Pigeon Peas and Rice (Arroz con Gandules Recipe)

This quick and easy, 30-minute recipe for pigeon peas and rice (also known as arroz con gandules in Spanish) is made with canned pigeon peas and flavored with pork and sofrito. The deep yellow color comes from a blend of sazón, adobo, and tomato paste. Serve with your favorite braised beef, pork or chicken dish, and a side of fried sweet plantains!

Above all things, I am a lover of rice – it’s a part of my island DNA. Growing up in my home, we ate rice dishes with almost every meal. After years of practice, I have finally perfected my favorite rice dish, and am making it super easy for you!

Also called arroz con gandules, rice and pigeon peas is enjoyed by Caribbeans and Africans alike. In this version, I use Latin seasonings like sazón, sofrito and adobo, which are staple ingredients even in non-Spanish speaking homes because they’re easy to find in stores and similar to the spices we use. 

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
• 📋 Key Ingredients
• Substitutions
• 🔪 How to make pigeon peas and rice
• 💭 Tips and tricks
• 🥘 Serving suggestions
• Recipe Variations
• Storing and reheating leftovers
• ❓Recipe FAQ’s
• ⭐ Other recipes you’ll love
• Pigeon Peas and Rice (Arroz con Gandules Recipe)

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• This recipe has many elements of Puerto Rican-style arroz con gandules, which is made with medium-grain rice and flavored with sofrito, pork and a combination of sazón and adobo.
• Cooks in just 30 minutes! Canned pigeon peas and other store-bought ingredients make this dish super-approachable, even on weeknights. There’s minimal prep and the rice only needs 10 minutes to rest before serving.
• Rice and pigeon peas can be made ahead, reheated and served with a variety of dishes during the week, making meal-prep easy.

📋 Key Ingredients

• This recipe starts off with pork fat (either bacon grease or lard) which is used to sauté the sofrito (described below).
• Sofrito is a pureé of onions, bell peppers, cilantro, and garlic. It’s the base of a most Latin American and Caribbean dishes. My homemade sofrito doesn’t have tomatoes, which is why tomato paste is also used in this recipe.
• Medium-grain rice is recommended because the short, fluffy grains absorb the tomato and seasonings.
• Canned pigeon peas – ‘green pigeon peas’ are often written on the label even though they actually appear brown. Make sure not to drain the liquid for this recipe.
• Sazón and adobo are both seasoning blends that are commonly used in Latin-American and island dishes. Each is made from a unique combination of herbs and spices.
• Green olives are delicious, but I recognize that they’re not everyone’s thing, which is why they are listed as optional.

Refer to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions

• You can use long grain or jasmine rice if you have trouble finding medium-grain rice.
• Recaito, a cooking base, can be used as an alternative to sofrito. Unlike sofrito, which is made from cilantro, recaito’s main ingredient is culantro (also called recao), providing a stronger flavor than cilantro.
• Vegetarian/vegan substitute: use olive or vegetable oil rather than pork fat or lard.
• Authentic Puerto Rican versions of arroz con gandules use alcaparrado, a mixture of green olives, capers, and pimiento peppers that can be used as a substitute for just olives.

🔪 How to make pigeon peas and rice

Step 1: Heat the lard or bacon grease in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the sofrito and let it cook for just a few seconds. Then add the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, adobo, sazón and bouillon to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break up the bouillon cube.

Step 2: Add 2 cups of water to the pan and stir until the tomato paste is fully dissolved and you’re left with a red broth.

Step 3: Add the pigeon peas (with liquid from the can) and olives to the pot. Taste the liquid and add salt and pepper as needed. Bring the pot to a simmer.

Step 4: Once the water starts simmering, rinse the rice and add it to the pot. Stir and bring the pot to a simmer again. Cover the pot with a lid, turn the burner down low and cook the rice for 25-30 minutes. Don’t lift the lid or mix the rice while it’s cooking.

Note: Maintain a very low flame while the rice cooks. Don’t lift the lid or mix the rice while it’s cooking!

Step 5: Lift the lid and taste the rice. All the water should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Turn the burner off and re-cover the pot with a lid. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes.

Step 6: Fluff the rice with a fork (without scraping the bottom of the pan) and serve.

💭 Tips and tricks

• You’ll need a heavy-bottom pot – at least 3.5 quarts in size. I use an enamel dutch oven, but a caldero (aluminum pan used in island/Latin American cooking) is even better.
• Wash and rinse the rice before adding it to the pan. This removes extra starch and chemical residue.
• Placing a sheet of foil over the rice before putting the lid on can help trap steam in and aid with cooking the rice. Another trick you can try is laying a damp paper towel over the rice (still cover it with a lid) while it cooks.
• Don’t mix the rice while it’s cooking! You only need to stir it once before you put the lid on the pan, but other than that – hands off!
• It’s normal for the rice to stick to the bottom of the pot. Keep a low flame at all times so it doesn’t burn.

🥘 Serving suggestions

• This recipe yields about 6 servings. Double (or triple) for holidays and large gatherings. I use a rice to water ratio of 1:1 whenever I double or scale a recipe.
• Serve arroz con gandules with your favorite braised meat dish and a side of potato salad.
• Sweet plantains or tostones also taste great with this rice dish.

Recipe Variations

You’ll find variations of rice and pigeon peas across island cultures. A few different versions are listed below.

• Dominicans have moro de gandules as their version of arroz con gandules.
• In Trinidad rice and pigeon peas is called pelau. It’s simmered in coconut milk and includes chicken.
• Jamaicans refer to their version as peas and rice, also using coconut milk. In Jamaica, pigeon peas are called gungo beans.
• Haitians make a version with coconut milk, known as diri kole avec pois congo; pigeon peas are called pwa kongo.
• In Cape Verde, our version is called ervilha seca or feijao congo (congo bean), often cooked in broth and served over white rice. Sometimes we’ll cook the beans in the same pot with with rice (similar to arroz con gandules), but this version doesn’t have a formal name.

Storing and reheating leftovers

• In the refrigerator: Store leftover rice in an airtight-container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 
• Reheating instructions: When reheating rice, I prefer to use a steamer or double boiler rather than a microwave. Just add 2 inches of water to the bottom of a double boiler. Place parchment paper or foil in the steamer basket, cover it with a lid, and steam the rice for 10-15 minutes. 
• In the Freezer: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag, ensuring a proper seal to prevent freezer burn. Frozen leftovers can be stored for 3 months. 

❓Recipe FAQ’s

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