Puerto Rican Rice (Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn) or Arroz Amarillo con Maiz is the perfect side dish. Pair it up with pork, chicken, steak, fish and you will have the ultimate perfect meal!

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Puerto Rican Rice or in this case Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn (Arroz Amarillo con Maiz) is absolutely one of my favorite side dishes to make because it goes with practically any meat! Especially perfect and delicious with fried or baked pork chops, fried fish or steak.
Of course you can serve this rice with chicken or delicious juicy lamb chops too but whenever I make Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn, I tend to lean towards pork, fish or steak.

In case you don’t already know from my previous rice dishes, we Puerto Ricans love our rice!
As for me, it certainly doesn’t have to be Puerto Rice rice either! Give me Spanish, Mexican or any South, Central American rice dish and I’m a happy camper!
So you can pretty much guarantee that if you ever just showed up at my home, I will either be making a pot of rice over the stove or will already have leftover rice in the refrigerator to serve YOU!
I just love my rice!
List of Ingredients for Puerto Rican Rice-Puerto Rican Yellow Rice

To make Puerto Rican yellow rice, you will need a few ingredients.
- Medium grain rice, I use Goya brand (you could also use long grain rice)
- Can of yellow corn
- Pork fat or cubed ham steak
- Sofrito
- Tomato paste
- Pimiento stuffed olives
- Chicken bouillon
- Bay leaf, oregano, sazon, salt and oil
- Water or chicken broth
- Red pimientos and fresh cilantro for topping (optional)
How to Make Puerto Rican Rice-Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn
- Rinse two cups of white rice several times until water runs clear.
This removes the talc coating (peril) that preserves the rice.


- In a caldero or dutch oven pot over medium heat, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil and saute cubed pork fat until golden brown.
- Add 3 tablespoons of Puerto Rican sofrito and stir together with pork fat and oil. Cook for two to four minutes.
- Add sazon packet, tomato paste, chicken bouillon, oregano and bay leaf to pot. Stir.
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.



- Add three cups of water or chicken broth and salt to taste.
- Add can of corn (with liquid from can) and olives. Stir.
- Cook until liquid starts to bubble.
- Add rice to pot.
You will know you have the perfect amount of water or broth when you can lay and sit a large spoon on top of rice and spoon is covered with just enough liquid but you can still see it. (You can still see spoon through water)
Note: If spoon sinks completely and you cannot see spoon, you have added too much water, remove some if necessary otherwise your rice will come out clumpy and sticky.


- Cook rice uncovered over medium heat until water evaporates. Then and only then, turn rice with the large spoon and lower eat. Cover pot immediately!!!
- Cook for 15 minutes.
NOTE: This is VERY IMPORTANT, DO NOT UNCOVER RICE for 15 minutes or the rice will stun and not cook properly. It will stay hard!!! DO NOT UNCOVER!!!
- After 15 minutes of cooking the rice, uncover and stir rice again.
- Cook for another 15 minutes on the lower heat. Again DO NOT UNCOVER for the next 15 minutes!
- After the 15 minutes, take off lid and stir again. Rice is done now.


Rice should be grainy and fluffy, not wet and mushy. Top rice with red pimientos and cilantro if you like.

Serve rice with pork, chicken, steak, fish or whatever other meat you like.
What to Serve Puerto Rican Rice With
Baked Pork Chops (pork chops you see in this recipe)
Chuletas de Puerco en Salsa (Pork Chops Braised in a Fresh Tomato Salsa)
Pollo Guisado (Puerto Rican Chicken Stew)
Bistec a la Mexicana (Mexican Sliced Beef Strips)
Easy Delicious Carne Molida (Puerto Rican Picadillo)

I served this round of yellow rice with corn with my delicious juicy baked pork chops and fried plantains but another perfect side in addition to pork chops would have been garlic tostones (green garlic plantains).

