Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

5 from 2 votes

Arroz con Gandules is one of those dishes that mark a season. And for Puerto Ricans, that season is the Holidays or any special celebration.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: puerto rican christmas recipes, Puerto Rican Inspirations, Side Dish

Cuisine: Puerto Rican

Servings: servings

Calories: 209kcal

Heat your pot. Add fat back and allow it to render its fat.
1 oz Fatback
Once the fat is rendered, the option to add extra olive oil if needed. Warm oil through, then add onions to soften. Add garlic, if using, to soften after the onions are soft and tender.
1 Onion, 1 clove Garlic
Add about a tablespoon of achiote (Annatto) oil for coloring.
2 tablespoon Achiote OIl
Add sofrito and quickly incorporate. Then, add gandules, whether rehydrated or drained from a can. Sauté lightly to integrate flavors, then add rice. Sauté rice until all grains are coated with oil.
2 tablespoon Sofrito, 1 can Pigeon Peas
Once rice grains are coated, add tomato sauce and liquid. Liquids could be water or your favorite flavored broth.
2 cups Rice, 2¼ cups Water
Add Sazon, Adob o, paprika, and bay leaves—mix pot. Bring liquid to a heavy simmer for about 10 minutes, uncovered. Option to cover with plantain leaves for added flavor. Cover, bring the heat to a minimum, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
1 tablespoon Loisa Sazon, 1 tablespoon Loisa Adobo, 1 teaspoon Paprika, 2 Bay Leaves
After 15 to 20 minutes, turn the heat completely off. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.

Rinse the Rice: there is much debate about whether to use rice or not the rice. Rinsing the rice removes the excess starches covering the grains or rice. I grew up rinsing the rice, but I have also cooked my rice without rinsing. I have found that rinsing the rice provides a grander final product.
Crisping the rice: Crisping the rice before we add the water helps to make the rice grainier and loose.
Broth with water: Adding a little water to your broth would help to keep the rice from getting too sticky.
Cooking Rice: Rice cooks for about 20 minutes in total. There is some simple math involved, though. For example, if cooking uncovered took 5 minutes, the rice would cook covered for 15 minutes. So adjust your covered time depending on how long it takes to cook uncovered.
Don't mush the rice: Check rice for doneness by fluffing rice with a fork. I have used a spoon before, but the big cooking spoon squashes the rice. The tines of the fork are far more delicate and allow you to lift the rice without smashing it.
Rice troubleshooting: If, by any chance, the rice is not entirely done, let it rest covered for a few minutes. If the rice is still undercooked, add about one-quarter cup of water, cover and set the burner to the lowest setting, and cook for another five to ten minutes.