Arroz Con Gandules. Arroz con gandules freezes very well, so make a big batch and portion it into storage bags for a quick weeknight side dish. To reheat, transfer into a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. A traditional Puerto Rican dish, arroz con gandules is rice cooked with green pigeon peas.

Arroz con Gandules is a Puerto Rican favorite. It's also popular in other Latin American countries. Gandules or Guandu depending on where you are from, are a small roundish bean that grows in a. You can cook Arroz Con Gandules using 16 ingredients and 12 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Arroz Con Gandules

You need 3 cup of long grain white rice.
It's 4 cup of water.
It's 1 can of Pigeon Peas(gandules).
Prepare 1 cup of bacon,ham,vienna sausage, or pork fat (your choice).
It's 1/2 of onion.
You need 1/4 of green or red peppper (chopped).
It's 2 clove of garlic.
It's 1 of olives.
Prepare 1 of Sofrito GOYA.
It's 1 of Recaito GOYA.
It's 1/2 can of tomato sauce.
Prepare 1 envelope of Sazon GOYA.
You need 1 of Chicken Buillon (knorr).
Prepare 1 dash of cumin.
You need 1 of salt to taste.
It's 1 of bay leave.

Arroz con Gandules is the meal everyone in the Caribbean enjoys for the holidays or other celebrations with family and friends. After all, rice and pigeon peas is the classic holiday meal. Being Puerto-Rican myself, arroz con gandules without salt is unheard of. Which is probably why First of all Arroz con gandules is made with white rice.

Arroz Con Gandules step by step

Make sure to use a CALDERO (aluminum cauldron) when you are making arroz con gandules. With this kind of pot, rice comes out best..
First begin by heating up the CALDERO on medium high heat. Once it is hot enough you can start by adding oil,that is only if the meat that you are using does not let off alot of oil by itself..
Once hot enough you can add the meat. I prefer using bacon, since it lets off alot of fat or pork fat. Let the meat get nice and crispy for about 5 minutes. Make sure to mix so that it wont burn or stick to the pot!.
Then add onion,green pepper, red pepper or both. Dont forget olives, as many as you want and if you do not like them just keep them out. The 2 cloves of garlic, (which is best to smash with a PILON, but a food processor or simply chopping the garlic will also work) Keep mixing all ingredients..
As the ingredients cook together and the vegetables become translucent you can begin adding the 1/2 can of tomato sauce, the sofrito and recaito (which I always buy from the frozen area instead of the ones that come in a jar...Or make it fresh at home).
Open the can of GOYA gandules and add to pot. You can choose to keep the water from the can or simply throw out. I keep it just because it already has salt and flavor to it..
Now begin adding the spices. Envelope of sazon, a dash of cumin(not to much) and salt..
Add bay leave and let that all come to a simmer..
Now add the rice and mix so that the rice obsorbs the flavors. Just make sure it does not burn..
Continue by adding the water. You will need to add the chicken buillon just to give it flavor or salt and pepper. I always taste the water to see if it needs salt. Mix only once when you add the flavor to the water. After that do not mix anymore or the rice will come out AMOGOYAO (sticky) And that is not what we want..
Let the water boil on the medium heat and once the water disappears you can turn down the heat to low, and put the top on the pot and let cook for about 20-30 minutes..
Ya Estaa !!!! ( It is ready) Arroz con gandules goes great with pernil, POTATO SALAD, jibarito, pasteles, tostones etc... Whatever you like. ENJOY.

You can make it with brown rice but it will. Arroz con Gandules - a classic Puerto Rican savory rice dish cooked with meat, gandules (aka pigeon peas) and some olives then spiced up with a homemade sofrito for an extra delicious rice meal! Arroz Con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas)-A Puerto Rican Fav. Traditionally served for Noche Buena, arroz con gandules is also a big hit for a family get-together or just for your everyday weeknight dinner. (Side note: In Trinidad, where my husband is from. Arroz con gandules is one of Puerto Rico's signature rice dishes.