Homemade Sofrito: The Spanish Base for Stews & Rice (56) 2026

Sofrito is the quiet backbone of Spanish cooking: a slow-cooked blend of peppers, onion, garlic and tomato that turns a handful of everyday vegetables into a deeply savory base for stews, rice dishes and just about any pot you can think of. The secret is not a special technique but patience — good olive oil, small uniform pieces and a gentle flame.

A good sofrito starts with good ingredients, beginning with extra virgin olive oil of the best quality you can afford. The vegetables can shift depending on what you plan to cook: a basic version with garlic, onion, peppers and tomato works for any stew, while many cooks skip the onion and add ñora pepper pulp when the sofrito is destined for a paella.

What matters most is that the flavor ends up very concentrated. That means cutting everything into very small pieces and cooking them slowly — a sofrito is made without rushing. Make a bigger batch than you need and freeze it in portions so you always have a head start on dinner.

Ingredients for Homemade Sofrito

This makes about 500 g, enough for 6 servings.

• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 1 large tomato

How to Make Homemade Sofrito Step by Step

1. Wash and chop the vegetables

Before you start cooking, wash 1 green pepper and 1 red pepper. Remove the outer layers from a large onion and peel 2 garlic cloves. Cut all the vegetables into very small pieces, roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

2. Gently cook the garlic and onion

Pour 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil into a deep skillet and, once it is hot, cook the garlic cloves and the onion over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Add a pinch of salt while they cook so the onion releases its water.

3. Add the peppers

After that time, add the chopped green and red peppers to the skillet and stir them in with the onion and garlic. Keep cooking the vegetables for another 30 minutes, always over gentle heat and stirring every 10 minutes.

4. Add the grated tomato

Next, add 1 large tomato, grated, along with a little more salt. Stir it into the cooked vegetables, cover the skillet and keep cooking the sofrito for about 20 minutes more, until the water from the tomato and the other vegetables has evaporated.

5. Blend it or leave it chunky

Once the vegetables have been slowly cooked for this long, you will have a concentrated, deeply flavorful sofrito to use as the base of your stews. If you prefer not to find pieces, blend it or pass it through a food mill or an immersion blender.

Tips for the Best Homemade Sofrito

Start with quality ingredients

Everything begins with the oil, so use an extra virgin olive oil you would be happy to taste on its own. The vegetables can vary with the dish you have in mind, but they should always be fresh and in good condition.

Adapt it to the dish

A basic sofrito of garlic, onion, peppers and tomato suits any stew. For a paella-style rice, many cooks leave out the onion and add ñora pepper pulp instead, and other versions include leek, carrot, spices or aromatic herbs.

Keep the heat low and make extra

Small, even pieces and slow cooking are what concentrate the flavor, so give it time. Make a larger batch and freeze it in portions — just take one out a little before cooking and you will always have sofrito on hand.

30 Home Recipes I Keep Coming Back To

Maybe you're the same way — you like having a reliable lineup of cozy comfort dishes, well-known global favorites, and desserts that make everyone happy.

When nothing but something rich will do, I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luxurious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want fruit-forward comfort, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe never disappoints.

Morning meals and lighter plates tend to look like this airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or a bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. For a gluten-free staple to keep in the pantry, I turn to this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe.

Some nights I'm after tapas and Mediterranean flavors, and then I cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crunchy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. For occasions that call for a bit more polish, I serve this elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe with pride.

Big lunches and slow dinners usually mean this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. If appetites run bigger, I'll bake this oven-baked Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply cozy French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

For a quick lunch or a casual hangout, I'll throw together this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These no-fuss Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also make an easy starter or snack.

And when drinks and a whole spread are on the agenda, dinner often comes with this cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this sweet Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the table, I like a bowl of this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or this dramatic Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe to finish things off.

Additional Tasty Recipes to Cook for the Family

After years of trying and tweaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've found that the ones that stick around are simple, built on dependable methods, and full of flavor.

The picks below are the ones I keep circling back to — whether it's a fast solo meal or a spread for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, smooth Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something impressive yet effortless. Another favorite is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When light and easy is what I'm after, I lean on the familiar Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a spot-on Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For fuller comfort fare, I'm quick to suggest the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also big on sharing dishes from across the globe, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, golden Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another staple in my rotation since it saves time without sacrificing texture. My regular picks include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

For those steering clear of wheat, my crowd-pleasing Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without gluten.

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