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Arroz con Calamares

Arroz con Calamares (Puerto Rican Rice with Squid)

Puerto Rican rice with squid is a flavorful rice dish made with aromatics and squid in ink. It comes together in 25 minutes or less, making it a great option for busy weeknights!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Caldero see notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tazas Jasmine rice
  • 2 cans squid in ink 4 oz each
  • 1/4 taza sofrito
  • 1/4 taza salsa de tomate
  • 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon paste Better than Bouillon
  • 3 tazas water
  • 2 enteros garlic crushed
  • 1/2 green bell pepper finely diced
  • 1/2 cebolla finely diced
  • 1/4 tsp adobo
  • 1/4 tsp sazón
  • 1/4 tsp ground oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cebolla en polvo
  • 1/2 tsp ajo en polvo
  • 1 tbsp pimiento stuffed olives opcional
  • 2 tbsp roasted red peppers (pimientos morrones) opcional
  • 4-5 sprigs fresh cilantro opcional

Instructions
 

  • Place a pot over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, garlic, onions, peppers, and sofrito. Sauté a few minutes until fragrant.
  • Add seasonings, chicken bouillon, tomato sauce, olives, and roasted red peppers, if using.
  • Add the squid along with its ink. Measure out the water for the recipe and use some of it to rinse out the cans. Make sure you get all of the ink in the pot. Stir well.
  • Add the rice and the water. Stir everything until well combined. Taste the liquid for seasoning and adjust to your liking, if necessary.
  • Allow this to boil for a few minutes until some of the liquid is absorbed. Add a few sprigs of fresh cilantro on top. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low.
  • Allow the rice to cook for 25 minutes, covered.
  • Uncover the caldero and remove the cilantro springs. All of the liquid should have been absorbed by the rice. If there is still some liquid left, cover and continue cooking 5 minutes more.
  • 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.
  • Serve with maduros and salad. Enjoy! ¡Buen provecho!

Notes

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.
Pro tip: Make sure your caldero is twice the size of the amount of rice.

How to store arroz con calamares?

Store leftover arroz con calamares in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, store in freezer-safe containers or freezer ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for easier reheating.

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Keyword arroz con calamares, calamari, puerto rican food, Puerto Rican recipes, rice with squid, squid ink rice