Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas) is a delicious timeless classic made with red beans, fluffy rice, sofrito, and other vibrant flavors. This side dish complements any meal beautifully and is perfect any day of the week.
In Puerto Rico, Arroz con Gandules stands as our national rice dish, a culinary treasure cherished by many. Following closely in popularity are Arroz Blanco with Habichuelas Guisadas and the delightful Arroz con Habichuelas, or Puerto Rican Rice and Beans. This particular rice dish is woven so deeply into our culture that it has earned a prominent place in some of the most beloved songs that celebrate our heritage.
Within this post, I’ll guide you through a detailed, step-by-step process for creating this iconic rice dish that’s sure to be a favorite for everyone.
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Flavorful Tradition: This recipe captures the authentic flavors and rich cultural heritage of its origin.
- Wholesome Ingredients: The recipe incorporates healthy ingredients like rice, beans, and aromatic spices, making it a wholesome meal option.
- Easy Preparation: If you’re new to making Puerto Rican rice, our step-by-step instructions will help you make this delicious rice dish in no time.
- Universal Appeal: The delicious taste of this dish makes it a crowd-pleaser, perfect not only for your family but excellent for entertaining.
How to Make the Best Arroz con Habichuelas
The key to making any Puerto Rican rice is to use the right cooking pot. A “caldero“ is the traditional pot used for making Puerto Rican rice. It is made of cast aluminum that allows the rice to cook uniformly and creates a crispy bottom layer known as “pegao.”
For the best results when making this rice, do not use a nonstick saucepan as the rice will not cook the same. If you do not have a caldero, use a Dutch oven pot instead.
Ingredients
- Rice – use medium grain.
- Red Beans – use small red beans or red kidney beans.
- Ham Steak and Pork Fat (Tocino)– adds delicious authentic flavor to the dish.
- Sofrito – the base ingredient to many Puerto Rican dishes.
- Sazon with Annatto – adds flavor and color to the rice.
- Chicken Bouillon – use cubed or powdered bouillon.
- Olives– use pimiento stuffed olives.
- Oil – use vegetable or corn oil.
*See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and instructions.*
Substitutions and Variations
Can I Use Other Beans?
- For the best most authentic dish, use small red (habichuelas rojas) or pink beans (habichuelas rosadas).
Do I Have to Use Pork Fat?
- If you cannot find pork fat (tocino) or do not want to use it in your rice dish, simply exclude it.
Can I Use Long Grain Rice Instead?
- Authentically medium grain rice is what is used for most Puerto Rican rice dishes however long grain rice is popular in many homes.
Can I Use Other Seasonings to Color My Rice?
- You can use a little bit of achiote oil (annatto oil) in place of the vegetable oil plus some tomato sauce or tomato paste.
Can I Use Culantro Leaves Instead of Cilantro?
- Culantro is one of my favorite herbs to use in Puerto Rican Cuisine. Unfortunately, it’s not easily found in all areas. If you can find it in your area, add a few leaves chopped to the rice. It’s just delicious, especially in Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans).
How to Present this Rice Dish for a Gathering?
- After cooking it, place the rice in a casserole or platter and top it with strips of red roasted peppers for a prettier presentation and a more elegant look.
Instructions
Step 1: Rinsing the Rice. Add the rice to a bowl and rinse it under cool water. Drain the rice and rinse again. Continue rinsing until the water runs pretty clear, about 3 rinses. Note: This removes the talc coating (peril) that helps to preserve the rice)
Step 2: Saute the Tocino and Ham. In a caldero (dutch oven pot) over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the pork fat (tocino) and ham and stir (Image 4). Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown (Image 5).
Step 2: Sofrito and Sazon. Add the sofrito and the sazon (Image 6). Stir and cook for a minute (Image 7).
Step 3: Add the Beans. Add the drained beans to the pot (Image 8).
Step 4: Water and Seasonings. Add the chicken bouillon, olives and the water (Image 9).
Step 5: Add the Rice. Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir (Image 10). Add salt to taste. (I use about a teaspoon).
*TIP: You know you have added enough water to rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in pot.
Step 6: Cooking. Cook the rice for about 5 minutes on high heat until most of the water has evaporated. (Image 11).
Step 7: First Stir. Stir the rice with a large spoon and cover immediately with a lid. Lower the heat to medium low and cook for 15 minutes (Image 12). (DO NOT lift the lid during these 15 minutes or the rice will stun and never cook correctly.)
Note: When stirring the rice, avoid stirring so hard as to remove some of the pegao (the crispy bottom layer) from the bottom of the pot. You do not want the pegao to be distributed into the rice.
Step 8: Second Stir. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the rice again. Cover the pot and cook for another 15 minutes (Image 13). After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the rice again. The rice is now fully cooked, top with chopped fresh cilantro (Image 14).
What to Serve with Arroz con Habichuelas?
