How to Make Italian Soffritto
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.
Servings: 1 recipe
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
Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 460mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 10372IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
