Traditional Arroz con Gandules for the Holidays

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As the holidays approaches I always try to think of ways that I can bring my culture into the celebrations. Wether it be in the recipes I share or the gifts we wrap, I want to make sure to bring some of that culture into our home. This year I decided that I would create our Traditional Arroz con Gandules for the Holidays and share with our family and friends.

 Traditional Arroz con Gandules for the Holidays

To bring some of my holiday traditions into my home I headed out to my local Big Lots to pick up some of my ingredients and see what holiday items I could bring home that would be perfect for our tree decorating night.

Did you know that Big Lots carries an array of high-quality holiday ingredients, cookware, and decor without sacrificing price for quality? I loved that I found all of my Christmas tree decorating items and ingredients at my Big Lots! Plus, there was so much more holiday decor and cookware that I would have walked out with if the hubby would have let me!

Styles and assortment vary by store

I was so excited to finally find some country red and tan burlap ornaments for our home and tree! I was beyond excited when one of the staff members overheard my husband and I talking about it and directed us to a display filled with these ornaments and decor. If you love decorating for Christmas as much as I do, then you know exactly how much it meant to me.

Ingredients needed to create this arroz con gandules recipes:

• Dutch Oven (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 cup of sofrito (you can also make your own)
• 2 strips of bacon chopped
• 2 cups of white rice
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 packet of Sazón con achiote and culantro 
• 1 packet of chicken bouillon power
• 1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning
• 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of stuffed olives
• Fresh chopped cilantro (handful)
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bag of frozen or 1 can of Pigeon peas

Step One: Heat your dutch oven or what we call calderón to medium heat. If you don’t have one, you can easily use a regular pot. Add the olive oil, bacon, and sofrito mixture. Stir for about 5 minutes or until the bacon begins to cook.

Step Two: Add your Sazón, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon packet. Stirring everything until combined. 

Step Three: Add the chicken broth, cilantro, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and the stuffed olives. Stir everything together and allow mixture to come to a boil. 

Step Four: Add your rice and pigeon peas to boiling mixture. Stir all ingredients together and leaving the lid off allow rice to absorb most its liquid. Once this happens go ahead and change temperature to low with a covered lid on pot. 

Allow to cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

You will know that your arroz con gandules are cooked when all the water has been absorbed and your rice is nice and soft. 

After cooking this delicious recipe I remembered decorating our tree as a little girl, so we decided to do the exact same thing! We pulled out all of our ornaments and lights we purchased at Big Lots and began a new holiday tradition with my family that I myself did with my parents.

Arroz Con Gandules Rice Recipe

2015-12-01 13:46:48

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

30 min

Total Time

40 min

Ingredients

1. Dutch Oven (optional)
2. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
3. 1/2 cup of sofrito (you can also make your own)
4. 2 strips of bacon chopped
5. 2 cups of white rice
6. 2 cups of chicken broth
7. 1 packet of Sazón con achiote and culantro
8. 1 packet of chicken bouillon power
9. 1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning
10. 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
11. 2 tablespoons of stuffed olives
12. Fresh chopped cilantro (handful)
13. 2 bay leaves
14. Salt and pepper to taste
15. 1 bag of frozen or 1 can of Pigeon peas

Instructions

1. Heat your dutch oven or what we call calderón to medium heat. Add the olive oil, bacon, and sofrito mixture. Stir for about 5 minutes or until the bacon begins to cook.
2. Add your Sazón, tomato sauce, and chicken bouillon packet. Stirring everything until combined.
3. Add the chicken broth, cilantro, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and the stuffed olives. Stir everything together and allow mixture to come to a boil.
4. Add your rice and pigeon peas to boiling mixture. Stir all ingredients together and leaving the lid off allow rice to absorb most of all the liquid. Once this happens go ahead and change temperature to low with a covered lid on pot.
5. Allow to cook for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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I can’t wait to make some more arroz con gandules to share with family and friends this holiday season! Make sure to stop on by your local Big Lots and check out their large assorted ingredients and holiday cookware!

Your Are Also Going To Love: 

If you loved this Arroz Con Gandules recipe, then you will also love the following holiday recipes I have put together for you:

What family cultural recipe do you look forward to in making and sharing every holidays season?