Arroz Con Gandules

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!