Puerto Rican Crab Rice, Arroz con Jueyes
Crab Rice is a one-pot Puerto Rican dish made with sofrito, achiote oil, and crab meat. It's simple to make, full of flavor, and a classic on the island’s northeast coast—especially in Loíza.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 123kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup tocino small diced
- ¼ cup ham small diced
- 1 cup onion small diced
- ¼ cup ajies dulce small chop (use peppers as substitue0
- 2 tablespoon sofrito
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste or 2 garlic cloves
- 2 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 green olives optional
- 1 tablespoon capers optional
- 2 tablespoon achiote oil
- 1 cup medium-grain rice or favorite rice
- 1 cup fish broth or water
- 1½ cups crab meat all shells removed
Instructions
- Render the tocino and ham until golden and crispy. This step builds depth and a savory base for the rice.
- Add achiote oil, onions, and ajíes dulces. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften and the oil turns golden and aromatic.
- Stir in sofrito and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the mixture becomes thick and saucy.
- Add tomato sauce, olives, and capers. Stir to combine and let it simmer to deepen the flavor.
- Add the rice and mix to coat every grain with the seasoned base.
- Pour in the fish broth and stir once. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes. Then reduce to low and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes, undisturbed, until tender. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Top Tip
Don’t over-stir the rice: Once you add the liquid, stir to even it out, then let it be. Too much stirring breaks the grains and messes with the texture. Plus, minimal stirring gives you a better shot at that glorious pegao at the bottom.Expert Tips
- Don’t over-stir the rice: Once you add the liquid, stir to even it out, then let it be. Too much stirring breaks the grains and messes with the texture. Plus, minimal stirring gives you a better shot at that glorious pegao at the bottom.
- Let the flavors build: Sauté the sofrito until it’s fragrant and the oil turns green—it means the aromatics have released their magic. Don’t rush this part.
- Watch your crab meat: Add crab toward the end to keep its texture intact. Overcooking it makes it stringy and dull.
- Let it rest before serving: Once the rice is done, turn off the heat and cover it for 5 to 10 minutes. This allows steam to redistribute, making the rice fluffier.
- Add a touch of broth if reheating: Leftovers reheat well, but a splash of broth or water helps revive the texture without drying it out.
Nutrition
Serving: 4oz | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
