Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Servings Prep Time
6servings 5minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Servings Prep Time
6servings 5minutes
Cook Time
1hour
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sofrito, bacon pieces, and Sazón. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the ham starts to cook around the edges.
  2. Add the tomato sauce and alcaparrado (olives and capers) to the pot and stir. Cook for a few more minutes until bubbly and all flavors are incorporated.
  3. Add the rice to the pot and mix well, assuring that the rice has absorbed all the color and flavor of the seasonings.
  4. Add the gandules, along with the liquid from their cans, plus enough water to cover the rice by 1″ and stir well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Raise the heat to medium-high, cover and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed (20-25 minutes).
  6. Reduce heat to low, and stir rice gently from the bottom to the top once. Cover and cook for 30 more minutes or until the rice is tender, gently stirring from the bottom to the top only once more mid-way through.
Recipe Notes

While you can find jarred, pre-made versions (affiliate link), there’s nothing quite like homemade sofrito for your Puerto Rican cooking. This is why I always have a few portions of homemade sofrito in my freezer, ready to use when I need it. Get my family’s Puerto Rican Sofrito recipe here.