Description
Flavorful Arroz con Gandules recipe with rice, pigeon peas, and Puerto Rican spices. Perfect for a comforting, authentic taste of Puerto Rican cuisine! And just under 45 minutes to make.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 2 cups of Long-Grain Rice (rinsed and ready)
- 4 Strips of Pork Belly or Thick-Cut Bacon (chopped into small pieces)
- 1/2 cup Sofrito (from our Sofrito Recipe)
- 1 (15 oz) Can of Green Pigeon Peas (Gandules Verdes) (drained)
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste or 1/3 Cup Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Capers
- 10 Spanish Olives with pimento (sliced)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 cups of Chicken Stock
- 1 packet of Sazon Seasoning or Adobo Seasoning
- 2 Bay Leaves.
Instructions
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and add the chopped pork belly or bacon. Sizzle until it’s crispy, about 5 minutes. The fat rendered in this step helps to create the base for a flavorful rice.
- Toss in the sofrito and rice and mix. Add the tomato paste (or tomato sauce) and sazon seasoning. Mix well so the flavors meld into a seasoned mixture. We want the rice to be well-coated and colored.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Drained green pigeon peas, bay leaves, capers, olives, salt, and black pepper. Mix well, then add the chicken stock.
- Let the mixture boil, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low heat, cover with the lid, and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the stock, creating that ideal fluffy texture. If you notice it needs more water or chicken stock, add a bit before the cooming time is up to prevent the rice from becoming too dry.
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork before serving.
Notes
Storage Suggestions: Store any leftovers in an airthight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
