Sofrito is a sort of umbrella Spanish word for a savory and flavorful sauce. The word and definition have a commonality with the Italian soffritto. This Italian word refers to something that is sauteed. This is a sensible definition as, in order to make sofrito, one must sautee vegetables and spices. There are many different types of sofritos. Furthermore, many different cuisines use a variation of sofrito in numerous culinary manners.

In Spain, Haiti, France and Italy, sofrito is made by cooking tomatoes, garlic, and onions in olive oil. Sofrito is often used as the cooking base for sauces, stews, and meat dishes. In Haiti, this sauce and cooking base is called epis. In France, it is referred to as mirepoix.

In the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, sofrito is made much like it is made in Spain, Haiti, France, and Italy. However, the ingredients also include roasted peppers and herbs. In the island nation of Cuba, sofrito is similar to that which is made in Caribbean and Latin America. Spices added to Cuban sofrito include bay leaves, cilantro, cumin, and oregano. Furthermore, in Cuban cuisine, chorizo, bacon, and ham are sometimes added into sofrito. This is often done when the sofrito is being prepared for a bean dish. Puerto Rican cooks often add recao and aji dulce or bell peppers to their sofritos. In Puerto Rico, sofrito is traditionally made with salted and cured meats.

Sofrito is also used in Mediterranean cooking. It is a bit different, however, in terms of the thickness and ingredients that are used. In Sephardic cuisine, native to the eastern quarters of the Mediterranean region, sofrito is made of water or soup stock that is flavored with lemon juice. The spices that are used to flavor Sephardic sofrito are garlic, turmeric, and cardamom. It is often used to cook meat, poultry, and fish dishes. In Greece, sofrito is generally only found on the island of Corfu, where it is made with white wine, garlic, and herbs. There, it is used for a slow-cooked veal steak which is served with rice.

It is possible to find bottled sofrito in some American grocery stores and markets, especially in areas where people from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean reside. The food company Goya, for example, offers at least two versions of bottled sofrito. Sofrito is an excellent way to add some extra flavor to soups, chilis, and meat dishes.