Cuban Rice Recipes

CUBAN BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water by at least 3 inches (8 cm). Slide the pot in the refrigerator and let soak for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Drain the beans and return them to the pot. Add enough fresh cold water to cover the beans by about 1 inch (2.5 cm), toss in the bay leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until the beans are just tender, which can take anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, depending on the age of your beans. Add the salt and continue to cook for 15 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté the bacon until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, move the bacon to a stack of paper towels placed on a plate.
• Add the onion and pepper to the pan and cook in the bacon fat until the vegetables soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring, just until the garlic softens and the spice is fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Dump in the rice and stir constantly for a couple minutes to completely coat the rice with the bacon drippings. Then pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
• When the beans are done, drain them, reserving at least 1/2 cup of the bean cooking liquid. Stir the beans into the pan containing the rice and continue cooking over medium-low heat until the rice is tender, 5 to 15 minutes more. If you need more liquid to fully cook the rice, use the reserved bean cooking liquid. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt. Stir in the bacon and serve the beans and rice immediately. Originally published April 17, 2017.

CUBAN BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic. When onion is translucent add salt and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and rice.
• Pour the liquid from the beans into a large measuring cup and add enough water to reach a volume of 2 1/2 cups; pour into beans. Cover and cook on low for 45 to 50 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight to soften and remove any small hard stones. The next day, strain and rinse soaked beans with fresh water.
• To cook beans, place in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beans by two inches. Carefully smash whole garlic cloves with the back of a knife and add to the pot of beans along with 2 of the bay leaves.
• Bring the pot to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until tender (90 minutes or up to two hours.) Set aside once cooked.
• Next, in a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté onions, peppers, and garlic. Add spices (salt through cayenne) and continue stirring until vegetables have softened, 4-6 minutes.
• Rince rice in a strainer until the water comes out clear
• Stir in rinsed (uncooked) rice and sauté for 2 minutes so that the rice starts to toast and lightly brown.
• Pour in chicken broth and add reserved, cooked black beans along with bay leaves. Stir once then bring to a boil. Stir a second time then reduce heat to low and place a tightly fitting lid on the pot. Cook until liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Use a fork to loosen the rice and bean mixture then serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot cover beans with water and boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let stand for one hour.
• Drain water and cover with fresh water (6 cups).
• In a skillet saute the onions, bell pepper and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, until tender.
• Add onion mixture and all remaining ingredients, except the red wine vinegar, to the beans and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer covered for 2 hours, until beans are tender.
• Add more water if necessary.
• At the last minute add the red wine vinegar, just before serving.
• Serve with 2 cups of cooked rice.
• Top with chopped green onions, chopped hard boiled eggs or sour cream.

CUBAN YELLOW RICE

Steps:

• Place the saffron in the hot water, allow to steep for 20 minutes, the water will turn a deep yellow color.
• After 20 minutes, pour the liquid through a fine mesh sieve (or coffee filter), discard the strands, reserve the liquid.
• Heat a large sauté pan (one that has a lid, otherwise use a large saucepan) over medium heat, add the olive oil, roll to cover the pan, then add the onion.
• Sauté the onion until it begins to turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes, add the salt and the rice.
• Stirring constantly, cook the rice for several minutes until it begins to slightly brown.
• Mix in the cumin, paprika, and oregano until they bloom and become fragrant.
• Pour in the chicken broth and saffron liquid, mix well, and bring to a boil.
• Boil for 2-3 minutes while stirring, reduce heat to low and continue to cook uncovered until the rice begins to absorb some of the water.
• Cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
• Stir in the peas, cover and continue to cook for 5 additional minutes or until the water has been completely absorbed.
• Add the butter and using a fork, fluff the rice while mixing the butter in.
• Serve and enjoy.

CUBAN-STYLE YELLOW RICE

Steps:

• Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Shake sieve to remove excess water from rice.
• Place rice in a large saucepan with a tightly fitting lid and add water. Stir in the onion, salt, annatto powder, paprika, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer. After cooking for 10 minutes, gently stir the peas into the rice. Cook until all the water is evaporated and the rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve garnished with pimento slices.

