Arroz con Gandules (Vegetarian Puerto Rican Rice) | CookOS

Arroz con Gandules

Name: Arroz con Gandules (Vegetarian Puerto Rican Rice)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 7 servings
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: ½ yellow onion; 1 cubanelle pepper, stemmed, seeded; ½ small red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; ½ cup cilantro, plus extra for garnish; ½ small onion, finely chopped; 1 garlic clove, minced; ¼ cup green olives; 1 packet sazon; 1 tsp cumin; 2 tsp adobo seasoning; 1 cup long grain rice; 4 oz tomato sauce; 1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth; 1 (15 oz) pigeon peas, drained and rinsed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp kosher salt

Arroz con gandules is a fragrant Puerto Rican rice dish studded with pigeon peas and seasoned with sofrito and sazon. This vegetarian version delivers authentic island flavor without the traditional pork.

🌍Puerto Rican 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Puerto rico 🏷️Rice 🏷️Pigeon peas 🏷️Slow cook Latin american

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Total

1h 35m

Servings

Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

$31–$51

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Recette Magazine

Ingredients

½ yellow onion
1 cubanelle pepper, stemmed, seeded
½ small red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
4 garlic cloves, peeled
½ cup cilantro, plus extra for garnish
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup green olives
1 packet sazon
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp adobo seasoning
1 cup long grain rice
4 oz tomato sauce
1 ½ cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 (15 oz) pigeon peas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt

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Instructions

1
Prepare the sofrito. In the bowl of a food processor, add ½ yellow onion, 1 cubanelle pepper, ½ small red bell pepper, 4 garlic cloves, and ½ cup cilantro. Pulse until pureed, but still chunky, about 20 pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Divide the sofrito in half, setting half aside in the refrigerator.
2
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add ½ small onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add half the sofrito, minced garlic, ¼ cup green olives, 1 packet sazon, 1 tsp cumin, 2 tsp adobo seasoning, and 1 cup long grain rice, stirring to incorporate, about 1 minute.
3
Add 4 oz tomato sauce, 1 ½ cups broth, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1 can pigeon peas. Remove saucepan from heat and pour rice mixture into a Suvie pan. Input settings and cook now.
4
Cook in Bottom Zone: Slow Cook High for 1 hour and 15 minutes
5
After cooking, fluff rice with a fork and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with reserved sofrito.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Make sofrito in bulk by blending the onion, peppers, garlic, and cilantro; freeze in ice cube trays for quick future use.
Toast the rice in oil before adding liquid to deepen flavor and prevent mushiness.
Don't stir the rice after liquid is added; let it cook undisturbed to develop the socarrat (crispy bottom layer).
Use fresh or frozen pigeon peas—canned work but rinse thoroughly to avoid excess starch and cloudy broth.

Substitutions

Pigeon peas → frozen or canned pigeon peas (drain and rinse), or substitute green peas or kidney beans (flavor will be milder)
Sazon → ½ tsp ground cumin + ¼ tsp garlic powder + pinch of saffron or turmeric for color
Cubanelle pepper → poblano or additional green bell pepper (milder option)
Green olives → capers or pimiento-stuffed olives (adjust salt accordingly)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftover arroz con gandules in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a pot with a splash of broth or water, stirring occasionally.

Common Questions

What are gandules and can I substitute them?

Gandules are pigeon peas. You can substitute frozen or canned pigeon peas (drain well), or use green peas or kidney beans in a pinch, though flavor will differ.