How to Make Italian Soffritto: Italian Soffritto Recipe

Soffritto is an aromatic flavor base composed of sauteed carrots, celery, and onion that forms the foundation of many soups (like minestrone), stews, pasta sauces, and braises throughout Italian cuisine. Soffritto is sometimes called battuto in Italian, which usually refers to the uncooked mix of vegetables.

It’s distinct from the Spanish sofrito, which may include garlic, bell peppers, tomato paste (or tomato sauce), and spices. Throughout Italy, there are regional and personal variations on soffritto, which can incorporate additional aromatics like garlic and parsley cooked in fats like lard or pancetta, along with the core three vegetables.

Soffritto is not based on exacting precision or perfect cubes. To achieve the finer minced texture, use a chef’s knife or a mezzaluna, a double-handled curved knife that chops while being rocked back and forth. The pulse function of a food processor will also get the job done—just be careful not to turn the vegetables into a pulp.

While both mirepoix and soffritto serve as building blocks of flavor, there are a few subtle differences.

• Mirepoix (pronunciation: meer-PWAH) is made by lightly cooking onions, celery, and carrots. The vegetables are cooked slowly in butter or oil in order to coax out the flavors without browning or caramelizing them. Mirepoix is traditionally used as a flavoring ingredient, which means the vegetables are typically strained out or removed from the final dish before the end of the cooking process.
• Soffritto uses minced rather than diced vegetables, and is typically cooked in olive oil (not butter) until the vegetables are soft and brown.