Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

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This Puerto Rican rice recipe is a family favorite and a versatile dish because it pairs well with so many other Puerto Rican dishes. It can be made for special occasions or any occasion. You can make this classic Puerto Rican rice and add protein for an easy meal prep for the week. 

easy Puerto Rican Rice Recipe

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Puerto Rican Rice Recipe Ingredients 

Like many traditional Puerto Rican recipes this flavorful rice can be altered and made in different ways. It’s common for a family recipe to be tweaked here and there and this is no different. This is how we make this tasty side dish. You should be able to find these ingredients at your local grocery store: 

  • 1/2 cup avocado oil (or olive oil) (here)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup Spanish olives
  • 1/2 cup capers (here)
  • 1 pkg sazon seasoning (here)
  • 3/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh sofrito (here)
  • 1 – 15oz can green pigeon peas (here)
  • 5 cups extra long-grain white rice
  • small can of Vienna sausages, sliced (here)
  • 2 1/2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
ingredients for Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

​Rinse the Rice

The first thing to always do with all rice dishes is to rinse the rice. Place the long grain rice in a large bowl.

white long grain rice in large bowl

Rinse the rice with cold water. 

how to clean rice before cooking, Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

The key is to rinse with as much water as needed until the water turns from cloudy to clear. 

how to rinse white rice

When the rice is thoroughly rinsed set aside. 

rinsed rice

Puerto Rican Traditional Dish Directions

First, pour the oil into a large pot and heat over medium heat. We love our Caraway nonstick, non-toxic, ceramic cookware. You can find it online here: Caraway Cookware.

oil in large pot

Then add the bay leaves, oregano, salt, and sazón seasoning to the pot. . 

sazon seasoning for puerto rican rice

Add the Spanish olives. 

rice recipe with spanish olives

Next, add the capers. 

spanish rice with capers

Then the tomato sauce. 

tomato sauce in puerto ricen rice recipe

And the sofrito. You can use homemade sofrito or storebought. 

sofrito in puerto rican rice

Stir thoroughly and bring to a boil. (5-6 minutes).

simmer Puerto Rican Rice

Once boiling, add the pigeon peas, with the liquid, to the pot. 

pigeon peas and rice

Next, add the 5 cups of rice.

long grain white rice arroz con gandules

Then the water. You can use vegetable stock instead of water if you’d like. 

water and rice for Puerto Rican Rice Recipe

Stir the pot a couple times to mix the ingredients together. 

authentic Puerto Rican rice recipe

Then add the sliced Vienna sausages. You may often see an arroz con gandules recipe that calls for salt pork, which is salt-cured pork. Salt pork is usually prepared from pork belly, and it typically resembles an uncut slab of bacon but is fattier. You can use pork fat-rendered bacon drippings or Vienna sausages. These tend to be easy to find. 

stir rice and green peas and tomato sauce

Stir the Puerto Rican Rice recipe ingredients thoroughly and then cook uncovered over high heat until the water is absorbed. 

cook puerto rican rice

Puerto Rican Arroz Con Gandules Rice

After 10-12 minutes on high heat, add the fresh chopped cilantro.

fresh cilantro Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

Stir again, and finish cooking until water is absorbed. 

how to make Puerto Rican Rice, Arroz Con Gandule

Once the water is absorbed, lower the heat and simmer on low heat for one hour covered with an air-tight lid. Stir every 15 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Spanish rice with olives and peas

Delicious Puerto Rican Cuisine Rice Dish

If you love Puerto Rican food then this rice should be a staple in your meal planning.

Puerto Rican Rice dish with rice and green pigeon peas

The delicious flavor pairs well with so many of your favorite Puerto Rican dishes. Enjoy this rice as the main dish or alongside fried pork chops, pernil, or any chicken dish. A fried egg over leftover Puerto Rican rice makes an amazing breakfast the next day. 

Puerto Rican Rice Recipe, Easy Arroz Con Gandules

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days, and even freeze well for later. To freeze leftover rice: spoon rice into a freezer bag, squeeze out excess air, and place it in the freezer. 

Puerto RIcan RIce Recipe

Love Puerto Rican cuisine? Make sure to check out our Puerto Rican Chicken Soup recipe.

Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Easy Arroz Con Gandules)

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

This Puerto Rican rice recipe is a family favorite and a versatile dish because it pairs well with so many other Puerto Rican dishes.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup Spanish olives
  • 1/2 cup capers
  • 1 pkg sazon seasoning
  • 3/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup fresh sofrito
  • 1 - 15oz can green pigeon peas
  • 5 cups extra long-grain white rice
  • small can of Vienna sausages, sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly in clean water. Rinse until water turns from cloudy to clear. Set aside rice.
  2. Heat oil in a large pot.
  3. Add bay leaves, spices, spanish olives, capers, tomato sauce, and sofrito.
  4. Stir and bring to a boil, 5-6 minutes.
  5. Once boiling, add pigeon peas, rice, water (or vegetable stock) and stir.
  6. Add vienna sausages.
  7. Cook uncovered over high heat until water is absorbed.
  8. Around 10-12 minutes add cilantro.
  9. Once water is absorbed, lower heat to a simmer and simmer on low heat for an hour, covered with a tight fitting lid.
  10. Stir every 15 minutes to make sure the rice doesnt stick to the bottom of the pot.
  11. Serve and enjoy.

Do you love this recipe?

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5 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for this recipe! This is exactly the way they make it at one of my favorite restaurants minus the sausages. I was planning on making rice tomorrow so I might have to try this if I can make it to the store in time for the capers and pigeon peas. Thank you for sharing your post at the Senior Salon Pit Stop! I’m excited to be featuring you at Monday’s party. Congrats! Pinned
    Hugs,
    Maria @ kraftyplanner.com

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