In the Dominican Republic, Moro de Habichuelas Rojas is that weeknight pot everyone recognizes—fluffy rice cooked with red beans, onions, ají cubanela or bell pepper, and a little sazón that perfumes the whole house. It’s not the classic la bandera combo (that’s Arroz Blanco with Habichuelas Guisadas and a stewed meat), but it’s a beloved everyday staple that sits beautifully next to a main and a simple salad.
When I make this moro for family dinner, I’ll serve it with Pollo Guisado or Rabo Encendido (Spicy Dominican Oxtail Stew), add Ensalada de Aguacate or a quick Ensalada Verde, and slide in a side of Maduros. Simple, homey, and 100% cocina criolla—just the way we like it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the oil in a large caldero or cast-iron pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, and tomato sauce with the bouillon cubes, sazón packet, oregano, adobo, and black pepper for 2–3 minutes, stirring until glossy and fragrant.
Pour in the beans with their liquid and the water; bring to a boil. Add the rice and stir occasionally while it simmers, so the grains cook evenly and don’t stick. When most of the liquid is absorbed, and the rice looks dry on top, reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam for 25 minutes.
Uncover, fluff by folding from the edges toward the center, cover again, and cook 5 minutes more. Turn off the heat, let it rest a couple of minutes, then serve warm—extra love if you scrape a bit of concón for the crispy-rice fans.
Serving Suggestions
- Pair your moro with Pollo Guisado (Dominican Stewed Chicken) for a cozy, saucy main that loves to mingle with rice and beans.
- Make it extra special with Rabo Encendido (Spicy Dominican Oxtail Stew)—rich, fall-off-the-bone oxtail with a gentle heat that’s perfect over moro.
- Add a cool, creamy Ensalada de Aguacate (Dominican Avocado Salad) to balance the savory flavors or include a crisp Ensalada Verde (Simple Dominican Green Salad) for freshness and crunch.
- For a sweet-savory bite, serve with Maduros (Fried Sweet Plantains)—or swap for Tostones (Fried Green Plantains) if you want something salty and crispy.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, sprinkle in a tablespoon or two of water, cover, and warm on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until fluffy again. (A heavy-bottomed pot helps prevent scorching.)
Recipe Tips
- Rice texture: Rinsing rice can reduce stickiness; use a caldero or other heavy pot for even cooking and less sticking.
- Make it vegan: Swap chicken bouillon for vegetable bouillon.
Moro de Habichuelas Rojas
Author:Equipment
- 1 Caldero
Ingredients
- 3 cucharadas 45 ml de aceite vegetal
- 1 cebolla roja pequeña picada (aprox. ¾ taza / 100 g)
- ½ pimiento verde o rojo, picado (aprox. ¾ taza / 90 g)
- 2 dientes de ajo picados (2–3 cdta / 6–9 g)
- 1 cucharada 4 g de cilantro fresco picado
- 2 cucharadas 30 ml de salsa de tomate
- 2 cubitos de caldo de pollo aprox. 10 g
- 1 cucharadita 2 g de sazón con achiote
- 1 cucharadita 1 g de orégano seco
- ½ cucharadita 2 g de adobo
- ½ cucharadita 1 g de pimienta negra molida
- 1 lata 15 oz / 425 g de habichuelas rojas o pintas, con su líquido
- 3 tazas 720 ml de agua
- 3 tazas de arroz blanco de grano largo aprox. 585 g
Instructions
- Calienta el aceite en un caldero grande o en una olla de hierro a fuego medio. Agrega la cebolla, el pimiento, el ajo, el cilantro, la salsa de tomate, los cubitos de caldo, el sazón, el orégano, el adobo y la pimienta negra; sofríe 2–3 minutos hasta que estén fragantes.
- Incorpora las habichuelas con su líquido y el agua; deja hervir.
- Agrega el arroz; cocina destapado, moviendo ocasionalmente, hasta que la mayor parte del líquido se absorba y la superficie se vea seca.
- Reduce el fuego a bajo, tapa y cocina al vapor durante 25 minutos.
- Destapa, esponja suavemente, tapa de nuevo y cocina 5 minutos más. Sirve tibio.
Notes
- Usa arroz blanco para estos tiempos; el arroz integral necesita más agua y más tiempo.
- Vegano si usas caldo vegetal.
- Una olla de fondo grueso minimiza que se pegue y mejora la textura.
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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Gerald Najarian says
What size can of beans? 14.5 OZ seems small for three cups of rice.
Vanessa says
Yes, that is the size.
Piqui Nay says
Looks good the recipe is legit Dominican except you forgot to.mention to “wash” (rinse) the rice 2-3 times which is a must in a Dominican rice recipe.
Vanessa says
Yes! The rice must be rinsed always.
Jacqueline Burgos says
I use this same recipe and love it! The only difference is I use 3 cups water to 3 cups rice, a whole little can of Goya tomato sauce, the liquid inside the bean can thickens my rice water way too much and then it becomes mushy.
Jacqueline Burgos says
I drain and rinse my can of beans **
Gio says
Very tasty my family loves when I make this
Vanessa says
Thank you! So glad your family enjoys it. 🙂
TK says
This is delicious! Any way to make with brown rice?
Vanessa says
Yes, you can make it with brown rice the same way, just make sure to add more water because brown rice needs substantially more water to cook. I suggest adding 1-2 extra cups of water.
Katie says
Going to make this tomorrow..
Only 2.5 cups of water for 3 cups rice??
Vanessa says
Hi Katie,
Yes, only 2.5 cups of water because you’re also using the liquid from the can of beans. If you prefer to discard the liquid from the beans, then you should add 3.5 cups of water.
Rachell says
why do you have olives in the picture?.. but not in the recipe.
I wanted to include that in the rice.
Vanessa says
You can include the olives if you want. I do sometimes. 🙂
Maleka says
Very Tasteful
Vanessa says
Thank you!
Jackie says
LOVED!!!!!
Enriqueta E Lemoine says
Y el arroz con habichuelas, Miami me lo regalooooooooo! OMG Vane, this Moro con habichula recipe looks so yummy! I’m loving Dominican cuisine!
Monica Chic says
I love rice in all versions, especially this Dominican rice with
Yaimar Perez Nuñez says
Moro con habichuelas supongo que es lo mismo que arroz con frijoles aquí.
La verdad se ve muy bueno! Gracias por la receta!
Blanca D says
Talk about comfort food! I really like rice and beans!
Veronica says
Uy, I just want to be in Dominican Republic now enjoying this Moro de habichuelas!
Laura says
Una de mis recetas favoritas: Moro de habichuelas! Gracias por compartir.