Best 7 Puerto Rican Steamed Rice Recipes

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Embark on a culinary journey to the vibrant island of Puerto Rico, where flavors dance and traditions intertwine. Discover the secrets of Arroz Blanco, a staple dish that holds a special place in Puerto Rican cuisine. In this comprehensive guide, we present three distinct recipes that capture the essence of this beloved dish.

1. **Traditional Arroz Blanco**: Experience the authentic taste of Puerto Rican steamed rice, prepared with simple, wholesome ingredients. This classic recipe yields fluffy, aromatic rice that perfectly complements any main course.

2. **Arroz con Gandules**: Elevate your rice dish with the addition of gandules, pigeon peas that add a unique texture and earthy flavor. This variation is often served during special occasions and is a true delight for the senses.

3. **Arroz con Pollo**: Combine the goodness of rice, chicken, and vegetables in this hearty and flavorful dish. Arroz con Pollo is a one-pot wonder, perfect for busy weeknights or casual gatherings.

Each recipe is carefully explained with step-by-step instructions, ensuring success in your kitchen adventures. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting out, these recipes will guide you in creating authentic Puerto Rican steamed rice that will impress your family and friends.

Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!

PUERTO RICAN RICE AND BEANS (ARROZ CON GANDULES)



Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Arroz con Gandules) image

Afraid of rice so you use Minute® rice? Try this Puerto Rican style rice passed on from my family and you will never go back! No more boxed rice!

Provided by The Messy Cook

Categories     Side Dish     Rice Side Dish Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup sofrito
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (1.41 ounce) package sazon seasoning with achiote
½ tablespoon adobo seasoning
2 cups medium-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 ½ cups water
1 (15 ounce) can gandules (pigeon peas), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized caldero or nonstick pan. Stir in sofrito, garlic, sazon, and adobo; cook for 4 minutes, making sure not to burn garlic. Stir in rice until coated well; pour in chicken broth and water and stir once more.
  • Bring mixture to a boil and cook over medium-high heat until all liquid has been absorbed and rice looks like it has little holes throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in peas and cilantro gently from bottom to top, once or twice only. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
  • Turn off heat and let rice sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes more.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 256.1 calories, Carbohydrate 47.1 g, Cholesterol 1.5 mg, Fat 3.8 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 7.1 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 1287.7 mg, Sugar 0.6 g

BASIC PUERTO RICAN RICE RECIPE



Basic Puerto Rican Rice Recipe image

Fluffy, flavorful, firm and filling this easy to make Puerto Rican rice recipe is one the whole family will love!

Provided by Neyssa

Number Of Ingredients 15

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
2 ounces of salt pork (optional)
1/4 cup of homemade sofrito (optional and see note)
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1/2 red bell pepper (chopped -if not using sofrito)
1/2 green bell pepper (chopped -if not using sofrito)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1/4 cup of cilantro (rinsed and chopped)
4 ounces of tomato sauce
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of ground thyme (optional)
1 packet of Sazon seasoning packet
3 cups of long grain rice (rinsed and drained)
4 1/2 cups of good quality chicken broth or water (see note)

Steps:

  • Rinse and drain rice, set to the side.
  • Warm oil in a caldero over medium high heat.
  • Add salted pork and cook for about two minutes before adding in sofrito and onions or chopped vegetables, except for garlic.
  • Cook vegetables until softened, about 4 minutes, occasionally stirring.
  • Add in garlic and cook for thirty seconds before adding in tomato sauce, seasonings, and cilantro.
  • Let sauce come to a bubble and stir in rice.
  • Stir rice occasionally for two minutes for the rice to absorb the sofrito sauce.
  • Allow to cook about a minute, stirring occasionally before adding in the rice.
  • Pour in chicken broth or water with chicken bullion.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil and then lower to a steady simmer (think medium).
  • Cook uncovered for 12-14 minutes not stirring until the water levels evaporate to where you see the top of the rice and it the rice looks like craters.
  • Stir once and cover.
  • Lower heat to low. DO NOT UNCOVER!
  • Cook rice for twenty minutes. DO NOT TOUCH OR UNCOVER!
  • After 20 minutes DO NOT UNCOVER YET, remove pot from heat and let it steam for about 15 minutes before uncovering.
  • Uncover and gently fluff with a fork before serving.

