Arroz con Gandules (Pigeon Peas and Rice)

This Arroz con Gandules Receta (Pigeon Peas and Rice) is the quintessential rice of Puerto Rico.  Always served for the holidays and never absent from the table.  Excellent side dish with any meat especially pork, turkey and beef.

This iconic dish is a beloved staple in Puerto Rican households, and although made throughout the year, is never absent on the table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years or Dia de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day).

It weaves together the richness of seasoned rice with the earthy essence of pigeon peas, creating a symphony of taste that embodies the spirit of the island.

What are Pigeon Peas?

Lets begin with what are pigeon peas?

Pigeon Peas, otherwise known as “Gandule” or “gandules” in Puerto Rico, is a small round bean with a nutty flavor.

These beans are highly common in the Caribbean and West Indies and is said to have originated either in Africa or India.

They are green when first harvested but can be yellowish to a brownish color as well.

If you live in an area where a lot of Latin people reside, you are sure to find gandules in any specialty store.  You can find them either, canned, frozen or dried.  But luckily for us, the canned version (usually Goya brand) is easily found in the Latin section of your local supermarket or Walmart depending on where you live in the country.

Other Popular Dishes Made with Gandules in Puerto Rico

Although arroz con gandules is by far the most popular dish made with this bean in Puerto Rico, two other popular dishes are:

Gandules Guisados (Stewed Pigeon Peas)

Asopao de Gandules (Pigeon Pea Soup)

I will definitely be making both dishes soon so keep an eye out for these as well.

Ingredients to Make Arroz con Gandules Receta (Pigeon Peas and Rice Recipe)

• 2 ½ cups medium grain rice
• 1 (15.5 oz) can pigeon peas (gandules)
• 3 tablespoons sofrito
• 4 ounces ham steak, salted pork fat (tocino) cut into small cubes or 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste or 4 ounces of tomato sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons powdered chicken bouillon or 1 (15oz) can of chicken broth
• 1 packet Sazon with Annatto (I use Goya brand)
• 1 packet of ham bouillon
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons green olives stuffed with pimientos
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt to taste

Toppings (optional)

• handful of fresh cilantro
• red pepper pimientos strips in brine

How to Make Arroz con Gandules Receta/How to Make Pigeon Peas and Rice

Note:  Key to making any Puerto Rican rice is to use a “caldero” or a cooking cauldron.  A caldero is made of cast iron and allows the rice to cook uniform and also creates a crispy bottom layer to caldero known as “pegao.”  Do not use a non stick saucepan to make Puerto Rican rice as it will not cook the same at all.  If you do not have a caldero, use a dutch oven instead.

1. Over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a caldero or dutch oven.
2. Add ham steak cubes and saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add the sofrito, sazon, ham bouillon, chicken bouillon, oregano, bay leaf, olives and tomato paste if using (if using tomato sauce, we will add later) and stir.  Saute for 3-5 minutes.
4. Add the full can of gandules including the water they came into the pot.  If using tomato sauce instead of tomato paste, add now.
5. Fill the same can the beans came in with water (15.5 ounces of water) and add to pot.  Stir all ingredients together.

1. While the cooking base and gandules are sauteing, rinse the white rice in water until water runs pretty clear, about 3 rinses.

*(This removes the talc coating (peril) that helps preserve the rice)

1. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir.
2. Add salt to taste.  (I usually add a little less than a teaspoon just to give you an idea)
3. Test to see if you have enough water in pot to cook rice.

*TIP:  You know you have added enough water to rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in pot.

1. Raise heat to medium high and allow liquid to almost completely dry out.  About 5 minutes.

Note:  Watch rice that it doesn’t dry out so much that the bottom will burn.  This will drastically carry the burnt flavor into rice and it will taste awful!

1. Stir rice with a large spoon, cover immediately with a lid and lower heat to medium low.  (Do not worry about the “pegao” that has built on the bottom of the pan, avoid stirring so hard as to remove pegao from bottom, we do not want the pegao to be distributed into the rice)  Cook for 15 minutes on medium low.

(Note:  Once you have stirred and covered rice DO NOT REMOVE lid to check on rice until it is time to check on it again or rice will stun and remain hard grain and pretty much never cook the right way!)

1. After 15 minutes, remove lid and stir again (rice will be even drier now, which is good!), cover pot and cook for another 15 minutes.
2. Remove lid and stir again.  Rice is done and should be dry and fluffy, not wet and sticky.

You now have made the delicious cultural quintessential Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas!

Top with fresh chop cilantro (about ¼ cup or handful, optional) and decorate top of rice with red pepper pimientos strips in brine (optional)

For more delicious rice dishes, you will also enjoy these:

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas)

Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Arroz con Carne (Rice with Meat)

Puerto Rican Rice (Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn)

Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo)

Arroz Mamposteao ( “Dirty Rice” and Beans)

Morisqueta (Mexican dish consisting of white rice, topped with beans and a savory tomato sauce made with onions, garlic and serrano peppers which is then finished with crumbled queso fresco, Mexican crema and chopped cilantro)

Cilantro Lime Rice

Arroz Blanco ( Puerto Rican White Rice)

📖 Recipe