Brazilian Sofrito - Quick & Easy Kitchen Medicine

I am all about kitchen medicine and Sofrito is a perfect example of it!

Sofrito is a paste made of essential aromatics that you can keep in the fridge or freezer and sauté into your meals whenever you need to add flavor.

As an herbalist and busy entrepreneur, I always try to find ways that will enhance my meals nutritionally while also saving me time.

In Brazil, we dont cook anything without garlic and onions. Aromatics are an important part of homemade meals. I have adopted that to my cooking practice, but it does take some time to chop and peel garlic and onions. In Brazil we call Sofrito “refogado” or “tempero pronto”, but it is common to call it sofrito in Latin America.

Once I make my sofrito I keep a jar in the fridge and any leftovers I fill in an ice tray and keep in the freezer. When I go to make rice or any meal I just start my recipe with a tablespoon of delicious sofrito.

What is Sofrito

Sofrito is the base ingredient in many different cuisines. It consists of a mixture of aromatics and vegetables.

It goes by different names in different countries. For instance, in Italy it’s called soffritto, in France it’s called mirepoix, refogado, or Tempero Pronto in Portugal and Brazil, and sofrito in most Latin American countries.

The ingredients will also vary depending on the culture and cuisine. In Brazilian cuisine, our sofrito is simple and it is typically made with onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and some herbs. In Puerto Rico, they make sofrito by also adding peppers!

Since this is a base for lots of cooking, it is easier to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge rather than chop everything up each time you cook.

In the U.S this reminds me of bouillon, but the ones found in stores are filled with MSG, preservatives, and other ingredients that are terrible for your health.

Sofrito Health Benefits

What I really like about Sofrito are the herbs. Herbs add such an incredible flavor to meals but it also adds medicinal properties. It is an easy way to add more plants to your diet! In addition, it is full of polyphenols which are strong antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals in the body.

• Garlic is very detoxifying due to its sulfur content. It supports both the liver and immune system.

• Onions are full of antioxidants and help stabilize blood sugar.

• Green Onions/Scallions contain phytonutrients. Antioxidants in onions like flavonoids and polyphenols hunt down free radicals, which are substances that can lead to cancer, inflammation, and age-related diseases.

• Parsley is really high in nutrients and antioxidants. When eaten regularly it can help prevent diseases. It also contains carminative properties meaning it’s great for digestion. Parsley is also known for its positive effects on the urinary system.

• Cilantro also contains nutrients, and polyphenols, and has anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, italso contains anti-microbial properties. Regular consumption of cilantro may help with GI problems, and heart health like regulating blood pressure, and help with pain! Cilantro is also known to bind to heavy metals, such as mercury and lead, in the body and help transport excess out of the body.

As you can see there are many health benefits to adding sofrito into every home-cooked meal, aside from taste.

Sofrito Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 large Onion – You can use yellow, red, or sweet onions.

• 12 bulbs of Garlic (can use the entire head)

• 1 bunch of Parsley

• 1 bunch of cilantro

• 3-5 Green Onions

• 1/2 cup of Oil – I use avocado oil

• Salt

• Pepper

Sofrito is easily customizable and you can add other veggies like peppers or different herbs/seasonings.

Here are the steps:

1. Start by cutting all the ingredients into large chunks, to make the blender or food processor’s life easier!

2. Add everything to the blender or food processor and pulse until you reach the desired consistency. You can keep it coarse or puree it completely. If you see it needs more oil then just slightly add more.

3. Transfer to a glass container with a lid and refrigerate.

4. FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS - Pour into an ice tray, freeze until solid and then transfer to a freezer bag, or if you have a lid to your ice tray that works too. No need to thaw before using! Just make sure to sauté a little longer so all the extra water can evaporate.

How long will sofrito keep in the fridge?

It keeps well in the fridge for up to one month due to the oil and salt preservation.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you end up trying it out I would love to see it!