Spanish sofrito
A slow cooked, jammy base of onion, red pepper, tomato and garlic in olive oil that starts Spanish rice, stews and beans.
Make this once, then cook it into 22 different dishes.
- Time1 hr 15
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.52 a head
- Makesabout 500 g, enough for 3 paellas or stews for 4
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large, wide pan over a medium low heat. Add the onions and salt and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and translucent but not brown.
20 min - 2
Add the peppers and cook for 15 minutes more, stirring, until soft and sweet.
15 min - 3
Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let the paprika scorch, as it turns bitter.
- 4
Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and stir well. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until very thick and jammy and the oil separates around the edges.
30 min - 5
Taste and add a little more salt if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
- 6
Cool quickly, spread in a shallow dish, within 1 to 2 hours. Use as is, or blitz briefly with a stick blender for a smoother base.
About spanish sofrito
Sofrito is a slowly cooked base of onion, red pepper, tomato and garlic in olive oil, used to start Spanish rice dishes, stews, beans, chickpeas and fish dishes. In Catalonia it is called sofregit. The vegetables are cooked gently for an hour until they collapse into a thick, sweet, jammy paste.
It is the foundation of paella and other arroces, and of dishes such as fideuà, lentil stews, white beans with chorizo and braised cod. Making a batch and freezing it in portions means any of those dishes starts with a spoonful of deep flavour instead of 40 minutes of chopping and stirring.
This is the Spanish sofrito, with tomato and pepper. It is not the same as the Latin American sofrito, which is a raw herb and pepper blend, or the Italian soffritto of onion, carrot and celery. The secret is patience: cook the onions slowly first, and let the finished sofrito cook until the oil separates and shimmers at the edges.
Tips
- Salt the onions at the start. It draws out moisture so they soften without browning, which keeps the sofrito sweet rather than caramelised.
- The sofrito is ready when the oil has separated and the paste leaves a clear trail when you drag a spoon across the pan.
- For a fresh version, grate 600 g of ripe tomatoes on a box grater, discarding the skins, in place of the tin.
- If tinned tomatoes taste sharp, cook the sofrito a little longer rather than adding sugar, which is not needed.
- Freeze in ice cube trays or in flat bags in 125 g portions, so a portion thaws quickly for a stew or rice dish.
- Add a splash of sherry vinegar at the end for a tangy finish in a dish such as lentil stew.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours, then keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with spanish sofrito
Pollo al Chilindrón (Aragonese Chicken with Peppers)
DFEFNFJudiones con Chorizo y Costilla (Spanish Butter Beans with Chorizo and Pork Ribs)
GFDFEFCanelones de Sant Esteve, Catalan Cannelloni
EFNFCoca de Recapte (Catalan Roasted Vegetable Flatbread)
VGVDFEmpanada de Bacalao con Pasas (Galician Salt Cod Pie)
NFEmpanada de Pisto (Spanish Vegetable Pie)
VNFArroz Meloso de Pollo y Judías Verdes (Soupy Spanish Chicken and Green Bean Rice)
GFDFEFFideus Rossejats (Catalan Toasted Noodles with Pork and Prawns)
NFPollo al Chilindrón (Aragonese Chicken with Peppers and Tomato)
DFEFNFMarmitako (Basque Tuna and Potato Stew)
DFEFNFCanelones de Carne (Catalan Meat Cannelloni with Béchamel)
NFBerenjenas Rellenas de Carne y Queso (Spanish Stuffed Aubergines)
GFEFNFQuestions
What is Spanish sofrito used for?
It is the base for paella and other rice dishes, stews, lentils, chickpeas, white beans, braised fish and meatballs in tomato sauce. Stir a spoonful or two into the pan after browning meat, then add stock or rice.
Is sofrito the same as soffritto?
No. Italian soffritto is finely chopped onion, carrot and celery cooked in oil. Spanish sofrito is onion, pepper, tomato and garlic cooked down to a jam. Latin American sofrito is a different, raw herb and pepper blend.
Is Spanish sofrito vegan and gluten free?
Yes. It is made from vegetables, olive oil, paprika and salt, so it is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. It is not suitable for a low FODMAP diet, because it contains onion and garlic.
Can I freeze sofrito?
Yes. Cool it, then freeze in portions for up to 3 months. It is very thick, so it freezes and thaws well. Defrost in the fridge or drop a frozen block straight into a hot pan.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of tinned?
Yes. Grate 600 g of ripe tomatoes, discarding the skins, and cook the sofrito a few minutes longer to evaporate the extra water. Tinned tomatoes are more consistent in winter.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.