Puerto Rican-Style Arroz con Gandules with Sofrito

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-03 · Updated 2026-05-03

A classic Puerto Rican rice dish simmered with pigeon peas and a fragrant homemade sofrito base for authentic island flavor. This Latin American-inspired rice and grain recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs medium grain rice, pigeon peas (gandules), drained, 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 pigeon peas (gandules), drained
• 1/2 cup sofrito
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 bay leaf

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 2 cups medium grain rice under cold water until water runs clear; drain well.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sofrito and sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and slightly thickened.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons capers, and 1 bay leaf, cooking for another 2 minutes.
4. Step 4: Add the drained 1 cup pigeon peas and 3 cups chicken broth, bring to a boil.
5. Step 5: Stir in the rinsed rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove bay leaf before serving.