Arroz con Gandules (Vegan, Gluten-Free) — Party Batch
Davis Whitehead·55 min·Serves 14Classic Puerto Rican arroz con gandules scaled for a crowd: fluffy, savory long-grain rice perfumed with sofrito and bay, studded with tender green pigeon peas. This version is vegan and gluten-free, designed for vacation kitchens and low-stress hosting—cook it in two medium pots for the most reliable texture. It holds beautifully for buffet service and pairs perfectly with fricasé, yuca al mojo, and tostones.
- vegan
- gluten-free
- crowd
- rice
- puerto rican
Ingredients
- •Neutral oil (canola/avocado), 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp)
- •Sofrito (Puerto Rican-style, green), 1 to 1 1/4 cups
- •Yellow onion, 1 large, finely diced (optional but recommended if your sofrito is mild)
- •Green bell pepper, 1 medium, finely diced (optional but recommended if your sofrito is mild)
- •Garlic, 4 cloves, minced (optional)
- •Long-grain white rice, 8 cups (about 3.5–4 lb)
- •Canned gandules verdes (pigeon peas), 4 cans (15 oz / 425 g each), lightly drained (don’t rinse)
- •Vegetable broth or water, 12 cups (3 quarts) to start (adjust to your rice)
- •Bay leaves, 2
- •Kosher salt, 2 tsp to start, plus more to taste
- •Black pepper, 1 tsp
- •Dried oregano, 1 tsp (optional)
- •Achiote/annatto oil, 1–2 tsp (optional, for color) OR gluten-free sazón, 1 packet (optional)
Instructions
Best practice for a crowd
Cook this batch in two medium pots instead of one huge pot—more even steaming and less risk of gummy rice.
Instructions
Divide for two pots (recommended). Split ingredients evenly between two pots:
- Each pot gets: 2 Tbsp oil, 1/2–5/8 cup sofrito, half the onion/pepper/garlic (if using), 4 cups rice, 2 cans gandules, 1 bay leaf, half the salt/pepper/oregano, and 6 cups broth/water.
Sauté aromatics + sofrito. Over medium heat, warm the oil in each pot. Add onion and bell pepper (if using) with a pinch of salt and cook until softened and the raw smell is gone, 3–5 minutes. Stir in sofrito (and garlic if using) and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Checkpoint: it should smell sweet and savory, not sharp or raw.
Toast the rice. Add rice and stir to coat in the oil/sofrito. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the grains look glossy.
Checkpoint: you should smell a light nutty aroma; don’t let it brown.
Add liquid + gandules; bring to a boil. Add broth/water, gandules, bay leaf, pepper, oregano (if using), and optional achiote oil or GF sazón. Stir once to combine and bring to a full boil.
Cover and steam (no stirring). As soon as it boils, cover tightly and drop heat to low. Cook 18–22 minutes.
Checkpoint: you want a gentle hiss of steam. If it’s loudly boiling, it’s too hot; if nothing is happening, it’s too low.
Rest, then fluff. Turn off heat and let stand 10 minutes covered. Remove bay leaves and fluff with a fork.
Checkpoint: grains should be tender and separate. If the center is still firm, drizzle in 1/4 cup hot water per pot, cover, and steam 5 more minutes on low.
Taste and adjust. Season with salt to taste. Keep covered to hold.
Holding for a buffet
- Hold covered in a 200°F / 95°C oven up to 1 hour.
- If it tightens, sprinkle a few tablespoons of hot water and fluff gently.
Notes
Sofrito: Refrigerated Puerto Rican-style (green, cilantro/recao-forward) is ideal. If your sofrito is very strong, skip the optional diced onion/pepper/garlic.
Liquid ratio: This recipe starts at 1.5:1 liquid:rice (12 cups for 8 cups rice). If your rice brand typically needs more or less, follow its preferred ratio.
Gandules: Use canned gandules verdes if possible. Lightly draining (not rinsing) keeps flavor; fully drain only if the can liquid tastes overly salty.
Flavor add-ons: Achiote oil or GF sazón adds classic color. If using sazón, reduce salt slightly until you taste at the end.
Make-ahead: Rice reheats well. Rewarm covered with a splash of water; fluff to restore texture.