ARROZ CON GANDULES (PUERTO RICAN RICE AND PIGEON PEAS)



Arroz Con Gandules (Puerto Rican Rice and Pigeon Peas) image

Arroz con Gandules -- also known as Puerto Rican Rice with Pigeon Peas -- is Puerto Rico's national dish for a reason! It's a flavorful Puerto Rican rice dish made with gandules (pigeon peas), green olives and sofrito. Treat your friends and family to this famous rice tonight!

Provided by Jessica - The Novice Chef

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 1h10m

Number Of Ingredients 14

4 slices bacon or ham, optional
2 tablespoons oil (olive or vegetable oil)
1 cup fresh or frozen gandules (pigeon peas), drained from the water
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup green olives
1/4 cup sofrito, thawed if using store bought frozen sofrito
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
½ packet sazon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cumin powder
3 ½ cups water
3 cups medium white rice, rinsed
cilantro, optional garnish

Steps:

  • 1. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot, or a caldero if you have one, over medium heat. If using ham or bacon, slowly cook the meat until crispy, remove meat from pot and set aside leaving the drippings. If not using meat, add olive oil before continuing with the next step. 2. Then, add the gandules, tomato sauce, green olives, sofrito, salt, adobo seasoning, sazon, ground black pepper and ground cumin. Stir to fully combine. 3. Once the mixture becomes fragrant, pour in the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the rice. Stir until rice is submerged and pigeon peas are distributed evenly. 4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes. You can add your ham or bacon back in now if you want, or wait to add it in again before serving. Traditionally the rice would be covered with a banana or plantain leaf. However, a tight fitting pot lid will work just fine! 5. About half way through cooking, remove the lid and stir, making sure to scrape up any rice stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is a very touchy subject - some Puerto Ricans insist that you don't stir the rice while cooking. That the crispy bottom bites are the best part! While others would prefer more evenly cooked rice. Whatever you do, if you do stir the rice, make sure you only do it once or the rice can become sticky. 6. After simmering for 25 minutes, remove the arroz con gandules from the heat and let it sit for an additional 30 minutes before serving. This is called letting the rice "steam". The rice is done once all the liquid is absorbed. 7. After letting the rice rest for about a half hour, remove the lid. Fluff and stir the rice, then serve warm with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 257 calories, Carbohydrate 25 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 16 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 12 grams fat, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 12 grams protein, SaturatedFat 1 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 1265 milligrams sodium, Sugar 1 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams unsaturated fat

FILIPINO STEAMED RICE, CEBU STYLE



Filipino Steamed Rice, Cebu Style image

One of my childhood favorites from my hometown, Cebu City, in the Phillipines. When finished, you can steam this dish on a steamer for 10 minutes to mimic the effect of a steamed dish like what they do in dim sum restaurants. I personally think it tastes just fine without steaming.

Provided by Yasmin Reyes

Categories     Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes     Stews     Seafood

Time 1h15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 23

1 pound pork belly, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 teaspoons Chinese cooking wine
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon fried shallots
3 cups water
1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste
¼ teaspoon dark soy sauce
¼ pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons frozen peas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups cooked jasmine rice, cooled, or more to taste
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
3 drops sesame oil, or to taste

Steps:

  • Mix pork belly with cooking wine, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator, at least 20 minutes.
  • Heat vegetable oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallots; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the pork pieces; fry until browned, about 6 minutes. Pour in water, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce. Cover with a lid and bring stew to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until pork becomes tender and water is reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
  • Cut shrimp into 3/4-inch pieces. Mix cornstarch and water together in a bowl.
  • Bring stew to a boil. Add the shrimp and peas; cook until shrimp changes color, about 2 minutes. Quickly stir in the cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until gravy is thickened, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Saute garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to high. Add rice; cook, breaking up the rice with a spatula, until loosened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add oyster sauce and soy sauce. Cook and stir until rice is fluffy and heated through, about 3 minutes. Add remaining sesame oil.
  • Divide fried rice between 3 or 4 bowls. Portion the pork and shrimp stew equally over the rice.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 465.9 calories, Carbohydrate 33.8 g, Cholesterol 83.9 mg, Fat 26.2 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 21.6 g, SaturatedFat 6.9 g, Sodium 1312.3 mg, Sugar 0.4 g

PUERTO RICAN WHITE RICE



Puerto Rican White Rice image

I can never get steamed white rice to come out right. A friend from Puerto Rico showed me this method. Lift the lid and sample as often as you like without fear of ruining the rice! Perfect and delicious every time. Total cook time will vary depending on altitude.