For More Delicious Rice Dishes, You Will Also Love These
Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Habichuelas)
Morisqueta (White Rice with Beans in Savory Tomato Sauce with Onions, Garlic and Serrano Peppers)
Arroz Mamposteao (Dirty Rice with Beans)
Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
BONUS: These Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans) accompany these rice dishes very well too!
📖 Recipe

Puerto Rican Rice (Puerto Rican Yellow Rice with Corn)
Ingredients
- 2 cups medium grain rice I use Goya brand
- 1 can of corn reserve liquid from corn
- 3 tablespoon Puerto Rican sofrito
- couple pieces of pork fat cubed
- 1 packet of Goya sazon with Annatto I use Goya brand
- 1 heaping tsp tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon pimento stuffed olives
- 1-2 chicken bouillon
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- red pimientos and fresh cilantro for topping optional
- water or chicken broth
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse two cups of white rice several times until water runs clear.This removes the talc coating (peril) that preserves the rice.
- In a caldero or dutch oven pot over medium heat, add two tablespoons of vegetable oil and saute cubed pork fat until golden brown.
- Add 3 tablespoons of Puerto Rican sofrito and stir together with pork fat and oil. Cook for two to four minutes.
- Add sazon packet, tomato paste, chicken bouillon, oregano and bay leaf to pot. Stir.
- Add three cups of water or chicken broth and salt to taste.
- Add can of corn (with liquid from can) and olives. Stir.Cook until liquid starts to bubble.
- Add rice to pot.
Note: You will know you have the perfect amount of water or broth when you can lay and sit a large spoon on top of rice and spoon is covered with just enough liquid but you can still see it. (You can still see spoon through water)If spoon sinks completely and you cannot see spoon, you have added too much water, remove some if necessary otherwise your rice will come out clumpy and sticky. - Cook rice uncovered over medium heat until water evaporates. Then and only then, turn rice with the large spoon and lower eat. Cover pot immediately!!!Cook for 15 minutes.NOTE: This is VERY IMPORTANT, DO NOT UNCOVER RICE for 15 minutes or the rice will stun and not cook properly. It will stay hard!!! DO NOT UNCOVER!!!
- After 15 minutes of cooking the rice, uncover and stir rice again.Cook for another 15 minutes on the lower heat. Again DO NOT UNCOVER for the next 15 minutes!
- After the 15 minutes, take off lid and stir again. Rice is done now.Top rice with red pimientos and cilantro if you like.
Natasha H says
I give all things to this recipe for helping me make my yellow rice soft for the first time! This is delicious! Even my family loves it!
Question:
Can I ever change the corn to pink beans instead? I would like to change it up sometimes.
Cathy says
Hello Natasha! I’m so happy to hear my recipe was able to help you! Yes, absolutely you can change it up with pink beans, kidney beans or whatever other grain you like! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how this recipe helped you!
C says
Best Spanish rice I’ve ever made. Clear step by step instructions were huge in getting the right technique: thank you!!
Cathy says
Wonderful! I’m so happy to hear you were able to use this technique and that it worked well for you! Thank you for taking the time to comment and letting me know how much you loved it! Put a smile on my face! 🙂
Veena Azmanov says
Love the combinations to making this yummy dish. Awesome and flavorful too.Have to try making some for family.
Cathy says
Thanks!! Hope you love it as much as we do!
Natalie says
Looks so delicious! I love yellow rice, and the addition of corn sounds perfect. Such a great side dish ♥
Cathy says
Thanks Natalie! The corn is a plus, promise!
Dannii says
We are always looking for new ways to jazz up rice and this looks delicious.
Cathy says
Thanks Danni!
Tracy says
We’ve made this lots of times and it’s always a hit. It’s a great side for ANY dish!! 5 stars!
Cathy says
Awwww thanks Tracy!!! 🤩 You just made my day!! Thanks!!! So happy you and yours love it!!! Thanks for the five stars!!!