Puerto Rican Rice and Beans WITH VIDEO – otherwise known as Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans) – are the most flavorful beans simmered in a tomato and sofrito based broth with potatoes and olives. Served over rice they are a meal unto themselves, or a classic staple with every Puerto Rican dinner!
Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)
Update: new photos added July 2017. VIDEO added August 2017 (scroll down). Original recipe published December 2013.
I’ve mentioned before that I’m half Polish, half Mexican and I’ve shared recipes various from my cultural influences.
But this recipe says who I am and what I claim: I’m Puerto Rican!
I used to repeat that phrase proudly as a little girl when asked about my background.
(It was all the more humorous since I couldn’t pronounce my R’s when I was young.)
Fast forward a few years and I realized I wasn’t actually Puerto Rican at all!
What can I say? Little kids are a product of their environment and the many Puerto Rican friends and family I was surrounded by made a big impression on me…and so will this Puerto Rican Rice and Beans recipe!
This is my favorite Puerto Rican meal and so quick and easy to make.
I prefer pink or red beans, but you can also use kidney beans if you like.
The beans are simmered in a tomato and sofrito based broth.
The potatoes soak up all the vibrant flavors and the olives add a briny pop.
Instead of potatoes you can also use calabaza which is Caribbean pumpkin.
Served over rice to soak up all the sauce, this recipe can’t be beat. I could eat this everyday!
For some, it might be difficult to find sofrito, which is a vegetable purée that forms the base for most Puerto Rican recipes.
I’ve included some options below for finding or making your own sofrito, and I’ve included the brands I use for the other ingredients that may not be familiar.
Many grocery stores carry Goya brand these days so they shouldn’t be hard to find.
Check out my Puerto Rican Resources page for more information!
This is the pot (caldero) that I use for cooking.
P.S. These beans are amazing with tostones – crispy fried plantains!
UPDATE: here you can find a more detailed recipe on how to make sofrito.
Pin this to your Puerto Rican Recipes board!
Puerto Rican Rice and Beans (Habichuelas Guisadas)
Puerto Rican Beans simmered in a flavorful broth of sofrito and tomato.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 heaping tablespoons sofrito
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 cans (15-16 ounces) kidney, red or pink beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) water
- 1 packet Sazón with Coriander and Annatto (Culantro and Achiote)
- 1 packet ham flavor (I use Goya Jamón) (optional)
- 1 teaspoon adobo (I use Goya)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons Manzanilla or Spanish pimento-stuffed olives
- 1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced into large chunks
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a medium caldero, sauté sofrito in oil 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
- Add tomato sauce, beans, water, sazón and ham packet. Season with pepper, adobo, garlic powder, oregano and stir. Taste and adjust spices according to your liking. Broth should be slightly salty since the potatoes will absorb much of the flavor.
- Add potatoes and olives and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, about 30 minutes or so, depending on their size. Serve over hot rice.
Notes
If sofrito is not something you are familiar with, there are a few options. Sofrito is the base for many Puerto Rican dishes.
- See if a local Hispanic store sells it.
- Goya brand makes a prepared version that your regular grocery store may carry, but choose the green jar that says "Recaito" instead of “Sofrito.” If they only have the “Sofrito,” decrease the amount of tomato sauce in the recipe by about half.
- Make your own. If you cannot find all of the ingredients, use what you can and it will still turn out tasty!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 177Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 14mgSodium: 490mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
*see Puerto Rican Resources page for more information on products and ingredients.
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Jehanii
Friday 8th of April 2022
Thank you love I enjoyed making this dish I am Bahamian and my husband is Puerto Rican came home the other day wishing he could have some of his grandmothers Rice I listened to everything he said was in the dish and decided to google this was the most in depth recipe and it came out THE BOMB! I'll be making this dish again
Angie Rodriguez
Sunday 20th of March 2022
I did it like the recipe said and it came out Great! Will be making it this way for now on. I’m Mexican but love Puerto Rican food.
Miguel M
Tuesday 8th of February 2022
For those who aren’t a fan of the ham flavor you can substitute the ham flavor pack for the chicken bullion. Still comes out great.
This recipe is very close to what my mom used to make. Only difference was she added pumpkin and a leaf of culantro(reckao) and she fried pieces of ham in the sofrito Sometimes even adding salted pigs feet. (Totally different recipe but delicious non the less even though I don’t eat pigs feet.)
Being Puerto Rican I love and take pride that people that aren’t from our culture like our food so much that they try to learn them.(not saying the creator of this recipe is or isnt). There is no official recipe for habichuelas guisadas, everyone makes them differently. So I have no idea what Letty’s problem is. We aren’t all self righteous and ignorant. Please don’t allow one rotten apple spoil the bunch.
Lisa Camacho
Saturday 22nd of January 2022
@Letty, really is it all that necessary:. This is how she grew up this is what she knows. If you think something is lacking why not provide guidance. The culture of Puerto Rico and those who are actually willing to try and make that part of their daily life why is it such a problem to give guidance. I don’t really understand your hostility towards the post. Why even bother. Why does it make it worth your time. If the recipe she posted wasn’t the same what you made it why not again give guidance. Expand the culture to those who are wanting, able and willing to promote it. You just made yourself look like a donkeys behind. Next time please represent our culture in positive reflection.
Crystal
Tuesday 11th of January 2022
All I can say is delicious! Thank you for an amazing recipe. Yes, this is authentic.
Rebekah
Tuesday 11th of January 2022
Thanks so much!