Name: Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups Jasmine rice; 2 tbsp achiote oil (see notes); 1/4 cup sofrito; 1/4 cup tomato sauce; 1 tbsp chicken bouillon paste (Better than bouillon); 3 cups water or homemade chicken stock; 15 oz gandules (pigeon peas); 2 tbsp pimento stuffed olives; 1 bay leaf (optional); 1/2 tbsp adobo (Healthy Rican); 1/2 tbsp sazón (Healthy Rican); 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp ground oregano; 1/4 tsp cumin; 1/8 tsp black pepper; salt (to taste); 4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro (optional)

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Arroz con gandules along with pernil is the national dish of Puerto Rico. It’s a combination of rice and pigeon peas cooked with aromatic sofrito, herbs and spices. Its popularity compares to no other dish in Puerto Rico. No matter the occasion, you will always find a caldero of arroz con gandules at every party or family gathering.

Pavochon Puerto Rican Style Turkey — Pavochon: Puerto Rican Style Turkey

What is arroz con gandules?

Arroz con gandules is a savory dish made with yellow rice and pigeon peas. To achieve its traditional yellow color, achiote oil is added but you can also use sazón. Achiote is annatto in Spanish. Other ingredients like sofrito, herbs and spices give this delicious dish bold flavor!

How to make arroz con gandules?

Everyone has their own version of arroz con gandules. Authentic arroz con gandules typically has ham or bacon in it. However, I prefer to omit the pork. It’s healthier and honestly tastes just as good! But you decide what works best for you!

To cook the arroz con gandules you will need a caldero. A caldero is an aluminum pot with rounded sides, a tight fitting lid and superior heat distribution. Calderos are used to cook rice, beans, braise meat and also simmer stews and soups. Basically, you can cook ANYTHING in a caldero and every Puerto Rican household has one.

Calderos are rich in history and also culture. They are passed down generation to generation and are cherished like prized possessions in most families. “This was my Abuela’s caldero,” I’d sometimes hear Mami say proudly as she cooked her arroces and guisados.

First, place your caldero over medium heat and add your aromatics. Next, add the water or stock and seasonings. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. The liquid should be heavily seasoned to ensure very flavorful rice! Then, add gandules, olives, and rice. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Allow the rice to cook for 25 minutes, covered.

Ingredients for making rice with pigeon peas:

Rice
Gandules (pigeon peas)
Sofrito
Tomato sauce
Chicken bouillon paste
Gandules (pigeon peas)
Pimento stuffed olives
Bay leaf
Adobo, Healthy Rican
Sazón, Healthy Rican
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Ground oregano
Cumin
Cilantro

I love to use Healthy Rican seasonings because they are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: madewithsazon for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!

Why is my arroz con gandules mushy?

If your rice is mushy, it means you added too much liquid to the pot. In the flip side, if you add too little liquid, the rice will be grainy and also hard in the center. It’s very important to get the ratio of rice to water perfect.

This will also depend on what type of rice you are using. My favorite rice to use is Jasmine rice. This rice requires 1 1/2 cups of water for every cup of rice. Make sure you follow the cooking instructions on your package of rice.

Can I make arroz con gandules without pork?

Yes! In fact, I never add pork to my arroz con gandules and it’s just as flavorful as the rest of the recipes out here!

The key to achieving maximum flavor is not pork but SOFRITO! I use my mother’s sofrito recipe for all of my food and it really takes my dishes to the next level! Mami’s sofrito is top notch! Be sure to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Please leave me a star rating and also review!

If you enjoy this Puerto Rican rice and pigeon peas recipe, please leave me a 5 star review and also comment at the bottom of this blog post! Your feedback makes me so HAPPY! It also makes it easier to find my recipes on Google. THANK YOU in advance!

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Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)

Arroz con gandules along with pernil is the national dish of Puerto Rico. It’s a combination of rice and pigeon peas cooked with aromatic sofrito, herbs and spices. No matter the occasion, you will always find a caldero of arroz con gandules at every party or family gathering.

5 from 16 votes

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#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1411#!trpen#Prep Time#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen# 5

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1412#!trpen#Cook Time#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen# 25

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1414#!trpen#Total Time#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen# 30

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1410#!trpen#Servings#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen# 6 people

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1 Caldero

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2 cups Jasmine rice
2 tbsp achiote oil see notes
1/4 cup sofrito
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp chicken bouillon paste Better than bouillon
3 cups water or homemade chicken stock
15 oz gandules (pigeon peas)
2 tbsp pimento stuffed olives
1 bay leaf optional
1/2 tbsp adobo Healthy Rican
1/2 tbsp sazón Healthy Rican
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro optional

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1436#!trpen#Instructions#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Place your caldero over medium heat and add your achiote oil, sofrito, tomato sauce and chicken bouillon paste. Stir for about 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the water or stock and seasonings. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. The liquid should be heavily seasoned to ensure very flavorful rice!
Add gandules, olives and bay leaf (if using). Bring to a boil.
Add the rice. Stir well to evenly distribute the rice and pigeon peas. Add fresh cilantro on top and cover. Lower the heat to medium low.
Allow the rice to cook for 25 minutes, covered.
After 25 minutes, uncover the caldero and remove the cilantro springs.
Carefully fluff the rice by lifting and flipping over spoonfuls of rice with a large kitchen spoon. The grains of rice should be fluffy and fully cooked.

