The flavour-maker that is key to the perfect paella, sofrito is a mixture of slowly fried ingredients that helps bring the iconic texture and taste to the traditional Spanish dish. It’s the kind of thing you don’t notice until it’s not there – the magic beneath the surface – with flavours creating a dish that’s truly unique.
Let’s take a delicious delve into the details, to discover what it consists of, why it’s so important and how it’s made.
What is sofrito made of in paella?
There are variations of sofrito throughout Spain and South America, but most Spanish paella versions contain a few essential ingredients. The onion, garlic and tomato (often with red pepper) are all slowly fried in olive oil until you have an intensely flavoured, concentrated base.
This medley is then seasoned with the likes of salt, black pepper and pimentón dulce de la vera (a distinct smoky paprika).
Where does the name originate from?
The word comes from the Catalan term sofregit, meaning slowly fried or sautéed.
What are the origins of sofrito?
It’s said to have originated in Catalunya, northern Spain, over 700 years ago. The earliest reference to sofrito was in a Medieval Catalan cookbook, Llibre de Sent Soví, way back in 1324. Talk about a time-honoured tradition!
The Spanish brought the cooking technique to South and Central America during the colonisation of the continent in the 16th century.
What other cuisines use it?
While sofrito is very much a staple of Spanish cuisine, it’s also a big part of food culture throughout Latin America and beyond. You’ll find it in Portugal, Mexico, Columbia, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico, Haiti and many other countries around the world.
How long do you cook it for?
Slow is the way to go. Patience is required to bring out those intensely sweet, wonderfully rich flavours from the vegetables. It should be cooked on a medium heat for a long time for at least an hour. If you’re cooking for a large group, even more time will be needed.
Cooking it over a long period of time also enables the ingredients to reduce and form a concentrated paste – the ideal texture to form the base of an authentic paella.
What’s the difference between sofrito and mirepoix?
While the Spanish version contains onion, tomato, garlic and red pepper, the French Mirepoix consists of onion, carrot and celery.
Also, sofrito often has extra elements, such as herbs and spices, whereas Mirepoix is usually quite simple and used for stock.
What’s the difference between sofrito and Italian soffritto?
Italian soffritto also contains carrots and celery, whereas its Spanish counterpart is based around tomatoes, onions and garlic.
Why is sofrito so important in paella?
A paella without a properly cooked sofrito is not a paella.
If the caldo, the stock, is the background flavour, the sofrito is the soul. It’s the unsung hero of the dish. The thing you might not notice… until it’s not there.
It’s the embodiment of that wonderful Mediterranean flavour that you associate with paella. When you learn to cook sofrito right, you’re on your way to making an authentic Spanish paella.
