Homemade Puerto Rican Sofrito

A fresh Puerto Rican sofrito made with bell peppers, onion, a whole head of garlic, and cilantro. Make it ahead and freeze it for rice, beans, soups, and stews.

By Manny Michael

Sauce & Seasoning

Puerto Rican

Ingredients

• 2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, thick stems removed
• 1–2 tablespoons water, only if needed for blending

Instructions

1. Prepare the peppers. Wash the green and red bell peppers, remove the seeds and stems, and cut them into smaller chunks. Add them to a food processor or blender.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Peel the yellow onion and cut it into chunks. Separate and peel all the cloves from the head of garlic. Add everything to the food processor or blender.
3. Add the cilantro. Wash the cilantro, remove the thick stems, and add the leafy tops to the mixture.
4. Pulse everything together. Using a food processor or blender, pulse the ingredients until they’re finely chopped but still have a little texture. You don’t want the mixture completely smooth or watery.
5. Add water if needed. If you’re using a blender and the ingredients aren’t moving, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, up to 2 tablespoons, to help everything blend. Stop the blender before scraping down the sides. Avoid adding unnecessary liquid.
6. Check the consistency. Continue pulsing until the peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro are evenly chopped and combined. The finished sofrito should be slightly chunky and smell delicious.
7. Store for later. Transfer the sofrito into airtight containers or portion it into ice cube trays. Refrigerate what you’ll use soon and freeze the rest for future recipes.