Italian soffritto
Soffritto is one of the most important bases of Italian cuisine. It consists of a mix of vegetables such as onions, celery, carrots. All these ingredients are blended together to create a foundational base for more complex Italian recipes, such as Bolognese sauce, Sicilian sugo sauce, Italian soups, stews, or even meat recipes like chicken cacciatore. I can assure you, this trio mix will infuse your recipes with much flavor and a deep touch of authentic Italian cuisine.
In Italian, “soffritto” comes from the verb “soffriggere,” which means slow frying or sautéing. In Italy, you can find it already packed and frozen, or you can buy the ingredients frozen separately and then mix them according to your preference. My favorite method is to always buy fresh ingredients and then prepare my own soffritto. I always make more than how much I need for my recipes and then freeze what is left separately in different containers. I do this because I like to mix it in different quantities as needed.
If you want to add parsley, garlic, or lard, then you can create what is called “battuto”, a variation mostly used in Roman cooking. In other countries, they have something similar to soffritto and call it by other names, such as mirepoix or Spanish sofrito.
How to make your own homemade soffritto
Making your own soffritto requires time, a cutting board, a good knife, and a lot of patience.
Ingredients to make Italian soffritto- what you need
To make a perfect Italian soffritto you will need:
- Carrots. I use organics carrots, but you can use any type you like. I find the organic ones to have the best taste.
- Celery: I like the large celery stalks.
- Onions: for classic Italian soffritto, I prefer using gold onions, but you can also use the red or white onions for a stronger or lighter taste.
- Olive oil: You can use regular or extra virgin olive oil. The difference between the two oils lies in their acidity levels. Typically, extra virgin olive oil is less acidic, with around 0.8% oleic acid, while regular olive oil contains about 2% oleic acid.
Step-by-step instructions
Wash well your vegetables, dry them and peel them. Finely chop each listed ingredient roughly the same size; this way, they will blend and cook more evenly. To cut the carrots, remove the skin with a potato peeler, trim the ends if they’re a bit dark. Using a smooth-edged knife, slice the carrots lengthwise to create sticks, and then dice them into small cubes.
Repeat the process with the celery. Remove the strings and then slice lengthwise before dicing into cubes. The onion should be cut in half. With the knife, make lengthwise cuts along the onion. Dice horizontally to form uniform cubes.
Some people suggest general rules on how much soffritto you need for your recipes. The reality is that there are no set ratio combinations. If you want an even taste, you can combine the ingredients in equal amounts because you do not want one flavor to overpower another.
When I want my food to be sweeter, I will add more carrots. If I want it spicier, I will add more red onions. It is really up to you and your tastes.
Once your Italian soffritto is ready, let’s get to work and start cooking! The leftover soffritto you do not use can be stored in small containers in variable quantities, then froze.
How cook soffritto
In a large pot, add 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil. Wait one minute to allow the oil to start warming up. It will take up to one or two minutes with medium-high heat.
Add your vegetables. Keep the flame at medium to allow the oil to continue frying. Soffritto needs to cook slowly and have the time to infuse its flavor, if you cook it with a high flame, it will brown fast and burn. Keep sautéing the vegetables slowly for 15–18 minutes, until they are soft, lightly brown, almost caramelized.
F.A.Q.
- Cook soffritto slowly: do not brown too much the vegetables. Do not try to cut time while cooking your soffritto, it will cost you unwanted flavor and worse case scenario, to toss all your work in the garbage.
- Keep the heat low-medium: the vegetables need time to cook and do not need to brown too much.
- Use equal amount of vegetables: especially at the beginning, until you find your true way with your soffritto.
- You can add more vegetables or spices or herbs to enhance your soffritto results. For a stronger flavour add garlic, dragonello herb, rosemary. For a sweeter taste, add oregano or bay leaves.
Mirepoix is the French equivalent to soffritto. French mirepoix vegetables are cooked slowly in butter, rather than in olive oil.
Sofrito is the Spanish equivalent of soffritto.
Yes, you can. You can dice all the ingredients and store them in a close container.
Yes, soffritto can be stored in your freezer for up to 4 months. You can store the vegetables separate in close containers or freezer bags, or you can freeze it already combined, ready to go in your pot when needed. When you need to use your vegetable mix, you can cook it straight from frozen.
Italian soffritto
Equipment
- 1 wooden board
- 1 cook knife
Ingredients
- 1 carrot
- 1 big celery stalk or two medium one
- 1 Gold onion
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash your vegetables. Dry and peel all of them, removing all the skin.
- Carrots. Remove the skin with a potato peeler, trim the ends if they're a bit dark. Using a smooth-edged knife, slice the carrots lengthwise in sticks, and then dice them into small cubes.
- Repeat the process with the celery. Clean the celery by removing the strings before dicing.
- Cut the onion in two, then with the knife make lengthwise cuts. Dice horizontally.
- Finely chop each ingredient to roughly the same size. This ensures even cooking time.
- I usually add ⅓ carrots, ⅓ onions, and ⅓ celery to start my recipes, but feel free to adjust the percentages to your preference.
- Once your Italian soffritto is ready, let's get to work and start cooking!
- In a large pan, add olive oil and let it warm up.
- Add soffritto and keep the flame at medium. Let it cook slowly and evenly, stir with a wooden spoon occasionally. Let it brown lightly, then proceed with next steps of your recipe.
Notes
- Cook soffritto slowly: do not brown too much the vegetables. Do not try to cut time while cooking your soffritto, it will cost you unwanted flavor and worse case scenario, to toss all your work in the garbage.
- Keep the heat low-medium: the vegetables need time to cook.
- Use equal amount of vegetables: especially at the beginning, until you find your true way with your soffritto.
- You can add more vegetables or spices or erbs to enhance your soffritto results. If you are looking for a stronger flavor add garlic, dragonello herb, rosemary. For a sweeter taste add oregano, bay leaves.
How to store Italian soffritto
You can store your Italian soffritto in freezer-safe containers with a lid. It can be frozen for up to 5–6 months. When you need it, you can add it directly to the pan; there’s no need to thaw it.Make ahead
Soffritto can be prepared days in advance. It will stay fresh in the fridge up to 5 days when stored in a closed container. Alternatively, you can freeze it and use it directly from the freezer in your pan.Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.