Arroz con Gandules is the traditional dish of Puerto Rico. It is usually served along with our roast pork, Pernil.
You will find this dish being served during the holidays and when having a party, it is sure to be the main attraction. It is delicious and quite filling.
You will need your caldero. Every Puerto Rican home owns one or more. Mine is at least 20+ years old.
Ingredients:
2 cups of long grain rice
4 cups of water
3 tablespoons of achiote (annatto) infused oil
2 chorizo, 1/2 inch slices.
1 15 oz. can gandules or a bag of frozen
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup of alcaparrado (mixture of olives, capers and pimento)
1 envelope of Sazón Goya
1/2 cup of sofrito
Plantain leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In your caldero heat the oil and add your chorizo until you have rendered its fat then add the sofrito, alcaparrado, tomato sauce, gandules and sazón. Cook for about 5 minutes and stir in your rice, salt and pepper. Once this comes up to a slight boil add your water. Bring to boil again and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Once absorbed, fluff rice with a fork then cover the rice with the plantain leaf and put top of pot on. Lower the heat and cook the rice for about another 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
If you make it right some rice will stick to the bottom of pot which we call “pegao” or also known in Spain as socarrat. The chorizo, infused oil and plantain leaf adds a smokiness flavor to the rice.
BUEN PROVECHO!
Note: I am trying to catch up on commenting on your blogs, but I am having a few problems with some of you as I think that my comments are going to your spam folder. Please check. Just don’t want you to think I have forgotten you.
platanosmangoes.com 
I’ve never tried a pigeon pea before, isn’t that strange? This looks delicious, Norma.
Mouthwatering…especially the crunchy bits that were stuck to the bottom! I can’t make this dish here in Argentina (too many exotic ingredients), so I will appreciate this masterpiece from afar. Have an extra plateful for me!
This looks wonderful–warming and comforting. And interesting as well! The best of combinations.
Someone has to create a ‘take-a-taste’ for food blogs because I’d love to scoop up a forkful!
My husband is from Puerto Rico, he took one look at this and told me that this is his dinner for tomorrow. Guess I will be cooking up a storm for my love!!!!
They even have non-stick calderos these days. This looks so flavourful Norma. I will keep a watch out for banana leaves the next time I am in the States.
Whata great dish. This really looks and sounds delicious. Save me a bowl. I’m on my way. Have a great evening. Blessings…Mary
What a mouthwatering dish! I’d love to try it. The sausage looks wonderful.
Cheers,
Rosa
Ay que rico! I love rice like this. Thanks for sharing 🙂
How super delicious this looks Norma! Especially the crunchy bits sticking to the bottom! I can see my family (and me) gobbling this up like there’s no tomorrow.
Just looking at the list of ingredients (some I can’t pronounce) I can see how savory, flavorful and full of gusto this dish is. I could eat alone without the pork and be satisfied.
Norma, this looks fantastic!! I can almost taste it through the pictures 🙂
I adore sticky rice dishes! Yours looks good enough to eat off the screen, Norma! We tried growing pigeon peas, but haven’t had any success yet…
I love, love arroz con gandules,Norma and your looks amazing! I like the idea of the banana leave on top….. I have to try that next time! Yo quiero un caldero!
Wow, it looks soooooo delicious!
I love all ingredients here 😀 and rice is a must in my kitchen… so, this recipe goes to the mustdosoonlist.
I love rice made like this, so flavorful and delicious!
Arrozs con gandules verdadero. Job well done. Mi esposa la Boricua, would love this.
Fabulous
This sounds like such a super flavorful dish!
I love rice served on banana leaves. This looks so good!
Yet another interesting way to prepare rice; compared to our usual fragrant white steamed rice to go with dishes:)
Norma if you say chorizo I’m in – wonderful dish ideal for cold days 🙂
Cheers for you,
Gera
Such a wonderful combination!
Looks delicious…
reminds me of paella – love the topping of plantain leaf, which we also use a lot in Nigerian cooking. Looks delicious
Wow thanks for the recipe hope I can succeed with this recipe
I just prepared this concoction, and Ave María purísima que rico está!!! This was foolproof, and it really has a back-home, abuela-made-it taste, with lots of pegao. Will definitely do it again, hopefully when I can buy better chorizo (only the Goya brand was available). Thanks!
Thanks so much for your comment. Goya chorizo is just fine. I use their products often. Just let me know if you want any recipes and I will make and post.
me encanto este plato son de los que me gustan preparar!!!
Gracias…espero que te salio bien…
I purchased a can of gandules after seeing someone make arroz con gandules on TV. Thanks for this recipe – I like the addition of chroizo in yours. Now I just need a caldero!
Depending on where you live the Comapny IMUSA has the best calderos.
This is the third time making this recipe.My first time I made it for a party and everyone loved it. It is amazing…tonight I added chicken too!
Reblogged this on Dispensable Thoughts ~ Working on My Next 50 Years and commented:
My favorite rice dish in the whole world. This is a variation on a flavorful recipe.
Just like I make it. I love my calderos and I have a few in different sizes. Love chorizos! When out of chorizos I use salchichon, Boricua salchichon of course. The brand “La Primera” is my favorite. Love your blog.
Thank you Sandy and if you want me to make something special l et me know @ platanosmangoes@gmail.com
Thank you! I have been searching for this recipe forever. I grew up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Philadelphia. I had wonderful neighbors the Perez family. Mrs Perez made the most wonderful things. We moved to the suburbs with all white people who can’t cook. I can’t wait to make this!
thanks again!
I know you will like it. Thanks for your comment.
The ultimate in flavor.
Better than I have ever tasted in all the recipes I’ve ever experienced
Thank you so much. This means a lot to me