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Overhead shot of a white bowl of red beans and rice.
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4.77 from 17 votes

Puerto Rican Style Red Beans and Rice

Puerto Rican Rice and Beans is a dish with bold flavors, it's easy to prepare, and it's budget-friendly! Make it a meal with a side of ripe yellow plantain slices, or serve it as a sidekick to any protein.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Latin
Total Cost: $7.74 recipe / $0.89 serving
Servings: 12 1/2 cup beans + 1/2 cup rice
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Monti Carlo

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp cooking oil, divided $0.16
  • 1 packet sazón* $0.17
  • 1/2 cup salt pork, small dice** $1.83
  • 1 onion, diced $0.70
  • 1 Tbsp garlic, minced (about 3 cloves) $0.12
  • 8 oz tomato sauce $0.53
  • 4 Tbsp sofrito $0.72
  • 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken Base*** $0.12
  • 2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar $0.07
  • 1 large sweet potato, large dice $1.86
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced $0.86
  • 2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained**** $0.94
  • 2 cups white medium grain rice, rinsed***** $0.76
  • 3 cups boiling water $0.00
  • 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste $0.05

Instructions

  • Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once it has warmed, add the salt pork and sazón. Fry until the fat has rendered and the salt pork is golden, about 4 minutes.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add the tomato sauce, sofrito, chicken bouillon, and vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, reducing the sauce and developing the flavors.
  • Add the green bell pepper and the sweet potato. Cook for five minutes.
  • Add the beans and enough water to cover them. Stir and taste the broth. Add salt to taste.
  • Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes until the sweet potato has softened. If halfway through the cook, the liquid in the beans reduces too much, add 1/4 cup of water.
  • For the rice, set a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil has warmed, add the rice, mix it into the oil and let it toast for a minute. Next, add the boiling water and 2 teaspoons of salt to the rice and stir.
  • Cook uncovered until the water begins to evaporate and you see little steam holes form over the surface of the rice, about 5 minutes. Stir the rice once, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot tightly with a heavy lid, so steam does not escape.
  • Cook the rice without stirring until the grains are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. After you portion out the rice, scrape up the crispy bits on the bottom of the pot to serve on top of your rice.
  • To serve, scoop a 1/2 cup of rice into a bowl and top it with a 1/2 cup of beans. If you want to take it one step further, garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and add a few slices of ripe plantain on the side

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*A packet of sazón contains about 1.5 teaspoons of sazón.
**You can also use bacon, ham steak, or omit the salt pork altogether.
***If you cannot source Better Than Bouillon, Roasted Chicken Base, use 1 cup of chicken stock.
****I love how versatile this recipe is. If kidney beans are not your favorite, you can substitute them with almost any other canned bean. Try chickpeas, white, pink, or black beans to keep it truly island-inspired. If you’re working with dry beans, prepare about 3/4 cup of the dried to substitute for a 15-ounce can of beans.
*****You can use any type of rice you like in this recipe. Just keep in mind that different varieties will require different amounts of liquid to cook. You can either follow the package directions on your chosen rice or refer to the guidelines I've provided after the step-by-step photos below!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 885mg | Fiber: 2g