How to Make Sofrito (Costa Rican Version)

Sofrito is the heart of so many Latin American dishes, and every country gives it its own twist. In Costa Rica, we have our version too. No matter where you go, though, there are always four ingredients that show up: onions, peppers, garlic, and oil. From there, each region adds its own touch—different herbs, vegetables, and even ways to preserve it. Today, I’ll show you how we make it the Costa Rican way.

I’ve said it before in other posts—I’m not a food historian, so I can’t tell you for sure where sofrito first originated. What I do know is that the word comes from the Spanish verb sofreír, which means “to sauté.” And that part makes perfect sense: you start by sautéing the base of your dish to build flavor before adding the rest of your ingredients.

That’s the beauty of sofrito—it’s both traditional and practical. I love making a big batch of sofrito and keeping it in the fridge so it’s always ready when I need it. In some countries, people blend the ingredients raw and freeze them in ice cube trays, which works great too. But since the Costa Rican version is cooked, I like to prepare a large batch and then freeze what’s left. Honestly, I go through it so quickly—because I add it to almost every meal—that it rarely lasts long in my kitchen.

When to Use Sofrito

Sofrito is one of those kitchen staples that makes almost any dish better. In Costa Rican cooking, you’ll find it as the base for:

• Black Beans – it gives depth and flavor to this essential side dish.
• Gallo Pinto – the national breakfast wouldn’t be the same without it.
• Picadillos – from chayote to potatoes, sofrito ties it all together.
• Soups and Stews – a spoonful of sofrito builds layers of flavor right from the start.
• Rice Dishes – mix it in to transform plain rice into something special.

Ingredients for Costa Rican Sofrito

These are the ingredients I use to make my sofrito. I’ll also share a list of other ingredients you can add to make it your own.

🧅 Onion

A big ingredient in Latin cuisine. Honestly, the only dishes I don’t add onion to are the sweet ones—everything else includes cebolla in one form or another: raw, sautéed, or caramelized. In Costa Rican cooking, onion is a must, so of course it’s part of sofrito. It adds so much fragrance and delicious flavor to the dish.

🌶Bell Pepper

Another staple in Costa Rican cuisine. Back home, we use a type of pepper called chile dulce—it’s a bit longer and sweeter than bell peppers. Since I’m in the U.S., I use bell peppers because they’re easier to find. Don’t feel bad, though—bell peppers are amazing! I just want to point out that in Costa Rica, we don’t usually consume them as much, and they’re actually more expensive than regular chile dulce.

For this recipe, you can use green, yellow, purple—any type of pepper you find. I personally love using red bell pepper because it gives the sofrito such a beautiful red color (nothing weird about it 😅). But honestly, any pepper works just fine.

🧄 Garlic

What can I say? Garlic makes everything better. In Costa Rican cooking, it’s used all the time to boost flavor and aroma. For sofrito, I like to add plenty—because once it cooks down with the onion and peppers, it creates that irresistible smell that fills the whole kitchen. Don’t be afraid to use garlic! Remember, we’re not eating spoonfuls of sofrito on its own—we’re adding it to other dishes, and garlic is one of the most delicious aromatics you can use.

🧴 Oil

Oil is what actually gives sofrito its name—because you’re sautéing the vegetables. Technically, you could cook it without oil, just letting the vegetables release their own juices while stirring constantly so they don’t burn. But oil is like the glue that brings sofrito together. And since we only use a little bit, I’d say we’re safe to add it without guilt.

🥬 Celery

I believe celery is what really sets Costa Rican sofrito apart from other versions, since most don’t include it—but we do. Celery brings a fresh, slightly peppery flavor with a hint of earthiness that brightens the whole mix. It balances the sweetness of the onions and peppers and makes the sofrito taste even more complex.

Other Ingredients You Can Add

🍅 Tomatoes
Some versions of sofrito include tomatoes—you’ll even find store-bought sofrito made that way. Personally, I only add tomatoes when I know the final recipe will benefit from that flavor. Sometimes I make two batches: one with tomatoes and one without, so I can choose depending on what dish I’m cooking.

🌿 Oregano
Fresh or dried, oregano provides an amazing flavor that blends beautifully with the rest of the ingredients.

🌱 Culantro and/or Cilantro
These are two completely different herbs you can usually find at Latin or Asian markets. In Costa Rica, most people add them while cooking the sofrito. I prefer to add them at the very end of a recipe because that’s when they really shine. Cooking them too long can dull their bright, fresh flavor, but added at the end, they give the dish a fresh taste that stands out.