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–+ servings
two black bowls filled with gandule rice

Gandule Rice

Relle Lum
Gandule rice or arroz con gandule is a popular Puerto Rican dish in Hawai’i. Fluffy rice flavored with pigeon peas, seasoned pork, and a take on sofrito. A delicious meal that can be served as a main dish or side dish.
4.89 from 77 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Puerto Rican
Servings 18 servings
Calories 304 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

Quick Achiote Oil

  • ½ cup neutral oil
  • 1 tablespoon achiote annatto seeds

For the gandule rice

  • 3 cups white rice uncooked
  • 1 tablespoon achiote oil (from quick recipe above)
  • ½ pound bacon
  • ½ pound pork tenderloin sliced into thin, short, narrow strips
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ½ green bell pepper diced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 1 bunch cilantro finely chopped
  • 5 stalks green onion thinly sliced
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 packets Sazon Goya
  • 1 can tomato sauce 8 ounces
  • 1 can gandules verdes 15 ounces, drained
  • 1 can black olives 6 ounces pitted and drained

Instructions
 

For the achiote oil

  • Heat ½ cup oil + 1 tablespoon achiote seeds until sizzling and bright red. Strain.

For the gandule rice

  • Rinse rice in cool running water until water runs clear. Drain and set aside.
  • Set a large pan over medium high heat. Add achiote oil, bacon, and pork. Cook until browned, about 5-10 minutes.
  • Next add garlic, bell pepper, and onion. Cook until fragrant and the onions become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Then add cilantro and green onion. Stir to combine and heat through. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Pour drained rice into the rice cooker. Add chicken broth, Sazon Goya packets, tomato sauce, gandule beans, and olives.
  • Strain oil from pork mixture and discard. Add pork to the rice pot. Stir until well combined. 
  • Set the rice cooker to cook. Once the rice cooker has finished, open and fluff the rice by stirring with a fork.

Video

Notes

  • *If using an Instant Pot, close lid, set to sealing and cook on the rice setting. This will cook for 12 minutes. Allow 10 minutes natural pressure release. Turn valve to venting. Once the pin has dropped, open and fluff the rice by stirring with a fork.
  • *This can also be cooked on the stove top or in the oven.

    • Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 304kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 8gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 766mgPotassium: 317mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 330IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword arroz con gandule, easy recipes, gandule rice, Instant Pot, keeping it relle, puerto rican, rice cooker, rice pot, rice recipes
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    © Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I'd love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!