Puerto Rican Rice Recipe - Arroz con Gandules

 

Arroz con Gandules – Puerto Rican Rice Recipe

One of my most popular Puerto Rican dishes is arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas). I make this mostly for special occasions, holidays, birthday parties, and family gatherings. Occasionally, I’ll make it for a regular dinner with my family, but it always feels more special when reserved for those memorable moments. It has truly become a family tradition, and everyone expects my Puerto Rican rice to show up at their homes when the holidays roll around.

What makes Puerto Rican rice so special is that it’s often passed down from generation to generation, and every family has its own twist. Some ingredients may vary, but the heart of the dish remains the sam,e flavorful, comforting, and deeply rooted in our culture. My version is the one I learned from my family, and I’m so excited to share our recipe secrets with you here!

If you’ve never had Puerto Rican rice before, now is the time! Trust me, you don’t want to miss out.

🌟 A Few Words of Encouragement

I’ll be honest: making arroz con gandules can be a little tricky at first. When I started, I had my fair share of failed attempt,s sometimes it was undercooked, other times overcooked. It took a few tries to master it and get it just right.

So if yours doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time, don’t get discouraged. Try again if not the same day, then the next. Once you get it right, you’ll never want to go back to plain white rice (unless you’re pairing it with some delicious Puerto Rican beans, of course 😉).

Give it a try and let me know how it goes in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

🍲 Arroz con Gandules Recipe

Yield: 9 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: ~1 hour 5 minutes

🧂 Ingredients:

• 3 cups medium or long-grain white rice, rinsed

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 heaping tbsp sofrito

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 can (15 oz) gandules (pigeon peas), partially drained

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 1 packet Sazón with Achiote (I use Goya brand)

• 1 cube chicken flavoring (I use Goya brand)

• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp onion powder

• ⅛ tsp ground oregano

• Salt and pepper to taste (start with 2 tsp salt)

• ½ red pepper (optional)

• 2 tbsp olives (optional)

• 4 cups hot water

👩‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Rinse the rice well in water and set aside.

2. In a large pot (~6 quarts), heat the oil and sauté sofrito until softened. Add tomato paste and simmer for 2 minutes.

3. Stir in gandules, garlic, red pepper, and all the spices. Add 4 cups of water. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The broth should be well seasoned and slightly salty.

4. Bring to a rapid boil, then add rice and stir. If needed, add more water so the rice is covered by about 1 inch. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and let most of the liquid absorb, stirring very gently only once or twice to avoid gummy rice.

5. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, level the rice, cover with foil and a lid, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then, fold the rice from the bottom up (don’t scrape the very bottom) and cook for another 20–30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes for tenderness.

6. When the rice is fully cooked and tender, serve and enjoy alongside your favorite meats and side dishes!

🧠 Nutrition Information

Yield: 9 | Serving Size: 1 cup

	Amount per Serving
Calories	146
Total Fat	5g
Saturated Fat	0g
Trans Fat	0g
Unsaturated Fat	4g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	426mg
Carbohydrates	20g
Fiber	2g
Sugar	1g
Protein	5g

Nutrition information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.