Authentic Puerto Rican Rice and Beans Recipe - Food.com (2024)

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Community Pick

Submitted by boricua_nena

"This is my family's recipe straight from Aguada, Puerto Rico. In PR we make it from scratch (all the seasoning, but this recipe tastes the same, just easier than the all home-made version. This recipe is easy and serves 4, or 2 if you eat alot!! Muy rico, come lo"

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Ready In:
20mins

Ingredients:
8
Serves:

4

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ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans (habichuelas coloradas) or (16 ounce) can pink beans (habichuelas coloradas)
  • 12 teaspoon adobo seasoning (a flavored salt used in latin cooking)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1 slice salt pork or 1 slice Canadian bacon, cubed
  • 12 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (5 g) packet sazon con azafran seasoning (comes in envelopes in a box, gives color and a distinct flavor to latin dishes)
  • 1 12 tablespoons sofrito sauce (comes in a jar, a necessary ingredient in Puerto Rican cooking)
  • 1 12 cups white rice, uncooked

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directions

  • Made by Goya brand and can be found in the Spanish/Latin section of your grocery store Cook white rice as instructions on package of rice say to (5 minute rice is perfectly fine).
  • make sure when you are done cooking to let excess water out of rice.
  • In saucepan, heat oil on low-medium heat and put in the ham, salted pork, or Canadian bacon.
  • once it starts to sizzle, add the garlic powder and Adobo seasoning.
  • Then add the Sofrito and Sazon con Azafran seasoning, stir.
  • Next add red beans (drain most of liquid, just a little bit is needed to pull the sauce together).
  • Mix and serve.
  • (in Puerto Rico, it is traditional to serve rice and beans with almost every meal, but mainly with pork chops (cooked with a little sofrito and adobo seasoning) on the side).
  • Enjoy (a wonderful recipe straight from the island).

Questions & Replies

Authentic Puerto Rican Rice and Beans Recipe - Food.com (13)

  1. Can I brown the rice,before cooking it

    Stevie H.

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Reviews

  1. My dad was stationed at Ramey AFB many many years ago, and I was hooked on PR Rice and Beans! I have been looking for a recipe for it for many years and none of them sounded like what I remembered. I've noticed a lot of people added potato and tomato sauce, that doesn't sound like what I remember either (I was about 12 or so). When I saw you were from Aguada, I got really excited. We used to go to a place called Pepe's off base. Anyway, I made your recipe, I browned up some pork, added a bit more of the sauce, this was so good, thank you for posting this recipe...it really brought back a lot or memories when we lived in PR. I now have to make this for my brother. I will be making this again and again!

    Deb3810

  2. I made this tonight and it came out wonderful! I used more garlic powder and more adobo than the recipe asked for but it was right on point. Next time I want to add some cilantro just to jazz it up and use fresh garlic instead of the powder.

    Raphael C.

  3. Not how good rice and beans are made - this is much like the goya version on the back of cans. Instead use homemade sofrito and tomato sauce. Chop a little onion, cilantro, garlic, red bell pepper, and cubanelle pepper for a makeshift sofrito if you are short on other ingredients (see below).Sofrito recipe: 4 cubanelle peppers, 1 red bell pepper, 1 large onion, 1 bunch cilantro, 10 ajicitos (sweet peppers), 2 recao leaves, 1 head garlic in a food processor/ blender. Use a couple tablespoons in beans, soups, stews etc. Freeze the rest.

    nadineyaver

  4. Very good. The only thing that I did differently with the beans was to add more Canadian bacon that the suggested amount. Also, I I didn't have pink beans but used the small red ones (not kidney). This is actually better after it has sat in the fridge for a couple of days. I also made pork chops to go with it. I fried the 6 pork chops to brown them, sprinkling generously with adobo seasoing. Then I placed them in a lightly greased crockpot and added 1/4 cup water and 6 table. of the solfrito sauce and cooked until the meat was very tender. Served the beans and pork chops with plain white rice.

    Andtototoo

  5. this is almost exactly how I make it and i learned from my Puerto Rico born MIL. you need to add some green olives in the beginning with a little bit of tomato sauce in those tiny cans like 1/2 and make your own sofrito and freeze it. Its easy the jarred stuff tastes gross but thats my opinion once you had real sofrito you wont go back. But these beans will have you addicted you wont make them any other way!!! (you can use deli ham or chunks cut from a left over dinner ham or ham steak anything works.) Very easy just remember to cook your sauce first to bring out the flavor.

    Phoenix_Mommy

see 39 more reviews

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Tweaks

  1. I added a teaspoon more of adobo and the same with garlic powder.

    Raphael C.

  2. Delicious! I omitted the meat in the beginning, added 8oz tomato paste, small chopped potato, instead of garlic powder used fresh garlic, and extra sazon pkt... Will def make again.

    _team_us_

  3. I made this tonight for my Puerto Rican husband. He was craving so I decided to surprise him (1st timer). I emailed boricua_nena for the 'from scratch' version, but was able to find a recipe on this site for sofrito and a recipe on another site for sazon because I don't want to use pre-packaged msg laden versions. I used turkey bacon in place of the pork (we don't indulge). The end result... dh was very pleased, but it was too salty for my taste (I guess over kill from the sazon and adobo). I will make this again, only gave three stars because dh says it was missing something... tomato paste. I figure it's a matter of personal preference and varying family recipes. Thank you for sharing.

