Arroz Con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)
This recipe for Arroz Con Gandules is the one dish that captures the heart and soul of Puerto Rican cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- ¾ cup (170 g) chopped bacon (about 4-5 slices)
- ¼ cup (4 oz) sofrito
- 1 packet of Sazón Goya con Achiote or homemade sazón
- 1 tsp adobo
- 1 chicken bouillon
- ½ cup (4 oz) tomato sauce
- ¼ cup (50 g) green olives (optional)
- 3 cups (708 ml) water
- 1 can (439 g) gandules secos (dry pigeon peas) (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups (450 g) medium-grain white rice (rinsed)
- Salt to taste (if needed)
- Chopped fresh cilantro to taste (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a caldero, Dutch oven, or large deep pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy.
- Add the sofrito, sazón, adobo, chicken bouillon, tomato sauce, and olives and stir.
- Add the water, the gandules, and the rice. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste if you think it needs it.
- Stir to distribute evenly. Cover and let it simmer until most of the visible liquid is absorbed and the rice, the gandules, and the olives rise to the top.
- Stir it again, cover, set the burner to low, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until all of the liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Remove the rice from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes. Stir and serve with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Rinse the rice with cold water for best results.
- Drain and rinse the canned gandules before adding them so the rice doesn’t come out mushy.
- Taste the liquid for seasoning and add salt to taste if needed before cooking the rice. Given the amount of sodium found in the bacon, sazón, adobo, and chicken bouillon, you may need just a tiny amount or none at all.
- Store any leftover rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat it in the microwave with a tiny amount of water since the fridge tends to dry it out (I usually place an ice cube on top).
- Freeze the cooled rice in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
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