Arroz con Gandules

Arroz con Gandules in English is Rice and Pigeon Peas. Packed with flavor and goes well with just about anything.

I would be remiss not to give my mom the credit for this one. She cooks it to perfection every time. It’s also a favorite when family from out of town comes to visit. I hear it all the time: “Could you make your rice Lisi?”, “Lisi’s rice is the best”, “I love your mom’s cooking”. I laugh because I know by default I get my mom’s rice whenever I want because I’m her daughter……..and the favorite.

Fun fact: I hated gandules as a kid. I would sit there and literally pick every last bit of them off my plate. Other days I was told I couldn’t leave that table until I ate every last bite (gandules and all). It was the equivalent of habichuelas (beans) and I detest habichuelas. Yes, I know….what kind of Puerto Rican am I? As an adult, I no longer pick the gandules off my plate because I’ve learned to appreciate it since it’s a big part of our culture. It’s also more tolerable than habichuelas. It took a few repetitions before I was able to perfect it, but I am very proud of this Puerto Rican dish and I am proud to share it with you.

Ingredients:

4 cups of medium grain rice
1 15 oz. can of goya gandules verdes (green pigeon peas)
5 1/2 cups of water
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black ground pepper
2-3 tablespoons of adobo (Goya)
1 packet of sazon con culantro y achiote
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of onion powder
3 tablespoons of homemade Sofrito or store bought
4 oz. of Goya tomato sauce
1 bay leaf

Directions:

Start by measuring 4 cups of rice in a strainer and set it to the side. Bring a caldero pot (3.2 qt) to medium to high heat. Add the water, olive oil, salt, pepper, adobo, sazon, garlic powder, onion powder, sofrito, tomato sauce, and bay leaf. Stir and bring everything to a boil before adding the gandules. Lastly, add the rice allow it to boil until the rice absorbs all of the water.

Once the rice has absorbed the water, line one sheet of foil over the pot. Place the lid over the sheet of foil and reduce the heat to the lowest setting to simmer. The foil helps keep the moisture in the pot so the rice doesn’t dry out. Let it simmer COVERED for 45 minutes.

Do not uncover the pot to stir the rice for at least 30 minutes or your rice will dry out. Trust me, I know. Set your timer and leave it alone. You will thank me later.

Best served with: Everything!! Pernil (pork), chicken, steak, avocado, salad, you name it!

Enjoy! Share your thoughts below.