CUBAN FLUFFY WHITE RICE

Steps:

• 1. In a heavy pot rinse the rice in cool water twice. Drain all the water. Place the pot on the burner add the two and a half cups water to the rice along with the oil, garlic, and salt. Stir well. Turn on the flame onto medium to high. Just as soon as the rice starts to boil cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to medium to low. cook this way for about 20/25 minutes. Uncover after twenty five minutes stir with a fork and cover again and continue to cook until 35 minutes have passed. Taste to see if you have enough salt. Grains should be fluffy and soft but not mushy. Serve with your favorite meat or chiken dish. Enjoy
• 2. Cooking time varies with a gas or electric stove. The cooking time above is approximetly correct as I have made rice on both gas and electric stoves.

CUBAN RICE AND BEANS

Steps:

• 1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomato sauce, garlic, sofrito and sazon, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. 2. Transfer liquid from can red beans to measuring cup; add enough water to measure 3½ cups. Add liquid to pot; bring to boil. Add beans, rice and sugar; stir. Bring rice mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed, about 20 min 3. Remove rice from heat. Let sit until rice becomes tender, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Divide evenly among serving bowls.

WHITE RICE RECIPE

Steps:

• 1 The first step is preferably to wash 2 times the rice in a deep recipient so it doesn't spill out, and we reserve.
• 2 Then we place a pot to half fire and add the oil and the clove of garlic. After, we fry them lightly for 1 minute.
• 3 We move away the clove of garlic and we add the washed rice, we fry lightly during 1 or 2 minutes constantly revolving to avoid it sticks to the pot.
• 4 Then we add the water to ambient temperature and we add the salt, we rectify it is in the adapted point of salt and we let to cook without removing about 12 or 15 minutes after it begins to boil.
• 5 Past this time, we cover it during 2 minutes and we turn off the fire. We rectify that it is totally sewn and we remove preferably with a fork so that it is fluffy.
• 6 We cover it to maintain it hot until the moment to serve it.

ARROZ CUBANO: EASY CUBAN RICE

Steps:

• Make the sofrito. While the sofrito is simmering, make the rice . Pour approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a medium-size saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add the rice into the pan and coat the rice with the oil. Pour enough water to cover the rice into the pan and bring to a boil. Add salt to taste. Then, reduce the heat, loosely cover and allow to simmer until rice is cooked, about 20 minutes.
• Pour 1/4-inch olive oil into a small frying pan and place over medium heat. Fry the eggs one at a time in the olive oil, sprinkling with a dash of salt.
• Place a scoop of rice on each plate and make a depression in the center. Ladle some of the sofrito into the depression. Carefully top with a fried egg. Serve immediately with a baguette.

CUBAN RICE & BEANS

Steps:

• Step 1 Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomato sauce, garlic, sofrito and sazon, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Step 2 Transfer liquid from can red beans to measuring cup; add enough water to measure 3½ cups. Add liquid to pot; bring to boil. Add beans, rice and sugar; stir. Bring rice mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium low and cook, covered, until water is absorbed, about 20 min. Step 3 Remove rice from heat. Let sit until rice becomes tender, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Divide evenly among serving bowls. More Cooking Tips

ARROZ CON POLLO

Steps:

• Trim any excess fat from the chicken and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
• Add 1½ teaspoon of salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric, cumin and black pepper to a small bowl. Stir the seasoning mix to combine.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and set on a plate or pan. Loosely cover the chicken with a piece of foil, to keep it warm.
• Do not wash the pot. Set it back over medium heat and add the onions. Cook the onions for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste and the prepared seasoning mix (1½ teaspoon of salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric, cumin and black pepper) to the pot. Stir well until combined. and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Carefully, add the white wine to the pot and stir, while gently scraping any bits off the bottom. Cook for 1 minute, or until most of the wine cooks out.
• Add the rice, chicken broth, water, and the bay leaf to the pot. Stir well to combine.
• Add the chicken back to the pot. Arrange it so that it's not stacked.
• Raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Stir the rice frequently while waiting for the liquid to come to a boil.
• Once boiling, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• The rice should now be visible on the surface and should not sink to the bottom of the pot when stirred.
• Give everything a good stir. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook the chicken and rice for 20 minutes. Stir after 10 minutes, then stir again after the 20 minutes.
• Taste a little bit of the rice. If it needs a salt, this is the time to add it. As a reference, we added ½ teaspoon of salt to ours. Stir well.
• Raise the heat to medium-low and slowly add the beer, while stirring. Cover and cook the chicken and rice for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to low and cook another 10 minutes.
• Taste the rice, if it's still not done, cover and let it steam another 15 minutes or until done.
• Garnish with the sweet peas, if desired.

