Arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice and peas). Arroz con Gandulez translates to "Rice with Pigeon Peas" in English. It is a traditional Puerto Rican recipe served on special occasions and often around the holidays or family gatherings. Add the olives, capers, adobo, cumin, garlic, rice and sofrito and sauté for two minutes over moderate heat.

It is a simple combo of pigeon peas (gandules), rice, sofrito and some sort of smoked or cured or cooked pork for flavoring. Arroz con Gandules is the best Puerto Rican rice dish that is filled with FLAVOR. Arroz con Gandules is a traditional Puerto Rican dish that is served usually around Christmas season or special occasions. You can have Arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice and peas) using 10 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you achieve that.

Ingredients of Arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice and peas)

It's 2 tbsp of sofrito.
You need 1 tbsp of adobo.
You need 1 tbsp of garlic powder.
You need 1/2 can of tomato sauce.
Prepare 1 envelope of sazon.
You need 2 envelope of goya pork boullion.
It's 1 tbsp of oil.
Prepare 1 can of gandules (pigeon peas) with liquid.
Prepare 2 of gandules can of water.
You need 1 1/2 cup of rice.

One of the main reasons why this is served for special occasions is because it serves A LOT of people. Arroz con gandules is a very popular Puerto Rican rice dish. Rendered pork fat and spices flavor the rice before the pigeon peas are added and the whole lot is steamed until fluffy and soft. You've probably seen, if not tasted, Arroz con Gandules if you've ever had the honor of being invited to a Puerto Rican party.

Arroz con gandules (Puerto Rican rice and peas) step by step

Please measure your rice to water according to directions on rice bag. I never measure, I just go by what I see. Usually my water is about 1/2 inch above the rice in the pot.
In a medium sized aluminum rice pot, heat oil and sofrito on medium high heat until oil turns green, stirring constantly.
Add adobo, garlic powder, sazon, pork flavor, tomato sauce, water and pigeon peas and bring to a boil.
Wash rice and add to pot stirring occasionally (so that the rice doesn't stick).
Lower heat once rice seems to have just a coat of liquid on top, cover and let cook for about 20 minutes. Do not stir too many times once heat is lowered as it will make your rice mushy..
Rice is done when rice grains are open..
Note: you can also use corn, Vienna sausages, red beans, chorizo, chicken, cut ham or just plain yellow rice instead of using gandules. This is the typical recipe for Puerto Rican rice. I also add pimiento sometimes..

Arroz con Gandules (Pigeon Peas Rice) is one of those dishes that is a crowd favorite and is always present at a Hispanic's home table during the holidays. Pigeon peas and rice is a staple in Dominican and Puerto Rican cooking. It is really one of those dishes constantly being served in a Hispanic home. More than once we were treated to arroz con gandules ("rice with pigeon peas"). Of course I quizzed her about what was in in it and how it was made.