There are countless dishes you can serve with this rice dish, here are some delicious ideas.
- Costillas Fritas (Fried Ribs)
- Bistec Encebollado (Cube Steak and Onions)
- Chuletas a la Jardinera (Puerto Rican Garden Style Pork Chops)
- Alitas de Pollo Fritas (Fried Chicken Wings)
- Chuletas con Salsa de Cilantro (Pork Chops with Cilantro Sauce)
- Pollo Rostizado (Rotisserie Chicken)
- Puerto Rican Fried Pork Chops (Chuletas Fritas)
Expert Cooking Tips
- Oil – Do not use any special oil like olive oil, instead, use vegetable or corn oil.
- Rinsing – Not every Puerto Rican household rinses their rice but if you’re new to making Latin rice, this not only removes the starchy coating but also helps to avoid your rice turning out sticky.
- Do Not Add Too Much Water – To avoid your rice cooking sticky, add the correct rice-to-water ratio. A good tip to follow for medium grain rice: You know you have added enough water to the rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in pot.
- Do Not Lift Lid – Do not lift the lid during cooking interval times or the rice will stun and remain uncooked.
Recipe FAQs
Instant rice cannot be used for this dish. Use solely medium or long grain rice.
Pegao is the crispy layer of rice that forms at the bottom of the pot. Many Puerto Ricans enjoy consuming the pegao all on its own but the best is with a topping of habichuelas guisadas. Once you’re done enjoying the pot of rice, if you’re not interested in the pegao, simply discard.
To guarantee you create the perfect layer of pegao, simply cook a few minutes extra between the 15 minute intervals.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator and consume it within 5 days.
To clean the pot, use a spoon to scrape as much of the rice out of the pot and discard. Then fill the pot with a drop of dish soap and add hot water to the pot to cover the bottom. Allow the pot to soak for a few hours and then scrape any remainder of rice off the bottom. Strain the rice bits and water through a strainer and discard the rice bits. Wash the pot using dish soap and a scouring pad.
Another alternative is to add some water to the pot and heat the pot over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes and then proceed with the previous instructions. Using this technique cleans the pot a whole lot faster.
Other Puerto Rican Rice Dishes
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📖 Recipe
Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas)
Ingredients
- 2 cups medium grain rice rinsed
- 1 15.5 ounce small red, pink beans or kidney beans liquid drained from can
- 3 tablespoon sofrito
- ⅓ cup pork fat (tocino) cut into small cubes
- ½ cup ham steak cut into small cubes
- 1 packet Sazon with Culantro and Achoite found in the Latin section of most supermarkets
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes or powder
- 2 tablespoon pimiento stuffed olives
- handful fresh cilantro chopped for topping
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or corn oil
- salt to taste
- 2-3 sprigs fresh culantro optional but flavors rice deliciously if you can find in your area
Instructions
- Add the rice to a bowl and rinse it under cool water. Drain the rice and rinse again. Continue rinsing until the water runs pretty clear, about 3 rinses. Note: This removes the talc coating (peril) that helps to preserve the rice)
- In a caldero (dutch oven pot) over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the pork fat (tocino) and the ham and stir. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.
- Add the sofrito and the sazon. Stir and cook for a minute.
- Add the drained beans to the pot.
- Add the chicken bouillon, olives and the water.
- Add the rinsed rice to the pot and stir. Add salt to taste. (I use about a teaspoon).*TIP: You know you have added enough water to rice when a large spoon is almost fully covered by the liquid in the pot.
- Cook the rice for about 5 minutes on high heat until most of the water has evaporated.
- Stir the rice with a large spoon and cover immediately with a lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 15 minutes. Note: DO NOT lift the lid during these 15 minutes or the rice will stun and never cook correctly.Note 2: When stirring the rice, avoid stirring so hard as to remove some of the pegao (the crispy bottom layer) from the bottom of the pot. You do not want the pegao to be distributed into the rice.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the rice again. Cover the pot and cook for another 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and stir the rice again. The rice is now fully cooked, top with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition
Gina says
Cathy,
Love this recipe and have made it numerous times but sadly my husband has to cut white rice out of his diet due to diabetes. If I use brown rice, do I have to increase the liquid and cooking time?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Cathy says
Hello Gina! Thank you! That’s great to hear you are loving this recipe! By far one of my favorite rice dishes! Sorry to hear about your husband having to cut back on certain dishes but know there is always a delicious work around and alternative! To make this recipe with brown rice, a few things to keep in mind. First, depending on the type of brown rice you are using, there are different methods (will be making a post soon on brown rice actually) you will have to adjust cooking time and water. Assuming you are using long grain brown rice, first allow the rice to soak in water for at least 10 minutes to 1 hour before cooking (1 hour is better) and double the water. So for example, if you’re making 3 cups of brown rice rinse rice then soak the rice for 10 minutes to an hour. Then begin with the normal steps in recipe and when it is time to add the water, add 6 cups of water. Because brown rice is harder than white rice, soaking it first produces the best results. I hope this helps! It may take a few times to get it just right but be patient, you will get it! 🙂
Gina says
Wonderful, I can’t wait to try. The cooking time should be the same because of the soaking period?
