Garlic lovers, this one’s for you. This garlic-heavy sofrito is a deeply flavorful base that takes humble beans and rice to a whole new level. Whether you’re familiar with the magic of Puerto Rican cuisine or just getting started, this version of sofrito leans hard into the boldness of garlic, balanced with peppers, onions, herbs, and a hint of spice. It’s a perfect way to infuse rich, home-cooked flavor into beans, rice, stews, or even marinades. Think of it as your go-to shortcut to deliciousness—especially if you love dishes like mofongo or traditional sofrito chicken recipes. And while this version is rooted in the essence of Puerto Rican and Dominican food traditions, it's versatile enough to work in vegan dishes like a Sofritas Chipotle recipe or hearty Boricua recipes passed down through generations.
Garlic-Heavy Sofrito for Beans and Rice
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine Caribbean, Latin American
Servings 2 cups of sofrito, enough for 6-8 servings of beans and rice
Food processor A must for getting the right texture—chunky but blended. If you don’t have one, a high-powered blender will work, but pulse in batches and avoid turning it into a purée.
Cutting board and knife For rough chopping before blending.
Spatula To scrape down the sides of your processor.
Glass jar or airtight containers For storing your sofrito in the fridge or freezer.
Ice cube tray (optional) Great for freezing small portions for easy use later.
- 2 large heads of garlic yes, heads, not cloves—about 20-24 cloves total
- 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 1 cubanelle pepper stem and seeds removed, chopped (can substitute with green bell pepper)
- 1 medium green bell pepper chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro stems and leaves (about 1½ cups loosely packed)
- 1 handful culantro leaves about 10 leaves, optional but recommended
- 1 small bunch fresh oregano or 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 3 scallions trimmed and chopped
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin optional, for warmth
- 1 small aji dulce pepper optional but traditional; can use sweet mini pepper if unavailable
Prep the garlic
Peel all the cloves from the two heads of garlic. Don’t skimp—this is where the flavor begins. If you’re short on time, you can buy pre-peeled garlic, but fresh cloves always give the best flavor.
Rough chop all vegetables and herbs
Give the onions, peppers, scallions, cilantro, and culantro a rough chop. This makes it easier for your food processor to handle them evenly.
Blend in batches if needed
Add the garlic and olive oil to your food processor first. Pulse until the garlic breaks down a bit. Then add the rest of the vegetables and herbs. If your food processor is small, do this in two batches. Pulse until everything is combined into a thick, chunky paste—not too smooth.
Season
Add salt, black pepper, oregano, and optional cumin. Give it another few pulses to blend the seasoning into the mixture.
Store
Transfer your sofrito into glass jars or freezer-safe containers. You can refrigerate it for up to 10 days or freeze it for 3 months. An ice cube tray works great to freeze small, ready-to-use portions.
Pairings
This garlic-heavy sofrito is tailor-made for beans and rice, but don’t stop there. It brings authentic Puerto Rican flavor to countless dishes. Here are some standout ways to use it:
- Beans and Rice: Stir 2-3 tablespoons into a pot of simmering black or red beans. Add it at the start with oil to sauté or stir it in while cooking for maximum depth.
- Mofongo: For a Mofongo Recipe Puerto Rican style, mash fried plantains with pork cracklings and mix in a spoonful of this sofrito for garlicky intensity.
- Rice dishes: Add it to your arroz con gandules or yellow rice to bring out rich, herbaceous undertones.
- Sofrito Chicken Recipes: Marinate chicken thighs in sofrito and olive oil overnight, then bake or stew. It’s especially good in pollo guisado or arroz con pollo.
- Sofritas Chipotle Recipe: Use this garlic-rich version as a base for a vegan sofritas dish with crumbled tofu. Just cook the tofu until crispy, then stir in sofrito and simmer.
- Eggs and breakfast dishes: A dollop of sofrito in scrambled eggs or as a topping for avocado toast is an underrated move.
FAQs
1. Is this garlic-heavy sofrito authentic to Puerto Rican cuisine?
It’s a variation! While it builds from a Homemade Sofrito Recipe Puerto Rico cooks have perfected for decades, this version uses more garlic than traditional blends. That said, garlic is a staple in Puerto Rican and Dominican food, so it still fits within authentic Boricua recipes.
2. Can I use this sofrito in Dominican dishes?
Absolutely. This blend is close to the classic sofrito recipe Dominican kitchens use, especially if you include aji dulce. Dominican sofrito often includes tomato or tomato paste, which you can add separately depending on the dish.
3. What kind of beans go best with this sofrito?
Black beans, red kidney beans, or pink beans all work beautifully. You can use canned or dried—just be sure to simmer them with sofrito to let the flavors develop. It also works well with lentils or chickpeas.
4. Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs for sofrito chicken recipes?
Yes, but be careful not to overcook it. Chicken breast is leaner and dries out faster, so if you’re using this garlic-heavy sofrito in a chicken recipe, thighs or drumsticks will hold moisture better, especially in stews or braises.
5. How to make sofrito Puerto Rico-style if I can’t find culantro or aji dulce?
If you can’t find culantro (also called recao), just use more cilantro. It won’t be exactly the same, but it still adds a fresh, herbal quality. For aji dulce, sweet mini peppers are a decent substitute. You can also add a pinch of smoked paprika for depth.
