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    Home » Recipes

    Sides and Salads

    Puerto Rican meals wouldn't be complete without crispy sides and vibrant salads. These dishes balance out the richness of the mains and bring a pop of color and freshness to the table.

    Think Tostones, Amarillos (Fried Sweet Plantains), and Ensalada de Coditos (Macaroni Salad), or lighter options like Ensalada Verde con Aguacate (Green Salad with Avocado).

    • Close-up of a forkful of arroz mamposteao, Puerto Rican rice and beans, held above a bowl on a blue patterned cloth.
      Mamposteao, a Puerto Rican Leftover Rice Comfort Food
    • A hand holding a smashed plantain. The rest of the plantains are in a towel-lined bowl sits behind it.
      Tostones de Plátano (Puerto Rican Smashed Fried Plantains)
    • Guineitos en escabeche served in a bowl with onions and green olives, a traditional Puerto Rican green banana salad
      Guineitos en Escabeche, Puerto Rican Pickled Green Bananas
    • A bowl of ceviche is in the center, with two smaller bowls of ceviche and forks. A large bowl of tostones is at the top right, with small lemon wedges at the top left.
      Ceviche de Pescado y Camarones, Grouper and Shrimp Ceviche
    • A hand holding a white bowl of funche topped with a dab of butter.
      Funche, Puerto Rican Grits
    • Large pot with cooked yellow rice.
      Arroz Amarillo, Puerto Rican Yellow Rice
    • There are three containers with cooked white rice: the top right is an orange Pyrex container with rice. Below to the left is a bowl of white rice, and at the bottom right is a small wooden bowl with "pegao," the rice that sticks to the pan.
      Arroz Blanco, Puerto Rican White Rice
    • A spoon full of stewed beans hovering over a bowl of cooked beans.
      Habichuelas Guisadas, (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans)
    • Wooden spoon with cooked beans hovering over a pot of rehydrated beans.
      Rehydrated Beans
    • Wooden mortar stuffed to the top with mofongo.
      Puerto Rican Mofongo Recipe
    • image of a serving of a roasted eggplant boat stuffed with shrimp and scallop pan stew.
      Easy Roasted Eggplant Boats
    • Two bowls with Crispy eggplant boats topped with shrimp stew and shredded parmesan cheese
      Chart A New Dinner With Delicious And Crispy Eggplant Boats
    • A heaping full fork of cauliflower yellow rice.
      Puerto Rican Inspired Keto Cauliflower Yellow Rice
    • Zucchini en escabeche in a platter
      Zucchini en Escabeche, Pickled Zucchini
    • two bowls of arroz con gandules.
      Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
    • an overhead view of a table set with two plates of arroz habichuelas and pan seared chicken thighs
      Puerto Rican Rice with Beans
    • A slice of pastelón plated on a plate with the skillet with pastelon in the background.
      Sweet Plantain Lasagna (Pastelón)
    • a spoon full of black beans
      Puerto Rican Black Beans. Frijoles Negros
    • Closeup of Sweet Potato Casserole
      The Easiest Sweet Potato Casserole You Could Ever Make
    • Pretzel Stuffing with Apples and Sausage
      The Ultimate Pretzel Stuffing with Chorizo, Apples, and Dates
    • Grilled Sweet Potatoes
      The Secret of Grilling Sweet Potatoes Flawlessly
    Woman holding a wooden spoon and smiling in a kitchen with hanging utensils and a vase of flowers on the counter.

    Hola! I'm Zoe. I love all things food and enjoy cooking. I created this site to reconnect with my Puerto Rican heritage while living in the United States. This is a great place to reconnect if you are floating in the diaspora. I would love to hear from you!

    About Zoe →

    Puerto Rican Christmas

    • Two glasses of cookies-and-cream coquito with crushed-cookie rims, surrounded by Oreo cookies and coquito ingredients, blurred in the background.
      Bacardi Gold Cookies and Cream Coquito
    • Top view of a molded pistachio tembleque garnished with shredded coconut and chopped pistachios on a white plate.
      Pistachio Tembleque
    • Overhead view of Puerto Rican ropa vieja (shredded beef stew) with white rice, stewed beans, and tomato slices, on a plate.
      Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef Recipe)
    • A close-up of pumpkin fritters coated in cinnamon sugar, one with a bite showing its bright orange, fluffy center, on a white plate over a green dotted napkin.
      Pumpkin Fritters, Barriguitas de Vieja (Old Lady Bellies)
    • Plates of biftec encebollado with onions, avocado, and yuca served family-style.
      Biftec Encebollado (Puerto Rican Steak and Onions)
    • Close-up of a roasted chicken thigh served with guineos en escabeche, cherry tomatoes, and a side of macaroni salad partially visible.
      Puerto Rican Pollo Asado, Oven-Roasted Chicken

    Popular Recipes

    • A plate of polvorones cookies with three semi-stacked cookies on top of the table resting in front of the plate.
      Puerto Rican Polvorones (Shortbread Cookies)
    • A blue and white dessert plate with a slice of bread pudding and caramel sauce on top of it.
      Budín de Pan (Puerto Rican Bread Pudding)
    • Close-up of a roasted chicken thigh served with guineos en escabeche, cherry tomatoes, and a side of macaroni salad partially visible.
      Puerto Rican Pollo Asado, Oven-Roasted Chicken
    • Close-up of shrimp and scallop stew over white rice, black beans, and fried sweet plantain, with a side of avocado and extra stew in the background.
      Quick Shrimp and Scallop Stew
    • A fork full of Pernil with a large serving bowl, avocados, dinner rolls, and small serving bowls with meat on the background.
      Instant Pot Puerto Rican Pernil (Pork Roast)
    • A hand holding a white bowl of funche topped with a dab of butter.
      Funche, Puerto Rican Grits

    I’d love to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Leave a review and rating below. Let’s connect on Instagram, and don’t forget to join my weekly email list for fresh new recipes.

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