Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza

These Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans with Pumpkin) are the perfect companion to a multitude of Puerto Rican rice dishes and pair excellent with any meat or seafood. A true Puerto Rican staple!

You will never come across a Puerto Rican that will say, “I don’t know what Habichuelas Guisadas are!”  These are a true and forever staple in our homes!

We make these savory beans at least once a week (usually more!) to serve alongside our many popular rice dishes.

Why? Because…..

Habichuelas guisadas are just delicious and a true comfort food indeed!

It’s hard to make these beans even more delicious than what they already are, but add a few pumpkin chunks and you sure can make them even more delicious! Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza! (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans with Pumpkin) are amazing!

Some of Our Most Popular Rice Dishes We Serve Habichuelas Guisadas with:

Arroz Blanco (Puerto Rican White Rice) – the quintessential rice! The be all, end all, because it can be paired with not only habichuelas guisadas but paired with any meat, fish or seafood. 

Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice (Arroz con Pollo) – this inexpensive delicious combination was my favorite meal growing up, made by my mother and still is today! Note: I still haven’t met anyone that makes this dish more delicious than her, including myself! 🙂

Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn (Arroz Amarillo con Maiz) – love corn? This will be one of the most welcoming rice dishes you will ever serve in your home, guaranteed!

Arroz con Salchichas (Yellow Rice with Vienna Sausages) one of the best combos served with Puerto Rican Stewed Beans (Hence, Habichuelas Guisadas!) Note: Recipe coming really soon!

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz y Habichuelas) – one of our most famous rice dishes that already has beans is sometimes served beside these savory beans! THAT’S HOW PERFECTLY DELICIOUS THEY ARE!!!

Even Mexican Rice Dishes welcome these comforting beans!

Cilantro Lime Rice is a delicious example!

We also love to serve habichuelas guisadas alongside sorullitos (fried corn sticks) AMAZING TOGETHER!!

Dunk a sorullito into the savory sauce for an explosive combination while also enjoying the beans as a treat!

UTENSIL REQUIRED-SPOON!

What do we need to make these amazing beans?

Ingredients for Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza

• 2 cans of red or pink beans or one large 1lb 13 oz can, rinsed and drained (I use Goya brand)
• paste or tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup steak ham (cubed), 1 smoked ham hock, ham bouillon (1 packet) or 1/4 cup smoked kielbasa sausage
• 1/2 lb of potatoes
• ½ lb pumpkin (can use acorn squash)   
• 1/3 cup of onions
• 1/2 cup of green pepper
• 2-3 tbsp of pimiento olives
• 2 heaping tbsp of Puerto Rican sofrito
• 2 garlic cloves
• fresh cilantro (optional if you don’t like cilantro)
• 1/4 teaspoon of oregano
• 1 Sazon with Coriander and Annatto packet (found in the Latin section)
• 1/2 teaspoon of adobo (found in the Latin section)
• oil
• salt

Note:  If you live somewhere where you can find fresh culantro, add two leaves chopped to the sauce while cooking.  Culantro is another key ingredient in Puerto Rican cooking but is a little bit harder to find.  However, if you can find it, your beans will be that much yummier!

How to Make Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza

1. In a saucepan or caldero add 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat.  Saute the ham for 2 minutes stirring.
2. Add sofrito and stir fry with ham for 2 minutes.
3. Then add the pepper and onions.  Cook until slightly translucent and add garlic.  Cook for a minute.
4. Add tomato sauce or paste, olives, cilantro, spices and water.

1. Rinse acorn squash and cut half of the acorn into large chunks, making sure to remove seeds. Set aside for now.

Note: You do not need to remove the skin from the acorn squash because once beans are cooked, the skin falls off easily when eating.

(Wrap the rest of the acorn with saran wrap and reserve in refrigerator for the next time you make more beans or use the whole acorn now if you would like extra pumpkin pieces in your Puerto Rican beans.)

1. Add beans and potatoes and season with salt to taste.
2. Cooks beans for 25 minutes.
3. Add the pumpkin pieces to the pot and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until pumpkin and potatoes are tender. 

Top with more fresh cilantro once done.

*Serve your Habichuelas Guisadas with any of the above rice dishes.

For a complete Puerto Rican Meal Try Habichuelas con Calabaza with:

Arroz con Pollo ( Puerto Rican Chicken and Rice) and Platanos Fritos (Puerto Rican Sweet Plantains)

Arroz Blanco (Puerto Rican White Rice), Fried or Baked Pork Chops and Garlic Tostones (Fried Green Plantains)

Puerto Rican White Rice with Ropa Vieja and avocado slices.

Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew), arroz blanco and avocado slices. 

Leftover beans? Make Arroz Mamposteao (Dirty Rice with Beans)!  Excellent!

How Long Will Habichuelas Guisadas con Calabaza Last in the Refrigerator

Store beans in the same pot they were cooked in or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Do Habichuelas Guisadas Freeze Well?

Yes, store beans in an airtight container for up to 1 month, then thaw for a few minutes and pour contents into a pot. Heat beans for 10 -15 minutes over medium heat.

Can also microwave beans until beans are fully heated through.

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