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Puerto Rican Arroz Con Gandules

A warm, savory, and colorful rice dish featuring frozen gandules, achiote oil, and a homemade sofrito, delivering the rich, classic flavor of Puerto Rican cuisine.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Rice
  • 1 cup frozen gandules (pigeon peas)
  • 2 tbsp achiote oil Refer to the recipe for making achiote oil.
  • 1 cup diced ham steak
  • 1/2 cup sofrito Refer to the recipe for making sofrito.
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
  • 2 tsp sazón Refer to the recipe for making sazón.
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for the gandules
  • 1 tbsp kosher salt for the rice
  • Freshly ground black pepper
For the Achiote Oil
  • 1 cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
  • 1/4 cup achiote (annatto) seeds
For the Sofrito
  • 2 medium yellow onions, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups ajicitos (sweet chili peppers), stemmed, halved and seeded
  • 2 large green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled About 16 cloves
  • 1 bunch cilantro, with stems
  • 1 bunch culantro (recao) leaves
For the Sazón
  • 1 tbsp ground achiote
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp granulated onion
  • 1 tsp ground cumin

Method
 

Make the Achiote Oil
  1. Heat the neutral oil and achiote seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes, until the oil turns a bright orange-red color. Strain out the seeds and let the oil cool.
Make the Sofrito
  1. Pulse the onions, ajicitos, bell peppers, garlic, cilantro, and culantro in a food processor for about 20 seconds until the mixture is mostly smooth. Measure out 1/2 cup for the rice and store the rest.
Make the Sazón
  1. Whisk together the achiote, garlic powder, granulated onion, and cumin in a small bowl. Store the extra sazón for later use.
Cook the Gandules and Build the Flavor Base
  1. Simmer the gandules in 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt for about 10 minutes until they are just tender. Set them aside with their cooking liquid.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the achiote oil in a medium Dutch oven or caldero over medium heat. Add the diced ham and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until slightly browned.
  3. Stir in the 1/2 cup sofrito and tomato paste, and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the Rice and Cook Until Done
  1. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it in the oil and flavor base.
  2. Add 2 cups of water, the gandules with their liquid, olives, 2 teaspoons of sazón, 1 tablespoon of salt, and black pepper. Bring everything to a boil.
  3. Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice shows on top. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is gone.
Fluff and Serve
  1. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit for a moment. Then fluff it gently with a fork and serve hot.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the rice for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of water.