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Mom’s Authentic Puerto Rican Rice & Beans – The Comfort Food Classic Every Home Cook Needs
Few dishes represent Puerto Rican home cooking as beautifully and as comfortingly as Arroz con Habichuelas — Puerto Rican Rice & Beans. This dish is humble yet deeply flavorful, simple yet soulful, and it embodies everything that makes Puerto Rican cuisine so special: vibrant spices, fresh aromatics, and slow-simmered ingredients that transform into something truly unforgettable.
This recipe is called “Mom’s Authentic Puerto Rican Rice & Beans” for a reason — it’s the real deal. No shortcuts. No blandness. No skipping the sofrito. Just a deeply seasoned, steaming pot of rice and tender beans simmered in a tomato-based broth infused with garlic, onion, peppers, sazon, and the aromas of the Caribbean.
If you’re looking for a comforting, hearty, budget-friendly meal that tastes like it came straight from an abuela’s kitchen, this is it. It pairs with everything — roasted pork, steak, chicken, plantains, seafood, you name it — and it works as a main dish or side dish any night of the week.
What makes this version special is the homemade sofrito base, the slow simmered pink beans, and the perfectly seasoned rice cooked in a fragrant broth that absorbs all the flavors of the beans. The end result is tender grains, silky beans, and a savory, aromatic sauce that clings to every bite.
Let’s dive into this beloved Puerto Rican treasure, along with tips, variations, serving suggestions, and your formatted JSON card.
What Makes Puerto Rican Rice & Beans So Special
Sofrito — The heart of Puerto Rican cooking.
A blend of peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro sautéed until fragrant.
Sazón + Adobo — Signature Puerto Rican seasonings.
They add color, depth, umami, and that unmistakable island flavor.
Beans simmered in tomato broth — Comforting, silky, and rich.
Rice cooked in flavor, not water — Makes every grain irresistible.
This recipe brings all of these elements together exactly as it’s made in Puerto Rican households from generation to generation.
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup sofrito (homemade or jarred)
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ green pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 oz) pink beans (or kidney beans), drained
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1 packet sazon with culantro & achiote
- 1 tsp adobo seasoning
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ¼ cups water or broth
- salt to taste
For the Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
- 3 cups water or broth
- ½ packet sazon
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
Optional Add-Ins
- olives
- chopped cilantro
- diced ham or salt pork
- sweet red peppers
- a splash of vinegar for brightness
Instructions
1. Make the Beans
Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add sofrito, onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and softened, about 3 minutes.
Add beans, tomato sauce, sazon, adobo, oregano, black pepper, bay leaf, and water or broth. Stir well.
Simmer uncovered on low for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened. Adjust salt.
2. Make the Rice
Heat olive oil in a pilón (heavy pot). Add rice and stir for 1 minute to coat.
Add water or broth, sazon, and salt. Stir once.
Bring to a boil. When water evaporates and rice looks bubbling and steamy, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15–20 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.
3. Serve
Spoon rice onto a plate and ladle beans over the top — the traditional Puerto Rican way.
Mom’s Authentic Puerto Rican Rice & Beans
A traditional Puerto Rican arroz con habichuelas made with sofrito, sazon, tomato sauce, and tender pink beans served over fluffy seasoned rice.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil and sauté sofrito, diced onion, green pepper, and garlic until fragrant.
- Add pink beans, tomato sauce, sazon, adobo, oregano, black pepper, bay leaf, and water.
- Simmer beans for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.
- For rice, heat olive oil in a heavy pot and stir rice for 1 minute.
- Add water, sazon, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- When water evaporates, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15–20 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork and serve beans over rice.
Notes
Add olives, cilantro, or diced ham for extra flavor. Beans should be slightly saucy.
Pro Tips for Authentic Flavor
Use long-grain rice
Keeps grains separate and fluffy.
Don’t rush the sofrito
Those first few minutes of sautéing build all the flavor.
Add broth instead of water
Deepens the richness, especially for the beans.
Let the beans thicken
Puerto Ricans like a slightly creamy bean consistency.
Rest the rice
Let it sit covered for 10 minutes before fluffing.
Variations
Arroz con Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans)
Simmer beans longer until thick and spoonable.
With Meat (Carne)
Add diced ham, bacon, or smoked turkey to the beans.
Vegetarian Version
Use vegetable broth and keep it plant-based — still amazing.
Spicy Puerto Rican Beans
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño.
Coconut Rice Version
Swap some broth for coconut milk for a Caribbean twist.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with classic Puerto Rican dishes like:
- pernil (roast pork)
- chuletas (pork chops)
- bistec encebollado (onion steak)
- pollo guisado (stewed chicken)
- tostones or maduros
- ensalada de aguacate (avocado salad)
Also works as a full meal by itself.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerate:
Up to 4 days.
Freeze:
Freeze beans up to 3 months.
Rice freezes well if cooled fully before packing.
Reheat:
Rice reheats best with a splash of water.