This Arroz Mamposteao recipe is a delicious blend of white rice, combined with stewed beans, bacon, onions, peppers and spices creating the most flavorful rice. Perfect side dish for pork chops, steak and chicken.
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Arroz Mamposteao
Today we are going to take a step away from Mexican dishes and savor in another delicious Puerto Rican dish, Arroz Mamposteao.
Translation and Origin
On our beautiful island of Puerto Rico, rice is a staple and an absolute must. It is consumed at almost every meal without falter.
However, from all the multitude of rice dishes we have, this rice dish is by far one of my favorite of them all.
So what does this long word translate into? Arroz mamposteao, basically translates to stewed beans and rice.
This iconic Puerto Rican rice dish, originated from the need and want to make a different dish with the leftover white rice and red stewed beans from the night before.
However, although it is common practice to use leftover rice and beans, this rice has become so popular that restaurants throughout the island will purposefully make white rice and stewed beans just to make arroz mamposteao for their patrons.
And sometimes I do the same when I don’t have leftover rice and red beans. 🙂 I just love the flavor.
The rice and beans are combined with Puerto Rican spices and the flavor and texture of the beans and rice are then taken to another level while still being moist and creamy.
All Puerto Rican homes and chefs have their own way of making arroz mamposteao. But certain ingredients are universal.
Of course the rice and beans as well as garlic, onions and peppers. But traditionally you will add pieces of either chopped ham, chorizo or bacon. Sometimes you will even see ripe plantain pieces mixed in with the rice.
I made my rice with bacon, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro and scallions.
Traditionally you will already have homemade Puertorican stewed beans, however if you are not in the mood to make the beans a good flavored can of already seasoned red beans will work. WARNING: These will not produce the same flavor in the rice but will work in a jam. But keep in mind, nothing beats a good pot of homemade Puertorican beans. (You can usually find premade seasoned canned red beans in the Latin section of your supermarket) However, I will also include a recipe for “habichuelas guisadas” (stewed beans).
Start with sauteing bacon cut into small pieces in a skillet.
Then add the peppers and onion and saute for a few minutes. Add the chopped garlic, soy sauce and stir and saute all together until onions are translucent.
Have the rice and beans ready.
Add the beans to the pepper, onion, garlic, soy sauce and bacon mixture. Stir.
Add the white rice.
Stir rice and beans well until you no longer see white rice. Cook for about 7-10 minutes.
Top with chopped scallions and cilantro. Stir well.
Rice is ready. Serve with more chopped scallions and cilantro.
Rice can be accompanied with grilled steak, chicken, fried pork chops etc and avocado slices. Enjoy!
For another delicious rice dish, you may like:
Here’s a delicious Cuban dish you may like as well:
This Arroz Mamposteao recipe is a delicious blend of white rice, stewed beans, bacon, onions, peppers and spices creating the most flavorful rice. Perfect side dish for pork chops, steak and chicken.
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup of Puertorican stewed red beans (recipe below) or a good can of seasoned beans such as Goya found in the International aisle of supermarket , see notes below
- 1 green or red bell pepper chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 3-5 slices of bacon cut into small pieces
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3-4 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves chopped (more for topping)
- 2 scallions thinly sliced (more for topping)
- 1 15 ounce red or pink beans I like the Goya brand found usually in the Latin section of supermarket
- 1 1/4 can full of water (use the same can that beans came in)
- 4 ounce tomato sauce any tomato sauce works but I use the Goya brand
- 1/2 a green pepper chopped
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro
- 1-2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1-2 heaping tablespoons of sofrito *see notes below for finding a prepared version in supermarket or follow my "quick sofrito" recipe below
- half a packet of Sazón with (Coriander and Annatto) Culantro and Achoite found in International/Latin aisle of supermarket
- half a packet of ham flavor (if you have ham steak, even better, cut into small pieces) I like the Goya jamón (ham)
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt to taste
- 1 green bell pepper rinsed, seeds removed and cut in quarters
- 1/2 onion quartered
- 1 roma tomato rinsed and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
- 3 tbsp oil
Add all ingredients to a chopper or blender and blend until smooth.
To preserve, keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator if using in the next few weeks.
Otherwise freeze in ice cube trays and then place in a freezer bag after frozen. No need to thaw out before use.
In a saucepan over medium heat, add a tablespoon of oil. Saute onions and peppers for a few minutes until onions start to turn translucent.
Add sofrito and saute for about 2 minutes.
Add beans, garlic, ham bouillon (or if using ham steak saute for a few minutes), sazón, water and tomato sauce. Let cook for 15 minutes.
Add cilantro and salt to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes. Done.
In a skillet over medium heat, saute the bacon until golden brown. Drain some of the excess fat out of the pan but keep some in for flavor.
Add peppers and onions and saute until onions are translucent. Add garlic and saute for a minute. Add soy sauce. Stir.
Add a cup of the cooked habichuelas guisadas (or seasoned can version). Stir and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add rice and stir rice and beans together until no white grains are seen. Add scallions and cilantro and mix. Cook for 10 minutes. Done.
Serve with extra scallions and cilantro on top.
Serve with fried or baked pork chops, grilled steak, chicken or whatever cut of met your heart desires.
***Nowadays, it is much easier to find prepared versions of Puerto Rican spices and beans in your supermarket.
*If you are using seasoned can beans, try and see if your supermarket has the Goya Brand "Red Beans in Sauce" these come in a 15 ounce red can, that say "Heat and Serve." Usually found in the Latin or International aisle of your supermarket.
*Not the blue Goya can, these are used to make homemade beans from scratch.
*Sazón can also be found in the Latin/International aisle.
*If you're making the "quick" homemade "habichuelas guisadas" you can choose to buy a "premade sofrito" by the Goya brand that comes in a glass jar and the sofrito is red.
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