Puerto Rican Rice
Ingredients
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- 4 ounces salt pork – diced
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cups sofrito
- 2 teaspoons sazón with culantro y achiote
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/4 cups pimiento-stuffed green olives – sliced
- 1 tablespoons capers – drained
- 1 leaf bay
- 15 ounces pigeon peas (gandules), canned – drained and rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups medium-grain rice – rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Set a heavy 4–5 quart pot (caldero if available) over medium heat; add olive oil and salt pork and cook, stirring, until the fat renders and the edges are golden, 5–7 minutes.
2. Add sofrito and cook, stirring, until deeply fragrant and slightly darkened, 3–5 minutes.
3. Stir in sazón with culantro y achiote, tomato sauce, pimiento-stuffed green olives, capers, bay leaf, and pigeon peas; cook 2 minutes to marry flavors.
4. Pour in water, add kosher salt and ground black pepper, and bring to a rolling boil.
5. Stir in the rice, return to a strong simmer, and cook uncovered until the liquid level drops just below the surface and steam tunnels appear, 8–10 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to low, stir once to gently mound the rice toward the center, cover tightly, and cook until the grains are tender and no liquid remains, 20–25 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes before fluffing and serving.
Puerto Rican rice, often known as arroz con gandules, is a savory, deeply aromatic pot of rice colored with annatto and built on the bright, garlicky backbone of sofrito. Briny olives and capers weave through tender grains, while pigeon peas add a creamy, nutty bite. Many cooks prize the contrast of fluffy rice with the toasty crust that forms at the bottom of the pot, a cherished bite of pegao.
Rooted in home kitchens and celebrations, this dish reflects the island’s layered history and pantry. Rice arrived with Spanish colonization, annatto was long used by Taíno people, and pigeon peas traveled through African and global trade routes to become a staple. Over time, sazón seasoning, alcaparrado (olives and capers), and the cast-aluminum caldero helped define the modern profile, making it the rice that anchors holidays and everyday meals alike.