If there’s one dish that instantly brings warmth and nostalgia to a Dominican or Puerto Rican kitchen, it’s Arroz con Gandules. A fragrant rice cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, and all the sazón that reminds us of home.
In my family, this dish shows up at every celebration — from Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) to Sunday lunch. The sound of rice sizzling in the caldero, the smell of garlic and peppers filling the kitchen. It all feels like comfort, tradition, and love in a pot.
Dominicans and Puerto Ricans both claim this rice as their own, and honestly, we’re all right to! It’s the kind of meal that connects us — rich in flavor, culture, and memories. Serve it with Pollo Guisado (Dominican Stewed Chicken), Pernil, or Tostones (Fried Green Plantains) for the ultimate Dominican feast.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by making the sofrito. In a food processor, blend the onion, green bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro until finely chopped. This fresh base is what gives the rice its depth of flavor and that unmistakable aroma of Dominican cooking.
In a large caldero or cast-iron pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sofrito mixture, tomato sauce, chicken bouillon cubes, oregano, adobo, black pepper, and alcaparrado. Sauté everything together for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the vegetables start to soften.
Next, stir in the pigeon peas (gandules) along with their liquid, followed by the water. When the liquid begins to boil, add the rice, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Once the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and starts to dry out, lower the heat to low. Cover and let it cook for about 25 minutes. After that, uncover and carefully stir the rice. Cover again and cook for another 5 minutes to let it steam.
When it’s done, the rice should be fluffy, flavorful, and have that perfect concon (crispy layer at the bottom that we all fight over). Serve warm and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This Arroz con Gandules is the star of every Dominican and Puerto Rican celebration. It’s perfect for holiday feasts like Nochebuena, but simple enough for a comforting weekday dinner.
Pair it with Pollo Guisado or Beef Picadillo for a hearty meal, or serve it alongside Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains) for a full Dominican comfort plate.
If you love coconut flavor, try my Moro de Guandules con Coco for a delicious variation made with creamy coconut milk.
Storage Tips
To Store: Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of broth or water to loosen it up as it reheats.
To Freeze: Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and reheat before serving.
Helpful Notes
- Can’t find pigeon peas? Substitute with black beans or kidney beans for a similar texture and taste.
- For the best texture, use long-grain rice and rinse it before cooking to remove excess starch.
- A caldero (traditional Dominican pot) gives the rice that authentic flavor and crispy concon layer.
- Add a few sprigs of cilantro while it steams for extra aroma and richness.
- This dish pairs beautifully with stewed and roasted meats for any festive meal.
Arroz con Gandules aka Moro de Guandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)
Author:Equipment
- 1 Caldero
Ingredients
- ½ cup 80 g red onion, chopped
- ½ cup 75 g green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 9 g)
- 2 tablespoons 8 g cilantro
- 3 tablespoons 45 ml vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons 30 g tomato sauce
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon about 10 g total
- 1 teaspoon 1 g oregano
- ½ teaspoon 2 g adobo
- ½ teaspoon 1 g ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon 15 g alcaparrado
- 1 15 oz / 425 g can green pigeon peas (gandules verdes), with liquid
- 2 cups 480 ml water
- 3 cups 600 g rice
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cilantro until finely chopped to make the sofrito.
- Stir in the pigeon peas with their liquid and water. Bring to a boil.
- Add the rice and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Once the liquid has mostly absorbed, lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for 25 minutes.
- Stir gently, cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Fluff the rice and serve warm.
Notes
- Substitute pigeon peas with black or kidney beans if needed.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
- Serve with stewed or roasted meats for a classic Dominican meal.
Nutrition
The nutritional information of this recipe and all recipes on mydominicankitchen.com is only an estimate. The accuracy of any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Sonia says
Hi Ms. Vanessa. Thank you for all your Dominican recepies. Looking at these dishes reminds me of all the great foods my Dominican mother made. I was born in D.R. but grew up in NYC. However every meal at home was Dominican. As I am an older adult now I follow a vegan diet for health reasons.
But I love to continue to cook Dominican meals. Could you post more vegan Dominican dishes on your website. Thank you so much! , best regards Sonia.
Amber Townsend says
Sounds delicious! I’m doing a DR inspired dinner with friends on Thursday. In the recipe ingredients, there is no sazon listed, but it’s in the directions to add it. How much and what kind of sazon is supposed to be used?
Vanessa says
We used one packet of sazon culantro and achiote.
Natalie says
I see the green larger pigeon peas in this recipe but what is the smaller, roundish brownish ingredient?
Vanessa says
We only used regular pigeon peas in this recipe, they appear brown when cooked. You might be looking at the olives.
Eugenia says
I’m making this now. But, your recipe doesn’t include how much oil to add and it mentions nothing of the Sazon. 1 Packet? Thanks!
Eugenia says
Sorry. It does mention the oil amount. Sorry!
Becky says
Looks beautiful. Would love to see a vegan version of this.
Silvia Martinez says
I still remember the first time I tried arroz con gandules, delicious!
Ale says
I have never tried this recipe before, I will try it for sure!
Enriqueta Lemoine says
I haven’t had gandules. Bucket list!
Rajee Pandi says
Love Tostones and Flan
Heather says
I have never made flan before. I would like to try the Leche Flan.
Trisha McKee says
Flan is definitely my favorite.
Leslie Carcaise says
Rice with corn
connie k says
Going to try the Tostones.
Pam Flynn says
Latin Style Turkey with Mojo and Sazon Achiote is amazing. Juicy and sophisticated with a touch of bohemian.