A refrito is the first step for many Ecuadorian main dishes (like Seco de Pollo and Estofado, to name a few).
You can mix it up and modify as needed. The onion and bell pepper can really be any color. The traditional way is with a white onion and red or green bel pepper, as pictured below.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/12a0f7_500f312a26604639b297c8fbe48f364f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_64,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/12a0f7_500f312a26604639b297c8fbe48f364f~mv2.jpg)
Ingredientes
1 white onion
1 bell pepper (any color)
1 tomato
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Prep:
1. Finely chop or cube the onion, bell pepper, tomato and garlic cloves.
2. In a pan or pot on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add in the chopped onion. Cook for 2-3 mins or until they start to become soft and translucent. Next, add the bell pepper and cook for 2-3 mins.
3. Add the tomato and garlic last and let simmer for 2 mins until all components are cooked thoroughly.