Recaito

Bring the heart of Puerto Rican cuisine to your kitchen with recaito, a vibrant and aromatic green seasoning base that’s essential for countless traditional dishes. This homemade blend combines fresh cilantro, culantro, bell peppers, ají dulce, and garlic with the richness of olive oil to form a smooth, flavorful paste. Perfectly balancing herbaceous, sweet, and savory notes, recaito serves as the foundation for sofrito, soups, stews, and rice dishes like arroz con gandules. It's incredibly versatile, easy to prepare in just 15 minutes, and can be refrigerated or frozen for future use. Whether you're crafting authentic Puerto Rican meals or adding a burst of flavor to your favorite recipes, recaito is your go-to flavor powerhouse.

Nutriscore Rating: 72/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:0 mins

Total Time:15 mins

Servings: 20

Ingredients

• 1 bunch (about 1 cup packed) Cilantro
• 10 leaves (or substitute additional cilantro if unavailable) Culantro
• 1 medium (seeded and chopped) Green bell pepper
• 1 medium (seeded and chopped) Cubanelle pepper
• 8 large Garlic cloves
• 1 medium (peeled and chopped) Spanish onion
• 4 small (seeded and chopped) Ají dulce peppers
• 2 tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon (optional, adjust to taste) Salt

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the cilantro and culantro leaves thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. Pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Step 2

Roughly chop the cilantro, culantro, bell pepper, Cubanelle pepper, Spanish onion, and ají dulce peppers into smaller pieces to make them easier to process.

Step 3

Peel the garlic cloves and prepare them for the recipe.

Step 4

In a blender or food processor, add the cilantro, culantro, green bell pepper, Cubanelle pepper, garlic, Spanish onion, and ají dulce peppers.

Step 5

Add the olive oil and 1 teaspoon of salt (optional) to the blender or food processor to help the ingredients blend smoothly and to enhance the flavor.

Step 6

Blend or process on high speed until a smooth and uniform paste is formed. You may need to scrape down the sides of the blender or food processor with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are properly combined.

Step 7

Taste the recaito and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add a pinch more salt or olive oil if desired.

Step 8

Transfer the finished recaito to an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen in small portions (such as ice cube trays) for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	452 grams (452.0g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	432

Total Fat 29.10g	37%
Saturated Fat 4.50g	23%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.70g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 2424mg	105%
Total Carbohydrate 40.30g	15%
Dietary Fiber 8.40g	30%
Total Sugars 12.00g
Protein 8.10g	16%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 192mg	15%
Iron 4mg	19%
Potassium 1239mg	26%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 57.5%

Protein: 7.1%

Carbs: 35.4%