Cathy says
Hello Gina! Yes, cooking it for the same amount of time is going to help cut the “hardiness” of brown rice. Remember, soak for at least 10 minutes but best for at least an hour. Good luck! Let me know how it turns out!
Valeigh Davis says
Silly question, but where do I get the pork fat? Can you buy that?
Cathy says
Hello Valeigh! Thank you for your question! In case you are not familiar, pork fat is simply the fat skin of a pig and is used to flavor certain foods such as Puerto Rican rice and beans. Depending on where you live “pork back fat” “salted pork fat” can easily be found in your local super market. Also, if you have a Super Foods Walmart by you, you can usually find it by the smoked ham hocks. If you have a hard time finding it, try asking the meat attendant, he/she should be able to direct you. Please keep in mind, if you can’t find it, don’t worry the rice will still come out delicious!! If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. Happy cooking!
Tisha says
This looks like a perfect side dish for enchiladas or even taco night!
Cathy says
Thanks Tisha!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) says
OMG I would adore some of this! Amazing!
Cathy says
Thanks Jocelyn!
Caroline says
I remember having this when I was in Puerto Rico earlier in the year, it’s such a tasty side. Looks tasty and look forward to giving it a try at home.
Cathy says
Thank you Caroline!
Traci says
So much flavor in this recipe…and so easy too! Love the step by step and special instructions for specialty ingredients. Thanks for sharing!
Cathy says
Thank you Traci!
Gina says
Cathy, Can’t wait to make this. Just got finished making your sofrito and it tastes and smells amazon. One question though, do you drain and rinse your beans before adding them? Thank you so much for sharing these great recipes!!
Cathy says
Awww Gina thank you so much for such a nice compliment! So happy you love the sofrito!! To answer your question about the rice and beans, I was raised never rinsing the beans when added to the rice, however, I now do rinse the beans first before adding them to my Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas) so really either way is fine. Thanks for pointing this out as I see I forgot to mention this in the recipe, I have now added this to the instructions. Please feel free to ask me anything else and let me know how you enjoyed it! Also, remember after you stir the rice the first time and cook for 15 min, do not lift the lid while cooking and again after the second stir or the rice will not cook correctly and remain hard. Hope this helps!
Gina says
Cathy,
It turned out perfect!!! Exactly what I have been looking for. I have tried a number of recipes and never as authentic as this. Thank you again for such great recipes. Oh, and you stuffed peppers were amazing also!!!
Cathy says
Oh thank you so much Gina, you are too kind, thank you, your comment humbles me. So happy you like it and the stuffed peppers as well! Hope you keep on trying and enjoying my recipes. Also, if you like Puerto Rican food, take a look at my Puerto Rican section where I have other rice dishes and recipes. I also will be posting a new one in the next day or so! Thank you again Gina!
LaWanda says
Omg, this rice was delicious. I’m looking forward to more tasty recipes from u. Thank you so much. 😊
Cathy says
Thank you!!! So happy to hear this! You made my afternoon knowing you really enjoyed it! Thanks for the great compliment! ☺️
Cookilicious says
We are crazy for rice and I would love to try a vegetarian version of this recipe.
Cathy says
Perfect just exclude the pork fat and ham and you are good to go! 🙂
Valentina says
I love rice and make different dishes with it a few times a week. I could never have to many delicious rice dish in my life, and this one sounds amazing. What a tasty combination of flavors and achiote is one of my favorites!
Cathy says
Thanks Valentina!
Natalie says
Looks so delicious! I love rice and beans – absolutely yummy!
Cathy says
Thanks Natalie!
Jenna says
Mmmm Mexican rice is the best. Excited to make this for a dinner party this weekend.
Cathy says
Awesome Jenna! Just a quick note tho, it’s Puerto Rican Rice and Beans but also have some Mexican rice dishes on the blog here too if you would like to check those out! 🙂 Thanks tho, I hope you give this one a try!
Adriana Lopez Martin says
Homey and so good that sofrito is what makes everything better, now I need a bowl. Looks so tasty and perfect combination with the beans. Goya has delicious product offerings. Always have some in my pantry,
Cathy says
Yes me too, I always have my Goya products at hand! 🙂 Puerto Rican rice and beans is total comfort food! And definitely cannot go without a jar of homemade sofrito!
Sabrina says
Thanks for breaking down the whole process. I really feel like I’m going to get this right and nail this dish! Such a must have side dish.
Cathy says
Oh that is great to hear Sabrina! Let me know how much you enjoyed it!