Arroz a la Jardinera (Garden Style Rice) is a savory medley of rice and mixed vegetables, perfect for any day of the week or any island-inspired feast!
Also called Arroz con Vegetales or Arroz a la Primavera, this savory rice dish makes a perfect weeknight side. Pair it with favorites like Chuletas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Pork Chops), Camarones a la Plancha (Grilled Shrimp) Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops (Chuletas Fritas), or Costillas Fritas (Fried Ribs) for a delicious flavorful meal.
For a really simple meal, pair it with a side of beans like these Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans) or these amazingly flavorful Black Beans (Frijoles Negros) and a side of avocado or fresh salad.
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Vegetable Variety: Offering a delightful mix of veggies, this rice dish elevates traditional rice dishes from plain white or yellow rice.
- Versatility: Perfect as a standalone dish or paired with various options like pork, chicken, beef and fish. Delicious with Mojarra Frita (Fried Tilapia)!
- Easy Weeknight Option: It’s quick and easy to prepare making it a good option for busy weeknight dinners without sacrificing taste.
- Nutrient-Rich: Packed with vegetables, this dish not only satisfies your taste buds but also provides essential nutrients for a well-balanced meal.
- Entertaining: With its colorful mix of vegetables, this dish is excellent for entertaining and holidays.
Ingredients
- Rice – I used medium grain rice but long grain or jasmine rice are equally suitable for this dish.
- Bacon – In addition to bacon, you can also add cubed ham steak and pork back fat (tocino).
- Frozen Vegetables – I prefer to use frozen mixed vegetables instead of canned mixed vegetables.
- Pimiento Peppers – Add pimiento pepper slices at the end of cooking for extra delicious flavor and visual appeal.
- Puerto Rican Sofrito – Follow our easy sofrito recipe, and save the extra for other Puerto Rican dishes.
- Sazon with Annatto – Sazon adds flavor and the beautiful color to this dish.
- Garlic – Garlic always adds a ton of flavor to any rice dish. Use garlic puree or chopped garlic.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegetables: Although this recipe uses a mixed bag of frozen vegetables, you can easily add other veggie favorites like broccoli and snap peas.
- Canned Mixed Vegetables: You can also use a can of mixed vegetables instead of frozen.
- Bacon: In place or in addition to the bacon, you can add cubed ham.
- Beans: Add a can of drained black beans to the rice while cooking.
- Olives: Pimiento stuffed olives are delicious in this dish however, feel free to exclude if you do not like olives.
- Chicken: Add chunks of chicken breast for a delicious twist.
Instructions
Step 1: Rinse the rice in water until the water runs clear, typically about 3 rinses (Images 1 and 2). Strain the water with your hand or through a colander (Image 3). Set aside until ready to use.
Note: Rinsing the rice, removes the talc coating “peril” that helps preserve the rice.
Step 2: Add the bacon to a caldero or Dutch oven pot over medium heat and cook until crispy (See Image 4). Then, add the sofrito, sazon, oregano, chicken bouillon, garlic, and olives. Stir well (See Image 5) and cook for two minutes (See Image 6).
Step 3: Add the water and bring to a boil. Then add the rice (Image 7) followed by the vegetables (Image 8). Stir the rice and sprinkle about 1 ½ teaspoons of salt (or to taste) on top.
*TIP: You know you have added enough water to rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in the pot (Image 9).
Step 4: Cook rice on medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes until the water has nearly evaporated (See Image 10). Stir the rice with a large spoon (See Image 11), then promptly cover with a lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Note: Once you have stirred and covered the rice, DO NOT REMOVE the lid to check on it until it is time. Doing so will cause the rice to “stun” causing it to remain raw and will never cook properly.
Tip: When stirring the rice, do not disturb the “pegao” (crispy rice bottom) that has built on the bottom of the pot. You do not want to distribute the pegao into the rice.
Step 5: After 15 minutes, uncover and stir the rice (it should be drier, which is ideal). Cover again and cook for another 15 minutes. Uncover, stir, and it’s ready. Garnish with strips of pimiento peppers and fresh chopped cilantro (See Image 12) before serving.
Expert Cooking Tips
Use a Lid that Seals the Pot
- Using a properly sized lid ensures the rice cooks evenly. If the lid doesn’t fit, cover with aluminum foil before placing the lid.
Use the Right Amount of Rice to Water Ratio
- You’ll know you’ve added sufficient water to the rice when a large spoon is nearly submerged in the liquid in the pot (See Image 9).
Using a Rice Cooker
- You can use a rice cooker, just note that you will not get the crispy bottom as you would when using a caldero or dutch oven pot.
Recipe FAQs
Optimal vegetables for Arroz a la Jardinera should withstand cooking without breaking apart. Choose frozen mixed veggies or fresh ones like carrots, green beans, corn, and peas. Excellent alternatives include broccoli, snap peas, and mushrooms.
Absolutely! Rather than adding the vegetables with the rice, incorporate the drained can of vegetables when stirring the rice for the second time to prevent them from breaking down.
You can enhance this rice dish by using vegetable broth in place of the water.
Certainly! In Puerto Rican Cuisine, it’s a delight paired with Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans) on top. Just scrape the bottom with a spoon and spoon the beans over it.
For small amounts of leftover rice, use an airtight container; otherwise, refrigerate the whole pot once it has cooled some. Consume within four days.
No the rice must be refrigerated if there are any leftovers. *If cooked rice is left out overnight on the kitchen counter, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria like Bacillus cereus, leading to food poisoning if consumed. It’s best to refrigerate cooked rice promptly to prevent bacterial growth.
Other Rice Dishes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Arroz a la Jardinera
Equipment
- Caldero or Dutch oven pot
Ingredients
- 3 cups medium grain rice rinsed
- 10 ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
- 4 strips bacon chopped
- 3 tablespoon sofrito
- 1½ envelopes Sazon with Annatto
- 2 tablespoon garlic puree or 4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 large chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt to taste
- 3 cups water
Toppings
- handful fresh cilantro rinsed and chopped
- roasted pepper strips (pimiento morrones)
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in water until the water runs clear, typically about 3 rinses. Strain the water with your hand or through a colander. Set aside until ready to use.
- Add the bacon to a caldero or Dutch oven pot over medium heat and cook until crispy. Then, add the sofrito, sazon, oregano, chicken bouillon, garlic, and olives. Stir well and cook for two minutes.
- Add the water and bring to a boil. Then add the rice, followed by the vegetables. Stir the rice and sprinkle about 1 ½ teaspoons of salt (or to taste) on top.*TIP: You know you have added enough water to rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in the pot.
- Raise the heat to medium-high heat and cook the rice for approximately 5 minutes until the water has nearly evaporated. Stir the rice with a large spoon, then promptly cover with a lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.Note: Once you have stirred and covered the rice, DO NOT REMOVE the lid to check on it until it is time. Doing so will cause the rice to "stun" causing it to remain raw and will never cook properly. *Tip: When stirring the rice, do not disturb the "pegao" (crispy rice bottom) that has built on the bottom of the pot. You do not want to distribute the pegao into the rice.
- After 15 minutes, uncover and stir the rice (it should be drier, which is ideal). Cover again and cook for another 15 minutes. Uncover, stir, and it's ready. Garnish with strips of pimiento peppers and fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
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