How To Make Soffritto

Not to be confused with soffitto - which means 'ceiling'! - soffritto is a gently fried mix of onion, celery, carrot, and aromatics, designed to add depth of flavour and fragrance to what might otherwise be a dull or bland dish.

What is soffritto?

Soffritto comes from the Italian verb, soffriggere, which means to brown by way of gently frying. The French call it mirepoix, and often use celeriac instead of celery, and thyme in place of rosemary.

The vegetables are chopped, and gently fried over a low heat (use a diffuser if possible) to really bring out the flavours. I generally make a large batch of soffritto on a Monday, and keep it in the fridge in an airtight container (it keeps for around five days) for use throughout the week.

Soffritto ingredients

• celery
• carrot
• onion
• garlic
• rosemary
• bay
• salt & pepper

How to make soffritto

• Fry the onion in a large pan over a medium heat until it begins to turn translucent.
• Add the garlic, and fry for another couple of minutes.
• Mix in the celery, carrot, rosemary, and bay leaf, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, and gently fry for around 20 minutes.
• Season the soffritto with freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.

What can soffritto be used for?

Soffritto forms the base of many Italian sauces, casseroles, and soups. For example, sugo di pomodoro, caponata, pasta fagioli, and ribollita. You can use soffritto to add flavour to almost any vegetable-based soup, plus it's great in pottages and stews, too!

📖 Recipe

How to make soffritto

Soffritto is a gently fried mix of onion, celery, carrot, and aromatics, designed to add depth of flavour and fragrance to what might otherwise be a dull or bland dish. This recipe is for enough soffritto to make soup for 4 people.

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Course: How-To

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Makes (slide to adjust): 1 portion

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Nico

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium stick celery finely diced
• 1 medium carrot finely diced
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 8 large cloves garlic smashed into a coarse paste
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 large bay leaf bruised
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

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Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large pan, and fry the onion over a medium heat until it begins to turn translucent.
• Add the garlic, and continue to fry for another couple of minutes, until it loses its raw smell.
• Stir in the celery, carrot, rosemary, and bay leaf, reduce the heat to its lowest setting, and gently fry for around 30-40 minutes, until the herbs and veggies have softened, the onions have turned golden, and the kitchen is filled with a delicious aroma!
• Season the soffritto with freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Use this soffritto as the base for soups, sauces, and casseroles.

Nutrition Facts

How to make soffritto

Amount Per Serving

Calories 253 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Fat 14g22%

Saturated Fat 2g10%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Sodium 230mg10%

Potassium 630mg18%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 3158.4IU63%

Vitamin C 24.5mg30%

Calcium 133.5mg13%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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DisclaimerMeasurements in parenthesis are approximate; it is beyond the scope of yumsome to be able to provide pinpoint-accurate ingredient quantities for every type of measuring utensil. As a guideline however, I make the assumption that:

• 1 cup = US cup = 240 ml
• 1 tablespoon = US/UK = 15 ml
• 1 fl oz = US = 30 ml

Further information may be found here