If there’s one rice dish that instantly reminds me of home, it’s moro de guandules con coco. This creamy, coconut-infused rice with pigeon peas is a staple in Dominican kitchens—especially during the holidays—but honestly, it’s too good not to make all year round.
Think of it as our twist on arroz con gandules, but with that unmistakable Caribbean touch: coconut milk. It’s one of my mom’s favorite side dishes and a go-to on our dinner table next to pollo guisado and a simple avocado salad.
The best part? It comes together in one pot with simple ingredients and bold Dominican flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the sofrito: In a small food processor or blender, combine chopped green bell pepper, ají dulce, garlic, and red onion. Blend until everything is finely chopped and evenly textured. This fresh base is what gives this dish its signature depth of flavor.
Sauté the seasonings: In a large caldero or cast-iron pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sofrito, tomato sauce, dried oregano, powdered annatto, adobo seasoning, olives (or alcaparrado), and the bouillon tablet. Sauté everything together for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the liquid ingredients: Stir in the coconut milk, pigeon peas, and water. Bring to a boil, letting all those beautiful flavors come together.
Add rice: Once the liquid is boiling, stir in the rinsed and drained rice. Let it simmer uncovered until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice begins to dry out—this takes about 10–15 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep it from sticking.
Steam and finish: Place the fresh cilantro and culantro leaves right on top of the rice (don’t mix them in). Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25 minutes. Then remove and discard the herbs, stir the rice gently, cover again, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve and enjoy: Fluff the rice and serve warm with your favorite protein or salad.
Serving Suggestions
This arroz con guandules con coco is the ultimate Dominican sidekick to pollo guisado, pernil, or even fried fish. Add a simple avocado salad or some tostones on the side for the full Dominican experience.
Storage Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of water to bring back the softness and warm over the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe Tips
- Use canned pigeon peas for convenience, but you can also use fresh or frozen. Just cook them until tender before adding them to the pot.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice—this helps prevent it from getting sticky.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot like a caldero to avoid burning and get even cooking.
- Bouillon tablets give it that classic depth of flavor, but feel free to adjust salt levels to your taste.
Moro de Guandules con Coco (Rice with Pigeon Peas & Coconut Milk)
Author:Equipment
- 1 Caldero
Ingredients
- 1 ají dulce, seeded and cut in half
- 3 garlic cloves,
- ½ small red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon powder annatto (bija)
- 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
- ¼ cup whole pimiento-stuffed green olives or alcaparrado
- 1 chicken or vegetable bouillon tablet
- 1 can 13.5 ounces each coconut milk
- 1 can 15 ounces pigeon peas (gandules)
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 3 – 5 sprigs fresh cilantro
- 3 fresh culantro leaves (cilantro ancho)
Instructions
- To make the sofrito place the bell pepper, ají dulce, garlic, and onion in a small food processor or blender and process until all ingredients are chopped and have obtained a uniform texture.
- In a large cast-iron pot or caldero, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the sofrito mixture, tomato sauce, oregano, annatto, adobo, olives, and chicken bouillon. Cook and stir for about 2 – 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the coconut milk, pigeon peas, and water. Bring to a boil.
- When it begins to boil, stir in the rice and let simmer until the rice has soaked up all the water and begins to dry up, about 10 – 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Place the cilantro and the culantro on top of the rice. Cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and let it cook for 25 minutes. Then, remove the cilantro and the culantro, and discard. Stir the rice carefully and cover for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with a side of your choice.
Notes
- Use canned pigeon peas for convenience, but you can also use fresh or frozen. Just cook them until tender before adding them to the pot.
- Don’t skip rinsing the rice—this helps prevent it from getting sticky.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot like a caldero to avoid burning and get even cooking.
- Bouillon tablets give it that classic depth of flavor, but feel free to adjust salt levels to your taste.
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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