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TIPS:

If your rice is too wet and mushy (amogollao) that means you added too much liquid. The best way to fix this is to uncover it and cook for about 10 minutes, uncovered on super low heat. This will allow some of the excess moisture to evaporate. But don’t keep it on the heat for too long or the rice will overcook.

If your rice is too grainy and the grains are hard in the center, that means you added too little liquid. Add about 1/2 cup of water and cook covered for 15 more minutes. This should fix it. If it’s still grainy, repeat the steps.

ACHIOTE OIL

To make achiote oil, simply warm annatto seeds in your oil of choice. Allow the oil to warm over low heat for about 5 minutes. You could also add aromatics like garlic, cilantro, culantro and black peppercorns. Allow the oil to cool and strain into a glass bottle. Store at room temperature for up to 3 months.

HEALTHY RICAN DISCOUNT:

I love to use Healthy Rican seasonings because they are free of harmful ingredients like MSG and dyes. Use my code: madewithsazon for 10% off your Healthy Rican order!

Check out more Latin recipes!

Churrasco with Chimichurri Sauce

Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters)

Pastelón (Plantain Lasagna)

Bacalaitos (Cod Fish Fritters)

Puerto Rican Potato Salad (Ensalada de Papa)

Pastel al Horno

Puerto Rican Sofrito

Pollo Guisado

Puerto Rican Meatballs In Sofrito Sauce

Sancocho (Puerto Rican Soup)

Puerto Rican Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)

Pollo al Horno (Baked Chicken)

Puerto Rican Bacalaitos

Jibarito Recipe (Plantain Sandwich)

Puerto Rican Picadillo

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1530#!trpen#16 thoughts on “<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='2881'>Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)</trp-post-container>”#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Maria
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#noviembre 19, 2023 at 10:10 am#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Thank you for sharing!

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1. info.curlsnpearlsss
  #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#diciembre 1, 2023 at 3:03 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
  
  Yes I am happy to share my recipes! Thank you so much for the love! I hope you enjoy!
  
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  1. Tia Rivera-Palmer
    #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 21, 2024 at 10:25 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
    
    Do you drain you peas if using them? I’m goingvto try this recipe for my son. He doesn’t like Pigeon peas. If I don’t use them should I add my liquid. I’m half PR but can’t make rice for the life of me . IkIk I need to hand in my PR card. Lol
    
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    1. Elena
      #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 21, 2024 at 10:49 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
      
      Yes I drain the pigeon peas because the canned liquid is slimy. If you don’t add the pigeon peas just follow the recipe as is. Water ratio depends on the type of rice you use. Don’t worry, practice makes perfect! Please let me know how it turns out!
      
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Brook
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#diciembre 11, 2023 at 5:45 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Trying to use this to meal prep my bfs lunch (I’m Arab and don’t know how to cook his type of food) what should I serve this with for a work lunch ?

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1. Elena
  #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#diciembre 11, 2023 at 5:55 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
  
  Hello! Thank you for visiting my website. This rice dish pairs well with baked chicken (pollo al horno). Please leave a 5 star rating if you like this recipe, I would greatly appreciate it!
  
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#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1536#!trpen#Pingback:#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen# How to Make Alcapurrias (Puerto Rican Fritters) - Todo Wafi
Lynsey
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#febrero 13, 2024 at 1:49 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

I made this with your Pollo al Horno and both were so delicious! I love how easy both recipes are and yet the flavor packs a punch. My family really enjoyed the meal and both recipes will be added to our rotation. Thank you!

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Elena
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#febrero 13, 2024 at 11:09 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Thank you Lynsey! I’m so happy you enjoyed these recipes. Pollo al horno and arroz con gandules go perfectly together!

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#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1538#!trpen#Anónimo#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#febrero 25, 2024 at 10:39 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Easy recipe and very good

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1. Elena
  #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#febrero 25, 2024 at 11:30 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
  
  Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it.
  
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David Gergis
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#marzo 27, 2024 at 11:20 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

This was the best recipe I have ever made!! Thank you for sharing!!

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#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1538#!trpen#Anónimo#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 4, 2024 at 2:03 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

Q:
I’m making rice for a party. How much of rice and ingredients do I use?

#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=90#!trpen#Reply#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
1. Elena
  #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 4, 2024 at 3:09 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
  
  For about 10 people, I would cook 5 cups of rice. If you are feeding more people adjust accordingly. Also, make sure to use a pot big enough to cook a large quantity of rice because it will double in size as it cooks. Enjoy!
  
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Michael
#!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 12, 2024 at 7:24 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#

She knows what she is doing. As soon as she gave me this recipe I started to make it for my my brother baby shower and let me tell you when I went to the baby shower with this arroz con gandules they thought I bought it and when I told them I I learn this recipe from a Puerto Rican chef on Instagram they was all shock how good it was. So I wanna thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this amazing recipe and i look forward to cooking more of your yummy delicious recipes.

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1. Elena
  #!trpst#trp-gettext data-trpgettextoriginal=1531#!trpen#abril 15, 2024 at 5:44 pm#!trpst#/trp-gettext#!trpen#
  
  Thank you Michael for your kind words! This recipe is definitely one of my favorites. I am so happy you and your family enjoyed it so much!
  
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Arroz con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas)

What is arroz con gandules?

How to make arroz con gandules?