in Puerto Rico, is our take on steak and onions. It’s made with flank steak, marinated in vinegar, adobo, and of course sofrito, covered in onions and cooked on low heat until the meat is juicy and tender. Check out our recipe here.
5. Chicken Stew
You can boost up any stew with sofrito, especially chicken stew. Just add a tablespoon or two to your pot, and voila. It makes it better every time.
6. Chicken Noodle Soup
Everyone enjoys a delicious chicken noodle soup once in a while. Especially during the colder weather or when we are not feeling so good. But have you tried it with sofrito? It just makes all the difference. Add a bit of sofrito next time you are enjoying a delicious chicken noodle soup. Just add it right before boiling. The amount can range from 1 tsp to 2 tbsp, depending on the amount of soup. I’d say try it a little at a time until you find the flavor that you like.
7. Sancocho (Root vegetable stew)
The sancocho recipes are different from place to place, but the base of it is similar. #NutritionDork #RootVegetablesHealthBenefits #SancochoRecipeshttps://t.co/4ScuCNoWoc pic.twitter.com/xrepB9MM9s
— Mayra Luz – Nutrition Dork (@nutritiondork) June 23, 2021
Sancocho is a popular stew in Latin American countries, mainly because it’s made with various root vegetables that predominantly grow in warmer climates. The recipe varies from place to place, but the base of it is really similar. The stew consists of chicken, pork, or beef, and a variety of root vegetables like yucca roots (cassava), yautia (malanga), ñame, and batata (a type of sweet potato or yam). Some also add green bananas and green plantains. See full recipe(s) here.
8. Pulled Chicken
Pulled chicken can be very versatile as well as ground meat. You can use it in tacos, empanadas, and so much more. Plus, it’s so easy to make. Just cook your chicken as desired, shred it, then bring back to a pan with a bit of oil, sofrito, seasonings of choice (like adobo and sazón), and a bit of tomato sauce. Allow to simmer on low until all the flavors blend in, and enjoy! This is also a great option for using up that leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge.
9. Cauliflower rice with chicken
Looking to try cauliflower as a rice replacement? Not enjoying the cauliflower taste? Try it with sofrito! The delicious flavors of sofrito will cover up the cauliflower taste making it more palatable and enjoyable. I attempted to make “arroz con pollo” using this method, and it turned out delicious! Check out the full recipe here.
Picadillo – Delicious Ground Beef
Picadillo is a very versatile “Puerto Rican” way of making ground beef (or ground meat of choice). It can be used in almost any dish that includes ground beef.
Enjoy it with foods like tacos, empanadas, pastelillos, pasta and lasagna, pastelón, with your favorite rice, and so much more. This recipe can also be made using ground turkey and ground chicken as well.
Picadillo can also be made with plant-based options like Beyond Meat. I tried this recipe once with Beyond Beef, and wow, you could barely taste the difference. I used it to make a vegan pastelón for a few family members, and they all loved it (even the meat lovers enjoyed it).
Ingredients:
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1 pound of ground beef (organic 90/10 preferred) or ground meat of choice
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2 tsp. adobo
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1 tbsp. sazón
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2 tbsp. fresh sofrito (blended onions, green peppers, cilantro, garlic cloves) OR try our new sofrito spice blend!
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1 tbsp. pitted green olives
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1/2 cup diced potatoes
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1/2 cup tomato sauce
Directions:
- In a medium skillet, add the ground beef to high heat. As the meat starts to cook, break up the meat into chunks.
- Add the adobo, sazón, sofrito, and mix well into the meat.
- Mix in the green olives and diced potatoes, cover, and reduce the heat to medium.
- Allow to cook until the meat turns brown, approximately 10 minutes.
- Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add the tomato sauce and allow it to simmer for a minute or two. Just make sure the meat doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.
- Remove from heat and enjoy with your favorite dish.
Enjoy!
Made with Love,
Mayra
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