Arroz con Mariscos (Puerto Rican Seafood Rice)

This Puerto Rican Arroz con Mariscos (Seafood Rice) is a flavorful rice dish packed with incredible seafood flavor. Delicious, budget-friendly and perfect for any day of the week!

In Puerto Rican cuisine, rice is everything. It's the most important and most eaten side dish in our homes, we make it several times a week without even thinking about it. Because we cook rice so often, having different versions to rotate through just makes sense. On any given week, you'll find the classics like arroz con pollo, arroz con habichuelas, arroz blanco, and arroz con maíz. Arroz con Mariscos is a sort of a Puerto Rican paella and is just another delicious way for us to switch things up. And it's feasibly more doable than you might think. Use a bag of frozen mixed seafood which keeps it simple and affordable. I normally like to use one bag of mixed and also like to add extra shrimps or calamari. And believe me, using frozen seafood, does not mean your rice lacks in seafood flavor! It’s just delicious!

Jump to:

• Seafood Broth or Water
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• What to Serve with Arroz con Mariscos
• Storing and Reheating
• Cathy’s Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQ’s
• Other Puerto Rican Seafood Dishes You Will Love
• 📖 Recipe

Seafood Broth or Water

You don't need seafood broth for this Puerto Rican-style seafood rice, water does the job just fine! That's one less thing to buy, which makes this dish even more budget-friendly.

As you sauté the seafood mix, it naturally releases juices that soak into the rice, giving it all the rich, savory flavor you'd expect from a broth. Trust me, your rice will taste just as delicious, no extra stock needed!

Ingredients

• medium grain rice
• frozen seafood mix
• onions
• red pepper or red pimiento peppers
• sofrito
• sazon with annatto
• fresh cilantro
• garlic
• vegetable or corn oil
• salt

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.

Instructions

Prep the Seafood

Step 1: Rinse the seafood.
Rinse the frozen seafood mix (Image 1) under cool water. Drain well, place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2: Prepare the squid (if using).
Rinse cleaned squid under cool water. Slice the bodies into ½-inch rings, leaving the tentacles whole (Image 2). Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3: Prep the veggies.
Chop the onion, red pepper (or pimiento), and garlic (Image 3). Set aside.

Cook the Rice

Step 4: Heat the pot.
In a caldero or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.

Step 5: Sauté.
Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the red pepper (or pimiento) and garlic (Image 4). Cook for 30 seconds.

Step 6: Add seasoning.
Stir in the sofrito and sazón. Cook for 1 minute (Image 5 & 6).

Step 7: Add the seafood.
Add the squid if using and the seafood mix (Images 7-9) . Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes only.

Rinse the Rice

Step 8: Wash the rice.
Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water (Image 10). Using your hand, gently move the rice around until the water turns cloudy. Drain and repeat 2-3 times, until the water runs mostly clear (Image 11).

Cook the Rice

Step 9: Add rice and water.
Add the rinsed rice to the pot along with the water and season with salt to taste (Images 12 & 13) and stir.

Step 10: Bring to a boil.
Leave uncovered and bring to a boil. Cook until most of the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. You'll see small bubbles forming across the surface (Images 15 & 16).

Step 11: Stir and cover.
After the water has evaporated, stir the rice gently in a circular motion, being careful not to disturb the “pegao (crispy rice)” at the bottom (Image 17).
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover immediately, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.

Step 12: Finish cooking.
After 15 minutes, lift the lid and stir gently. Top with chopped cilantro, cover again, and cook for another 15-20 minutes (Image 18).

Step 13: Final stir and serve.
Stir one last time. Rice should be fluffy and tender. Serve warm and enjoy (Image 19).

What to Serve with Arroz con Mariscos

Although arroz con mariscos can be eaten alone, we usually serve it with a side of habichuelas guisadas and fresh slices of avocado. We also love serving it with crispy garlic tostones or plátanos fritos on the side.

Storing and Reheating

• Storing: Allow the arroz con mariscos to cool slightly before storing. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Because this rice dish contains seafood, do not eat it past 2 days as it can become unsafe to consume.

• Reheating on the stove: To reheat, place the rice in a skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water, cover, and allow it to steam gently until heated through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

• Reheating in the microwave. Reheat individual portions. Sprinkle a little water over the rice, cover loosely, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warm.

Cathy’s Expert Tips

• Cooking the seafood. This is the most important rule. Seafood cooks fast. You're only sautéing it briefly because it will finish cooking as the rice steams. Overcooking early will make it rubbery.

• Use a heavy-bottomed pot. A caldero or Dutch oven distributes heat evenly and helps create the beautiful pegao at the bottom without burning the rice.

• Rinse the rice. Rinsing removes the excess starch and helps the rice grains stay separate instead of sticky.

• Do not lift the lid. Once the rice is covered and cooking, leave it alone. Lifting the lid too early, releases to much steam and stuns the rice, causing it to not cook correctly.

Recipe FAQ’s

Other Puerto Rican Seafood Dishes You Will Love

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📖 Recipe