Dominican Rice and Beans (Moro de Habichuelas)

Dominican moro rice and beans in an oval dish.

5 from 1 vote

Dominican Rice and Beans (Moro de Habichuelas)

Moro de habichuelas — rice and beans cooked together — is the most popular and satisfying Dominican side dish! Seasoned with sofrito, herbs, sazon, and adobo, it gets its signature yellow color as it cooks. It’s easy to make and comes together in one pot on the stovetop.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Resting time5 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Sides

Cuisine: Latin American

Servings: servings

Calories: 331kcal

Author: Crystal DaCruz

Equipment

heavy bottomed pan (caldero) 3.5-quart or larger

Ingredients

2 cups long grain white rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons sofrito
⅓ cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons adobo
1.5 teaspoon sazon should contain saffron, look for the yellow package
1 large bouillon cube
15 ounces canned pinto beans drained
¼ cup green olives plus 1 tablespoon olive juice
salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups water

Instructions

Using a mesh strainer, rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear, then set it aside.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the sofrito and sauté for a few seconds, until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, adobo and sazon. Use your fingers or a wooden spoon to break up the bouillon and stir until the tomato paste is smooth.
Add the beans, olives, olive juice and 2 cups of water. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper as needed, then bring it to a simmer. If you're using beans from scratch, refer to the notes section below.
Once the liquid starts to simmer, add the rice and stir. Turn the burner up slightly and stir the rice frequently, letting most of the liquid cook off.
Once most of the liquid is gone (the rice should still be wet), cover the pot with a lid and turn the burner down very low. Let the rice cook for 30-35 minutes. Don't lift the lid while the rice is cooking!
Once the 30 minutes are up, turn the burner off. Keep covered and let the rice rest for 5-10 minutes, then lift the lid and taste the rice. The grains should be tender and separated. Fluff the rice using a fork and serve.

Notes

Making beans from scratch (optional):

1. Measure 1 cup of dried beans, rinse, and drain them well.
2. Place the beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let them soak overnight.
3. In a deep pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of sofrito and sauté for about a minute until fragrant.
4. Add the soaked beans and their water to the pot (some people change out the water, but I don’t). Add more water if needed to fully cover the beans and stir in 2 teaspoons of salt.
5. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1–2 hours, or until the beans are soft. Keep an eye on the pot, making sure there's always plenty of cooking liquid.
6. Once the beans are done, reserve 3 cups of the liquid, then drain the rest.
Note: The 3 cups of cooking liquid from the beans will replace all liquid in the recipe so it is very important that you don't throw it away!

Other tips and tricks

Wash and rinse the rice before adding it to the pan. This removes extra starch and chemical residue.
The key to getting that nice deep color is to use as much bean liquid as you can. Make sure to get all of that thick black stuff at the bottom of the can!
Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid. If you're unsure if your lid fits tightly, cover the pot with foil before placing the lid on. This traps the steam in and helps the rice cook evenly.
Don't lift the lid while the rice is cooking—doing so lets steam out of the pan and could prevent the rice from cooking properly.
It's normal for some rice to stick to the bottom of the pot. Keep a low flame at all times so it doesn't burn.

Nutrition