Slow-Cooked Rice with Pigeon Peas and Smoked Ham

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-11 · Updated 2026-04-11

Fluffy rice simmered with tender pigeon peas and smoky ham, a comforting Puerto Rican home-cooking classic. This Puerto Rican-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs long-grain rice, pigeon peas, smoked ham for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, 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

• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1 can (15 oz), drained and rinsed pigeon peas
• 6 oz, diced smoked ham
• 1/2 cup, finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1/2 cup, diced tomato
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

The chef’s knife we’d prep this with → Best Chef's Knives for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and 1 tsp minced garlic, and cook for 3 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Add 1/2 cup diced tomato and cook for 2 minutes until broken down.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 cup long-grain rice, 1 can drained pigeon peas, and 6 oz diced smoked ham. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Step 4: Add 2 cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper to the pot.
5. Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
6. Step 6: Remove the bay leaf and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.