Belqui’s Dominican Sazon, the D.R.’s Essential Base

Dominican sazon (also known as sofrito) is the essential cooking base in so many of your favorite dishes, says Belqui Millili Ortiz, one of our favorite D.R. homecooks and the host of the popular cooking blog, Belqui’s Twist. Today, Belqui lives with her family in Arizona, but her cooking corazón is in both the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights, where she grew up in a family of great cocineras.

Belqui became the family cook at 12 and was soon charged with making dinner every night, to help her parents who both had long bus and train commutes. Belqui remembers how proud she felt having a full, hot dinner on the table, calientita and ready to eat, when her mom and dad finally walked in the door each night.

This recipe for sazon, as it has always been called in Belqui’s house, is one of the first things she learned to make, she says. Good thing too, because this versatile seasoning sauce is one of the foundations of Dominican cooking. Belqui uses it in everything from traditional rice and beans to one of her favorites, pernil, marinated pork butt or leg that is slow-roasted until it falls off the bone.

“This sazon is a staple in our home. Growing up, my mom always made this. The thing to do is to make it ahead and freeze it in batches. So whenever you want that chicken, or beef, fish, shrimp—or whatever you are hungry for—all you have to do is go, grab a few dollops of this, and you are seasoned and ready to go,” says Belqui.

In her step-by-step sazon video, Belqui advises doubling or tripling her recipe sazon. ”Make it ahead, and make a few batches of it. So when you run out of one, you have more in the freezer. All you have to do is pull it out, and you’re good to go,” she sighs. ”Wonderful!”

One last tip from Belqui. ”Don’t be daunted by the long list of ingredients, she warns. “Hearing all these ingredients kind of freaks people out. But honestly, you just throw them all in the blender. That’s it. It makes every Dominican dish you make taste authentic and so delicious. And it’s easy, easy, easy.”

Ready to Make Belqui’s Essential Dominican Sazon?

Belqui’s Dominican Sazon

Recipe by Belqui Ortiz-Millili

5.0 from 2 votes

Cuisine: Dominican

Servings

8 (1-cup)

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, chopped

• 1 green pepper, chopped

• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 2 Tbsp oregano

• 3 to 4 heads garlic cloves, peeled

• 4 Tbsp adobo seasoning

• 3 Tbsp white vinegar

• 1 lime, juiced

• 4 Tbsp adobo

• 5 splashes soy sauce

Directions

• Mix all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
• Divide into separate freezer-friendly containers or zip bags, about 1 cup each. This recipe makes 8 cups.
• Keep one container in the fridge, for regular use. It will last several weeks in your fridge.
• Store the rest in the freezer, where they will last many months. To thaw, remove container from freezer and place in fridge overnight.

Notes

• If you love onions, add an extra 1/2 to the Dominican sazon, says Belqui.