Made on the stovetop in one pot, Easy Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas is ready within 30 minutes! Perfect for serving with chicken, pork, or as a stand-alone meal I spent some time with Nettie Colon in her Chinchurro on Taste Buds With Stephanie and she showed me how to make her families time honored pork dish. I finished my episode with my Mojo Pork! It goes perfect with this dish.
I’ll be honest: I used to think rice was the thing you made so the good stuff had somewhere to sit. Then I made a pot of Arroz con Gandules, and Kurt stood at the stove eating it straight out of the Dutch oven with a serving spoon while the pork rested, completely unbothered by the fact that dinner hadn’t technically started. That’s when I knew this rice isn’t a side dish. It’s the reason for the meal.
This Puerto Rican rice with pigeon peas is savory, a little briny from the olives, and built on a base of fresh homemade sofrito that will make your whole kitchen smell like somebody’s grandma knows what she’s doing. (In my case, that somebody is me, faking it with a food processor.) It’s a one-pot dish, it feeds a crowd, and it’s the perfect partner for my mojo pork.
Up here in Minnesota, when the weather turns and the lake starts looking steely, I crave food with warmth and brightness. This is it.
Why This Recipe Works
- Homemade sofrito does the heavy lifting. Onion, peppers, garlic and culantro blitzed together give the rice a fresh, herby backbone you just can’t get from a jar.
- Blooming the spices builds flavor fast. Cooking the sazón and adobo paste in the oil and sofrito for a minute wakes them up before any liquid goes in.
- Olives and pigeon peas add texture and salt. The pimento-stuffed olives bring a briny pop, and the pigeon peas (gandules) give it a nutty, earthy heartiness.
- One pot, minimal fuss. Everything happens in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, and the rice steams itself to fluffy perfection while you do something else.
What Is Sofrito?
Sofrito is the aromatic flavor base at the heart of Puerto Rican cooking. It’s a blend of onion, peppers, garlic and herbs, traditionally culantro, pureed into a bright green paste. You’ll use just 1/4 cup in this rice, which means you’ll have extra. That’s a feature, not a bug. Freeze the rest in an ice cube tray and you’ve got instant flavor for beans, soups, eggs or your next pot of rice.
Culantro vs. cilantro: Culantro has long, serrated leaves and a stronger, earthier flavor than cilantro. It can be tricky to find in Minnesota grocery stores (check Latin or Asian markets), but cilantro works beautifully as a stand-in.
Ingredients
For the Sofrito
- 1 onion
- 2 cups peppers
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup culantro or cilantro
For the Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup sofrito (see above)
- 1 teaspoon sazón seasoning mix
- 1 tablespoon chili adobo paste
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup pimento olives, sliced
- 1 (15 oz) can pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups white rice, medium or long grain, rinsed
- 3 cups water or broth
- Cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
To Make the Sofrito
- Prep the vegetables. Peel the onion and garlic. Roughly chop the onion and peppers, taking time to remove the seeds.
- Blend. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a consistent mix forms. Use as the base for this savory rice.
To Make the Rice
- Sauté the sofrito and spices. In a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sofrito and cook until fragrant. Add the sazón and adobo paste and stir for one minute to bloom the spices.
- Add tomato sauce, olives and peas. Stir everything together and cook for a few minutes to cook off the tomato sauce.
- Add the rice and liquid. Stir in the rice to coat it in the sauce, then add the water or broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Cover and steam. Stir one last time, cover, and cook on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.
- Rest, fluff and serve. Let it sit for a few minutes, then fluff with a fork. Garnish with fresh cilantro and dig in.
Tips for the Best Puerto Rican Rice
- Rinse your rice. It washes away excess starch so your grains stay fluffy and separate instead of gummy.
- Don’t peek. Once the lid goes on, leave it alone. The steam is doing the work.
- Chase the pegao. That crispy, golden layer on the bottom of the pot is called pegao, and it’s the best part. Cast iron gives you the most of it. Fight your family for it.
- Use broth for extra depth. Chicken broth adds richness; vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian (just check your sazón and adobo labels).
- Make the sofrito ahead. It keeps in the fridge for about a week, so you can prep it on Sunday and have rice on the table any weeknight.
What to Serve with Arroz con Gandules
This rice plays well with just about anything that’s grilled, roasted or braised. Here are five of my favorite pairings:
- My Mojo Pork – The ultimate match. Garlicky, citrusy, slow-roasted pork spooned right over the top of this rice is a combination I’d put up against any dinner, anywhere.
- Roasted Shrimp Tostadas with Black Beans and Mango Salsa – Sweet mango, crunchy cabbage and roasted shrimp make a bright, fresh counterpoint to the savory rice.
- Birria for Tacos, Burritos and Bowls – Build a rice bowl with a big scoop of this rice and rich, braised birria. Leftovers never looked so good.
- Tender, Juicy Pork Steak – For a weeknight shortcut, grill up pork steaks and serve with a heaping side of Arroz con Gandules.
- Red Pickled Onions – A tangy, crunchy topper that cuts right through the richness. I keep a jar in my fridge at all times, and they’re gorgeous piled on top of this rice.
FAQ
What is Arroz con Gandules?
Arroz con Gandules is Puerto Rico’s national dish: rice cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, olives and seasonings like sazón. It’s a staple at holidays, family gatherings and Sunday dinners.
What are pigeon peas?
Pigeon peas, or gandules, are small legumes with a nutty, slightly earthy flavor. You’ll find them canned in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
Can I use brown rice?
You can, but brown rice needs more liquid and a longer cook time (about 40 to 45 minutes). Medium or long-grain white rice gives you the most traditional texture.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. The rice keeps in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat it with a splash of water or broth to bring back the fluffiness.
What can I substitute for culantro?
Cilantro is the easiest swap. It’s milder, but it still gives the sofrito that fresh, green flavor.
Is Puerto Rican rice spicy?
Not very. The chili adobo paste adds warmth and depth rather than heat. If you want more kick, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a bit more adobo paste.
Puerto Rican Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
Make a Soffrito
- 1 onion
- 2 cups peppers
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup culantro or cilantro
Make The Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup sofrito see above
- 1 tsp sazon seasoning mix
- 1 tbsp chili adobo paste
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup pimento olives sliced
- 15 oz 1 can pigeon peas, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups white rice medium or long grain, rinsed
- 3 cups water or broth
- Cilantro to garnish
Instructions
To Make A Soffrito
- Peel the onion & garlic. Roughly chop the onion and peppers, taking time to remove the seeds. Combine all ingredients and pulse until a consistent mix is formed. Use as a base for this savory rice
To Make The Rice
- Sauté oil with sofrito and spices. In a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Toss in the sofrito and cook until fragrant. Add the spices and mix to bloom for one minute.
- Add tomato sauce, olives, and peas. Stir everything to combine, cooking off the tomato sauce for a few minutes.
- Add rice, stirring to coat in the sauce, then add in the liquid. Bring everything to a boil over high heat. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir one last time before covering and cooking on low heat for 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked.
- Let sit then fluff and serve. Serve the rice and beans with additional cilantro and enjoy!
