How to Make Italian Soffritto
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Italian soffritto is a classic Italian flavor base made with finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery gently cooked in olive oil. This guide for How to Make Italian Soffritto will help you build a flavorful foundation for Italian soups, sauces, stews, braises, and ragu. Once you learn this traditional technique, you’ll have a versatile foundation for countless Italian dishes.
Use this Italian soffritto to make dinner recipes like this White Bean Soup, Lasagna Soup, or this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup!
Quick Look: Italian Soffritto
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
- Method: Gently sautéed vegetables
- Technique: Finely chop onion, carrot, and celery, then cook gently
- Flavor/Texture: Savory, aromatic, naturally sweet, tender
Why I Always Start With Soffritto
I watched my Nonna make soffritto from the time I was little, and it became one of those everyday techniques that stayed with me. There isn’t one exact way every Italian makes it, but the foundation remains the same: onion, carrot, and celery gently cooked in olive oil until soft and fragrant.
Soffritto isn’t something you eat on its own, but it’s how you start making dishes like a classic Italian Eagu, Italian-style Chili, and Lasagna Bolognese.
Made With Amoré,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
Italian soffritto follows a classic 2:1:1 ratio of onion to carrot to celery, with the finely chopped vegetables gently cooked in olive oil until soft and fragrant, creating a flavorful base for so many recipes.
- Onion: Adds sweetness and savory depth as it gently cooks.
- Carrot: Brings natural sweetness and balances the other vegetables.
- Celery: Adds a fresh, aromatic flavor to the vegetable base.
- Olive Oil: Provides the cooking fat and carries the flavors of the vegetables.
- Salt: Enhances the natural flavors of the vegetables as they cook.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Diced Meat: Add pancetta, guanciale, or bacon to the soffritto with slightly less fat at the beginning of cooking to add flavor, such as in my Pasta e Fagioli.
- Wine: Add a 1/2 cup of red wine or white wine for a slightly different flavor. Add this at the end of cooking time to deglaze the pan.
- Tomato Paste: This is a common addition in some recipes such as Italian Short Rib Ragu. Add towards the end of cooking and mix well with the vegetables.
- Add Aromatics: If you’re feeling fancy, add bay leaves and either fresh or dried rosemary, thyme, or oregano. For a non-traditional flavor profile, add different herbs such as sage, fresh basil, or mint. Or add a touch of garlic and shallot for extra depth of flavor.
How to Make Italian Soffritto
This classic Italian technique takes just a few ingredients and a little patience to create a flavorful foundation for your favorite dishes. Follow the step-by-step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Wash and peel the vegetables. Then use a sharp knife to cut the onion, carrot, and celery into small, even pieces. Use the method you prefer to cut the vegetables; perfection is not required!
- Heat the extra virgin olive oil in your pan or pot over medium heat. Add the diced vegetables when the oil begins to shimmer. Begin to cook, stirring often. If you’re adding meat, add it now.
- Reduce the heat to low and sauté until golden. This will take at least 5-7 minutes or up to 20 minutes. This depends on how much they need to cook for the specific recipe you are using.
- When the soffritto is 2-3 minutes from being done, add the garlic, herbs, spices, or wine if desired. Stir and keep cooking for 1-2 minutes. At this point, your soffritto is ready to be used in your Italian recipe.
Soffritto FAQs
French mirepoix and Italian soffritto both contain 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, and 1 part celery as the base. The main difference is that in the French mirepoix, vegetables are cooked slowly in butter, while in Italian soffritto, they’re cooked in olive oil. Also, mirepoix is cooked low and slow, while soffritto browns the vegetables and cooks them a bit more.
Soffritto and sofrito are different preparations from different culinary traditions. Italian soffritto is traditionally made with onion, carrot, and celery gently cooked in olive oil. Sofrito is used in Spanish, Caribbean, and Latin American cooking and can include ingredients such as onion, peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and herbs, depending on the region.
You typically want to cook your soffritto fresh for each dish but it’s a great idea to chop up the soffritto vegetables in advance! I like to make a big batch of the vegetables for soffritto and freeze them in small containers or even an ice cube tray. Then it’s already chopped and ready to cook whenever I’d like. Bonus, making a soffritto is also the perfect way to use up the odds and ends of the celery, carrots, and onions that are about to go bad in your fridge or counter!
How to Use Soffitto
Italian soffritto isn’t served on its own, but it’s used as a base for many classic Italian recipes. You’ll definitely want to try using this easy soffritto in soups like Italian Sausage Lentil Soup, Italian Sausage Soup, and Italian New Year’s Lentils.
It’s also perfect for hearty main courses like my Italian Braised Veal, Roasted Whole Chicken, and Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Cut the vegetables into even pieces so they cook at a similar rate.
- Cook over low to medium-low heat to slowly soften the vegetables without burning them.
- Don’t rush the soffritto. The vegetables should become soft and fragrant before you add the next ingredients.
- Use the 2:1:1 ratio as a guide rather than worrying about getting the measurements perfectly exact.
- Adjust the size of the dice to the dish. A finer mince works well for sauces, while a slightly larger dice can work for soups and stews.
More Italian Recipes Made with Soffritto
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How to Make Italian Soffritto
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 rib celery , diced (about 1/2 cup)
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and prepare the vegetables.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the onion, carrot, and celery close to the same size. You can mince, chop, dice, finely dice, or use the method you prefer to cut the vegetables into small pieces. Perfection is not required!
- Add extra virgin olive oil to the pan, or pot on medium heat. When the oil starts shimmering add the diced vegetables, and cook, stirring often. If adding meat add now.
- Adjust to medium-low heat, and continue to sauté until golden, it will take from a minimum of 5-7 minutes to 20 minutes.
- See variations in notes for optional add-ins. When the soffritto is 2-3 minutes from being done you can add garlic, herbs, spices, or wine if desired. Give a good stir, keep cooking for 1 or 2 minutes.
- Then, add the rest of the ingredients according to the recipe you are cooking.
Notes
- Cut the vegetables into even pieces so they cook at a similar rate.
- Cook over low to medium-low heat to slowly soften the vegetables without burning them.
- Don’t rush the soffritto. The vegetables should become soft and fragrant before you add the next ingredients.
- Use the 2:1:1 ratio as a guide rather than worrying about getting the measurements perfectly exact.
- Adjust the size of the dice to the dish. A finer mince works well for sauces, while a slightly larger dice can work for soups and stews.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best start to any soup or sauce is the soffritto. This recipe is the Italian way to do it and super delicious!