

Yields:
6 - 8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Arroz con gandules is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that consists of rice, pork, tomato paste, achiote, gandules (pigeon peas), and sofrito. Perfect served alongside pernil and yuca fries (and followed up by a glass of coquito), arroz con gandules is perfect for holiday gatherings or weeknight dinners.
Sofrito, made from peppers, cilantro, onion, garlic, and oregano, is the extremely flavorful foundation of this dish. The rice absorbs this mixture, soaking it in as it cooks, and the result is a super-savory and satisfying side dish. Traditionally, the sofrito includes culantro and aji dulce peppers. These can be hard to find, but they're worth seeking out; otherwise, swap cilantro for culantro and cubanelle peppers for the aji dulce peppers. You can absolutely buy the sofrito pre-made, but making it yourself is simple. It's the base of many Puerto Rican dishes and a wonderful enhancer to have in your culinary tool kit.
This dish is usually made in a caldero, which is a heavy large pot that distributes heat very well. You want to cook this in a caldero or a similar pot like a Dutch oven because heat distribution is very important. The rice needs time to cook all the way through without completely burning on the bottom. Try not to peek inside the pot as the rice cooks—you want to harness all of the steam in order to get beautifully fluffy rice. When it comes to steaming at the end, don't skip this step. This will ensure each granule is perfectly cooked through.
Did you try making arroz con gandules? Let us know how it went in the comments!
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Ingredients
Sofrito
- 4
aji dulce or 2 cubanelle peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped
- 1
small Spanish or yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1
small green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped
- 1
small bunch fresh culantro or cilantro
- 6
cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 Tbsp.
dried oregano
Arroz
- 2 Tbsp.
neutral oil
- 4 oz.
salt pork or bacon, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup
double-concentrated tomato paste
- 3 cups
medium- or long-grain rice, rinsed
- 3 cups
water
- 1
(15-oz.) can pigeon peas (gandules), drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup
alcaparrado mix or equal amount of Manzanilla olives, pimento peppers, and/or capers
- 2 tsp.
adobo all-purpose seasoning
- 1
small packet sazón con achiote (1 1/8 tsp.)
Directions
Sofrito
In a food processor, pulse aji dulce peppers, onion, bell pepper, culantro (stems and all), garlic, and oregano until mostly smooth, about 1 minute.
Arroz
- Step 1In a large caldero or Dutch oven over medium heat, heat oil. Add salt pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat has rendered out and pork is crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Step 2Carefully stir in sofrito and tomato paste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and mixture is no longer vibrantly green, about 4 minutes.
- Step 3Stir in rice, water, pigeon peas, alcaparrado mix, adobo seasoning, and sazón con achiote and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces to the point that a few rice granules are peeking through the liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. Give everything one more gentle stir, then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook, without uncovering, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
- Step 4Remove from heat, place a towel underneath lid, and let rice steam 20 minutes before serving.
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