Provided by aymeahrens

Categories     White Rice

Time 20m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 4

2 cups calrose rice
3 cups water
1/4 cup oil (olive or canola)
1 tablespoon sea salt

Steps:

  • Stir rice and water into a medium pot with lid. Bring to a boil.
  • Add salt and oil. Keep mixture at a gentle boil until rice is dry (it will not be tender). Use a mixing spoon to form a heap with the rice in the center of the pot.
  • Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
  • Remove lid every 5 minutes to stir and sample rice. Rice will form a crust on the bottom of the pot if not stirred often.
  • When rice is steamed to your liking, stir one last time to fluff; serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 319, Fat 9.4, SaturatedFat 1.3, Sodium 1167, Carbohydrate 52.8, Fiber 1.9, Protein 4.3

ARROZ MAMPOSTEAO



Arroz Mamposteao image

Rice and beans are religion in Puerto Rico, though they're typically prepared separately but served together, several spoonfuls of beans on top of white rice. But mamposteao - easily my favorite name for a Puerto Rican dish - combines the two. It's a preparation intended to make use of leftovers, as it benefits from day-old rice and prepared beans. Traditionally, pork and tomato sauce are added - but, for a more subtle approach to this recipe, bacon fat replaces ham or tocino (fatback) here, giving the dish a smoky richness without any meat. You can prepare this dish from start to finish with fresh rice and fresh beans, but it's not recommended. Think of this as a satisfying way to make use of leftover ingredients that also pairs well with a variety of Puerto Rican dishes.

Provided by Von Diaz

Categories     dinner, weeknight, beans, grains and rice, side dish

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 1/2 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil
1/2 cup sofrito
1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade sazón
1 1/2 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can drained, cooked beans, such as kidney, pinto or pink beans
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (or liquid from beans), plus more as needed
2 1/2 cups cooked long- or short-grain white rice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Steps:

  • In a wide skillet or wok, heat bacon fat over medium-high until just simmering. Add sofrito and sazón, and sauté, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mixture darkens in color, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add beans and broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook until broth thickens, forming a sauce, about 3 minutes.
  • Add rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and increase heat to high, stirring well to incorporate. If you want a moister rice, simply add more broth.
  • Once rice is fully heated and steaming (about 2 minutes), reduce heat to medium, and press rice gently into the pan, allowing the bottom of the rice to crisp, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes.
  • Fold the bottom of the rice into the top to incorporate. Rice should be compact, but fairly dry. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes longer, stirring once or twice more until it reaches the desired crispness. Season with salt to taste.
  • To serve, scoop into a small rice bowl, press gently, then turn each onto a plate or into a larger bowl. Garnish with cilantro.

CARNE GUISADA III



Carne Guisada III image

The Perfect Puerto Rican Meal. Everywhere you go this is the one of the main dishes that is served. It goes very well served over steamed rice.

Provided by FIVEBRIGS

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Caribbean

Time 2h15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 (8 ounce) can canned tomato sauce
¼ cup sofrito sauce
1 (.18 ounce) packet sazon seasoning
1 tablespoon adobo seasoning
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt to taste
2 pounds beef stew meat
2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
1 cup water

Steps:

  • In a large pot, combine tomato sauce, sofrito sauce, sazon seasoning, adobo seasoning, oregano, and salt. Simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add meat, and cook until evenly browned. Stir in just enough water to cover meat. Cover, and simmer for about 1 hour. Add potatoes, and cook for about 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 676.6 calories, Carbohydrate 18.5 g, Cholesterol 155.3 mg, Fat 46.5 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 44.6 g, SaturatedFat 18.6 g, Sodium 971 mg, Sugar 2.8 g

Tips:

  • Using a good quality rice is key to achieving the perfect steamed rice. Look for medium-grain rice, such as Jasmine or Calrose, that is specifically labeled for steaming.
  • Be sure to rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking. This will remove any excess starch and help the rice cook evenly.
  • The ratio of rice to water is important. For steamed rice, you will need 1 cup of uncooked rice to 1.5 cups of water.
  • Season the rice with salt before cooking. This will help to enhance the flavor of the rice.
  • Cover the rice tightly while it is cooking. This will help to trap the steam and ensure that the rice cooks evenly.
  • Once the rice is cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This will allow the rice to absorb any remaining moisture.

Conclusion:

Steamed rice is a delicious and versatile side dish that can be served with a variety of dishes. It is a staple in many cultures and can be easily made at home with just a few simple ingredients. By following these tips, you can make perfect steamed rice every time.

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