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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.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine: Caribbean, Puerto Rican
Calories: 310

Ingredients
  

Beans
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 cup sofrito
  • 1 onion diced
  • 0.5 green pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can pink beans drained
  • 0.5 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 packet sazon with culantro & achiote
  • 1 tsp adobo seasoning
  • 0.5 tsp oregano
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1.25 cups water or broth
Rice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups long-grain rice rinsed
  • 3 cups water or broth
  • 0.5 packet sazon
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Heavy pot or caldero
  • Wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil and sauté sofrito, diced onion, green pepper, and garlic until fragrant.
  2. Add pink beans, tomato sauce, sazon, adobo, oregano, black pepper, bay leaf, and water.
  3. Simmer beans for 15–20 minutes until slightly thickened.
  4. For rice, heat olive oil in a heavy pot and stir rice for 1 minute.
  5. Add water, sazon, and salt. Bring to a boil.
  6. When water evaporates, stir once, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 15–20 minutes.
  7. 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.