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Arroz Con Gandules

A vibrant representation of Puerto Rican culinary tradition, this comforting dish combines tender rice with hearty pigeon peas and flavorful spices, perfect for family gatherings or cozy dinners.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Optional Meat
  • 4 slices bacon or ham Optional, can be skipped for a vegetarian option
Cooking Base
  • 2 tablespoons oil (vegetable oil, olive oil, or achiote oil)
  • 1 cup canned gandules (pigeon peas), or frozen, drained
  • ¾ cup tomato sauce
  • ½ cup green olives, sliced or whole Or you can use capers
  • ¼ cup sofrito Thawed if using store-bought frozen sofrito
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
  • ½ packet Sazon con culantro y achiote Or use 1 tsp of homemade sazon seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 ½ cups water or chicken broth
Rice
  • 2 ½ cups Arroz Rico (medium grain white rice), rinsed Rinse thoroughly before cooking

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Begin by heating a heavy-bottomed pot, like a Dutch oven or caldero, over medium heat.
  2. If using bacon or ham, cook slowly until crispy. Remove and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pot for added flavor. If you’re not using meat, opt for a splash of your chosen oil.
  3. Stir in the gandules, tomato sauce, olives, sofrito, salt, adobo, sazon seasoning, black pepper, and cumin. Mix well to ensure even distribution of flavors.
  4. Pour in the water or chicken broth and increase the heat to high. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil.
Cooking
  1. Add the rinsed rice to the bubbling pot, stirring carefully to ensure every grain is submerged and gandules are evenly spread.
  2. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot tightly, and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. You can return the cooked bacon or ham if desired.
  3. About halfway through, gently fold the rice from the bottom once, ensuring even heat distribution without breaking the crispy layer at the bottom.
  4. After 25 minutes, turn off the heat and let the dish sit, covered, for an additional 10 minutes to absorb any remaining liquid.
Serving
  1. Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving warm.

Notes

For an authentic experience, pair it with sides like tostones, a light salad, or avocado slices. Serve it with a splash of hot sauce or a dollop of sour cream for added flavor. To store leftovers, let them cool fully before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days or freeze for about 2-3 months.