Description
A delicious roundup of the best traditional Puerto Rican recipes, including savory mains, comforting sides, and iconic desserts. Packed with flavor, these dishes showcase the bold and vibrant heart of Puerto Rican cuisine.
Ingredients
– 1 cup sofrito
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
– 1 teaspoon sazón seasoning
– 1 cup long grain rice
– 1/2 cup pigeon peas (gandules)
– 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
– 1/2 pound beef stew meat
– 2 green plantains
– 1 ripe plantain
– 1/2 cup tomato sauce
– 1/2 cup diced onion
– 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
– 1/4 teaspoon cumin
– 1 bay leaf
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 1/4 cup sugar (for desserts like flan or tembleque)
– 1 cup coconut milk (for tembleque)
– 1/4 cup cornstarch (for puddings)
Instructions
1. Start by preparing sofrito in a blender using onions, peppers, garlic, and cilantro.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil and add 2–3 tablespoons of sofrito.
3. For arroz con gandules, stir in rice, pigeon peas, tomato sauce, and sazón. Simmer with water until rice is tender.
4. For pollo guisado, sauté chicken with adobo and sofrito. Add tomato sauce, potatoes, and cook until tender.
5. To make mofongo, fry green plantains until golden, mash with garlic and olive oil, and shape into balls.
6. For pastelón, layer fried ripe plantains, ground beef (cooked with sofrito), and cheese. Bake until golden.
7. To prepare flan, blend eggs, milk, and sugar. Pour over caramelized sugar and bake in a water bath until set.
8. For tembleque, heat coconut milk, sugar, and cornstarch until thickened. Chill before serving.
9. Assemble dishes and serve with sides like tostones or steamed white rice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Traditional Recipes, Comfort Food
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Nutrition
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Protein: 14g
Keywords: puerto rican recipes, arroz con gandules, mofongo, pernil, sofrito, plantain recipes, traditional puerto rican food