Puerto Rican-Style Arroz con Gandules

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-21 · Updated 2026-06-21

A classic Latin American rice dish cooked with pigeon peas, sofrito, and a blend of traditional spices for rich flavor. This Latin American-inspired rice and grain recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs medium grain rice, pigeon peas (gandules), canned, sofrito for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups medium grain rice
• 1 cup, drained pigeon peas (gandules), canned
• 1/2 cup sofrito
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp adobo seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1/4 cup green olives, sliced

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sofrito and sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly thickened.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 tsp adobo seasoning, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper, cooking for another 2 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add 2 cups medium grain rice and 1 cup drained pigeon peas, stirring to coat the rice evenly with the sofrito mixture.
4. Step 4: Pour in 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
5. Step 5: Remove from heat and gently fold in 2 tbsp capers and 1/4 cup sliced green olives. Let rest covered for 5 minutes before serving.