    UmmX6239

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

boricua_nena

  • 5 Followers
  • 1 Recipe

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Authentic Puerto Rican Rice and Beans Recipe  - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What is the single most important ingredient in Puerto Rican cuisine? ›

Sofrito—a fragrant paste of peppers, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices—is a building block of Puerto Rican flavor. It is added to most savory dishes before the main ingredients are added. Most home cooks make a big batch of sofrito, and add it by the spoonful to their recipes, refrigerating or freezing the rest.

Is Puerto Rican rice and beans healthy? ›

Rice and beans, a classic comfort food combo in Latino and Caribbean communities and some parts of the American South, is one of the healthiest dishes you can eat. It's rich in plant protein—12 grams per cup—and it provides nutrients that most Americans don't get enough of. Top among them is fiber.

Is it healthy to eat rice and beans every day? ›

When you eat plenty of rice and beans, you can easily get lean protein. Eating more protein can help you build muscle mass and maintain a healthy weight. These sides are a perfect choice if you are looking for a healthy source of protein without saturated fats or animal products!

What do Puerto Ricans say for beans? ›

Habichuelas Guisadas | These Puerto Rican beans are a quick, easy, and comforting staple in a stew-like tomato sauce packed with flavor.

What is the signature dish of Puerto Rico? ›

Arroz con gandules

Considered a boricua staple, this signature Puerto Rican rice dish is consumed year-round. Pigeon peas, or gandules, are small, dense legumes cooked with the rice in a large pot. First, salted pork or ham hock is sautéed in olive oil.

What is the most eaten food in Puerto Rico? ›

1. MOFONGO. Mofongo is one of those staples that you can find just about anywhere in Puerto Rico. It's made with mashed fried plantains, lots of garlicky goodness, and chicharrones, which is fried pork skin.

What is the healthiest Puerto Rican food? ›

Plantains and Bananas

Plantains and green bananas are ubiquitous in Puerto Rican cooking and are good sources of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6, magnesium, potassium and copper. They're also excellent sources of vitamins C and K.

What are the best beans for beans and rice? ›

Though red beans and rice is the best-known version of this dish, it is frequently made with other types of beans, and you can do the same if you'd like. Pink beans, white cannellini beans, even black beans will all taste great with the same basic technique.

Do Puerto Ricans eat rice everyday? ›

In Puerto Rico we are used to a diet centered on rice, and so accustomed are our digestive systems to it, that on a day when we miss rice, it seems as though we haven't eaten. Perhaps the most effective introduction to the topic of rice is a personal anecdote.

Is rice and beans a complete meal? ›

Beans alone and rice alone both lack certain essential amino acids. If eaten together, however, each contributes what the other is missing to form a complete protein. Beans-and-rice dishes are highly valued for protein in areas where animal proteins are often hard to obtain and expensive.

What is the healthiest bean to eat? ›

The 7 Healthiest Beans to Eat, According to Dietitians
  1. Lentils. Lentils are rich in polyphenols, plant-based compounds that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. ...
  2. White Beans. ...
  3. Black Beans. ...
  4. Chickpeas. ...
  5. Pinto Beans. ...
  6. Red Kidney Beans. ...
  7. Lupini Beans.
Aug 14, 2023

Can you live on rice and vegetables? ›

Yes, you can eat rice and beans every day. Many people in third world countries do. Rice and beans are complementary vegetables that together provide all the necessary amino acids and minerals to live on, although either alone will be deficient in some. A 50/50 mix is ideal.

What do Puerto Ricans say before eating? ›

Buen = good. Provecho = benefit. Two simple words that mean so much more when used in conjunction. When I was in Puerto Rico people would say "buen brovecho" before every meal.

What do Puerto Ricans say before a meal? ›

The verb aprovechar means “to benefit from” or “to take advantage of.” That's why buen provecho also means “I hope your food is nutritious and is good for your body.”

How do Puerto Ricans say thank you? ›

Gracias (GRAH-seeahs) means 'thanks' or 'thank you' Muchas gracias (MOO-chahs GRAH-seeahs) means 'thanks a lot' or 'thank you very much' Muchísimas gracias (moo-CHEE-see-mahs GRAH-seeahs) means 'thanks a lot' or 'thank you very very much'.

What are the most used ingredients in Puerto Rico? ›

Vegetables like garlic, onions, and peppers are a staple in Puerto Rican cuisine. The primary spice blends are Adobo and Sazón. That with the addition of Sofrito, the base in almost all the recipes. Together these create the traditional flavors found in most Puerto Rican foods.

What is the most important product in Puerto Rico? ›

The economy of Puerto Rico is mainly driven by manufacturing, primarily pharmaceuticals, textiles, petrochemicals, and electronics; followed by the service industry, primarily finance, insurance, real estate, and tourism.

What is the national dish of Puerto Rico and what are the ingredients? ›

Arroz con gandules is a combination of rice, pigeon peas, and pork, cooked in the same pot with sofrito. This is Puerto Rico's national dish along with roasted pork.

What makes Puerto Rican food special? ›

Sofrito, a savory mixture of onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro, is key to making Puerto Rican food unique. Puerto Rican cooks use it as a base in many dishes including beans, soups, stews, chicken and meats.

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