Soffritto: What You Should Know About the Cornerstone of Italian Cuisine
Soffritto is the first step to creating many hearty, delectable Italian dishes. It requires time and precision, but in the end, the time you spend chopping and cooking the ingredients is worth it. A traditional soffritto will add depth of flavor to just about any dish you create. Learn more about the authentically Italian dish below.
Soffritto is the base for many dishes, including stews, soups, sauces, rice, and pasta dishes, such as Pasta e Fagioli, and risotto. Cooking soffritto is the first step to creating an Italian dish. The basis for the dish consists of cooking carrots, celery, and onion in fat, such as olive oil.
Moreover, cooking a single batch of soffritto can serve as the base for many dishes. You can pre-cook the soffritto and freeze it. Or, you batch cook multiple Italian dishes and freeze them for one of those nights when you’re too busy to cook from scratch. Soffritto can also be made and kept in the fridge to use later in the week. Keep in mind, it can stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
How to Cook a Batch of Soffritto Like an Italian Chef
Though it takes time to prep and cook a soffritto, it’s not a complex recipe, nor does it require a ton of ingredients. Many cooks already have the necessary ingredients on hand. And if you don’t, all it takes is a quick stop at your local supermarket. Even more, you won’t have to worry about exotic, hard to find ingredients to make this Italian staple.
Traditional soffritto adds depth of flavor to just about any Italian dish, from sauces and stews to pasta and more.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot or fennel (or equal parts of both)
- Celery stalk
- Olive oil
Optional:
- Italian parsley
- Garlic
If you’re planning on batch cooking, double or triple the ingredients to fit your needs.
Cooking Instructions:
- Chop or mince the vegetables. Do your best to chop them the same size as this is vital for proper cooking. If some vegetable pieces are bigger than others, it will take longer to cook them. This can leave smaller pieces overcooked.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables, stirring them in the oil until they are all evenly coated.
- Stir the soffritto often to prevent burning or sticking and to ensure even cooking. If necessary, turn the burner to low or medium-low to encourage slow, even cooking without burning.
- Cook the vegetables until they turn a golden, straw-like brown color – approximately 45 minutes.
- At this point, the soffritto is ready to use as a base for your favorite Italian dishes. Or, you can place it in a container and refrigerate or freeze it for later use.
Once you’ve cooked the soffritto, you can now add to it to create flavorful dishes. For example, add tomato sauce and paste to create a sauce or stew. Or, add wine to start creating a delicious Italian sauce. You can even add some soffritto to eggs to create a rich, tasty breakfast the next day.
Too Tired to Cook? We Can Help!
Making an amazing Italian dish can be time-consuming. It’s totally worth it, but not everyone has time to prepare and cook a full Italian meal from scratch. So, on those nights you’re craving ravioli, gnocchi, or pizza but don’t have time to cook, contact Spizzico Italian Kitchen.
You’ll find all your favorites here! There’s something to satisfy the cravings of everyone in your family. Ready to order out? We have two locations for your convenience. Call to place your order at 443-214-5121 in Arnold.