Easy Puerto Rican Rice Recipe (Arroz con Gandules)

This easy Puerto Rican rice recipe is the one your abuela would approve of — built on sofrito, sazón, and pigeon peas for that deep, savory flavor that makes you go back for thirds. It all comes together in one pot with pantry staples you probably already have sitting around. Once you make it this way, plain rice is gonna feel like an insult.

Ingredients

• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 can (15 oz) gandules (pigeon peas), drained
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 3 cups water or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons sofrito (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 packet sazón con achiote (or 1 tsp achiote powder + 1/2 tsp cumin)
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Optional: 4-5 pimiento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot or caldero over medium heat. Once it shimmers, add the sofrito and let it cook for about 2 minutes, stirring so it doesn't burn. You want it to sizzle and get fragrant — that smell right there is the foundation of everything.
2. 2Pour in the tomato sauce and stir it into the sofrito. Add the sazón packet, adobo, garlic powder, and olives if you're using them. Let that whole situation cook together for another minute so the spices bloom and everything gets cozy.
3. 3Add the drained gandules and give it a good stir so they get coated in all that seasoned goodness. Then pour in your water or chicken broth and bring the whole pot up to a boil over medium-high heat. Taste the liquid here — it should be well-seasoned. This is your last easy chance to adjust the salt.
4. 4Once it's boiling, stir in the rice and bring it back to a boil. Let it cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid drops just below the level of the rice — you'll see little steam holes forming on top. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
5. 5Now lower the heat to the lowest setting your stove has, put a tight-fitting lid on the pot, and let it steam undisturbed for 20 minutes. No peeking — you'll let the steam out and mess up the texture. After 20 minutes, remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 more minutes.
6. 6Lift the lid, grab a fork, and fluff the rice gently from the bottom up. The bottom layer might have a little golden crust forming — that's called pegao and it is not a mistake, that's the most coveted bite in the whole pot. Serve it up hot.