Description
This authentic Puerto Rican rice recipe, Annatto Golden Gandules Pot, is a hearty, vibrant one-pot meal that delivers a warm aroma and a stunning golden hue, perfect for a family-friendly weeknight dinner. It combines long-grain rice, pigeon peas, annatto oil, sofrito, and savory additions like olives and capers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can canned gandules (pigeon peas), drained and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp annatto oil (achiote oil)
- 0.5 cup sofrito
- 0.25 cup tomato sauce
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 0.25 cup green olives, sliced
- 1 Tbsp capers, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Make Annatto Oil: In a heavy-bottomed 10-inch pot, gently heat 0.5 cup neutral oil (like olive or vegetable) over medium-low heat with 2 Tbsp annatto seeds. Cook until the oil turns a deep amber color, about 5 minutes, then strain out and discard the seeds, reserving 3 Tbsp of the infused oil for the rice.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot with the reserved annatto oil, add 0.5 cup sofrito. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant and softened, around 5-7 minutes. Stir in 0.25 cup tomato sauce, 0.25 cup sliced green olives, and 1 Tbsp capers, cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the flavors meld and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Combine and Simmer: Add 2 cups long-grain white rice, 1 (15-ounce) can drained gandules, 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, and 1 bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and simmer without disturbing for 20-25 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice appears tender and plump.
- Rest and Fluff: Remove the pot from heat, keeping the lid on. Let it rest for at least 5-10 minutes. This steaming time helps the grains finish cooking evenly and become fluffy. Finally, remove the bay leaf and gently fluff the rice with a fork before serving.
Notes
For quick color, use pre-made annatto oil or a pinch of sazon seasoning. Store-bought sofrito is a fantastic time-saver. For a healthy upgrade, consider brown rice (adjust liquid and cook time) or extra diced bell peppers. Ensure your broth is dairy-free if needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (approx 250 g)
- Calories: 350 calories
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 370 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: puerto rican rice, gandules, annatto, one-pot, easy dinner, family-friendly, weeknight meal, sofrito, pigeon peas, golden rice