CUBAN RICE AND BEANS

Steps:

• Heat a bit of oil or vegetable broth for oil-free cooking in a large saucepan. Add garlic and the optional onions and bell pepper. Fry all for around 3 minutes. Then add vegetable broth and rice. Cook for around 10 minutes.
• Last, add the black beans, vinegar, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper plus the optional add ons, such as laurel spice or maple syrup.
• Cook for around 5 minutes more, check if the rice is done. Divide onto plates or bowls and serve with the optional cilantro.

ARROZ AMARILLO (YELLOW RICE RECIPE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in diced onions, chicken bouillon, Sazón seasoning and saffron. Saute until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in diced bell peppers, tomatoes (See Note 1). Stir to mix and cook 5 minutes more.
• Add rice to the pot, stirring to coat. Cook rice a minute or two. Pour in 2 cups hot water, stir to combine. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium-low and simmer 25 minutes, covered, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed completely.
• Remove lid, fluff with fork and add frozen peas and pimentos. Toss to mix in and cover. Allow to rest 5 minutes. Fluff again, season to taste if needed and serve.

24 TRADITIONAL CUBAN FOODS (+ RECIPE COLLECTION)

Steps:

• Select your favorite recipe.
• Organize all the required ingredients.
• Prep a Cuban dish in 30 minutes or less!

ARROZ CONGRI (CUBAN RICE AND BLACK BEANS)

Steps:

• In a heavy medium sized pot, heat oil on medium heat.
• Add onions, peppers and garlic and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add rice, beans, water, cumin, bay leaf, oregano and salt and pepper. Simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice absorbs most of the water and just barely skims the top of the rice.
• Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minute (don't peek).
• Make sure you have a good seal on your cover, the steam cooks the rice. After 20 minutes, shut flame off and let it sit, covered another 5 minutes (don't open the lid).

CHICKEN AND RICE CUBAN STYLE OR "ARROZ CON POLLO"

Steps:

• Place the pot on the stove over low-medium heat and add the olive oil plant-based butter along with the olive oil to avoid the butter to burn. Sautee the bay leaves to revive the flavor.
• Add the chicken breast chunks and cook. Add the garlic, the piquillo peppers, and the olives. Season with the saffron and the yellow rice condiment. Stir and add the rice.
• Incorporate the chicken stock, the chicken bouillon, and two and a half cups of warm water. Stir slowly and cover with a lid. Let the rice cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
• As a final step add the frozen peas and the rest of the water which should be warm and no more than half of a cup. Cover again with the lid and cook the rice for another five minutes. When the rice has an al dente texture it is ready.
• Serve the rice with sweet plantains. We used frozen plantains and cook them in the oven. Add a salad using tomato slices and cucumbers. Dress with Hellman's Real Mayonnaise and Italian seasoning.
• Slice a Cuban bread and spread each slice with Country Crock almond plant-based butter spread. Bake for 2-3 minutes and serve warm.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Prepare ingredients. Make rice according to package instructions.Dice peppers and onion. Mince garlic.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
• Add peppers and onions to a large skillet. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute, until garlic is fragrant.
• Stir in tomato paste, black beans, salt, and chicken broth. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make plantains according to instructions here.
• Assemble bowls. Scoop beans over rice and serve plantains on the side.

ARROZ CON POLLO (CUBAN CHICKEN & RICE RECIPE)

Steps:

• First, pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel then season with salt, pepper, and cumin.
• In a wide Dutch oven or large pot with a heavy bottom and a lid, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Over medium heat, place chicken thighs in the pan and brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
• Next, add the remaining olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and red pepper, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
• Add the rice, chicken stock, tomato sauce, annatto powder, bay leaf, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Bring to a boil then add the chicken thighs to the mixture. Reduce heat to low and cover with the lid.
• Cooking low and slow will ensure you don't burn the rice. Every stove cooks differently so after 40 minutes, take a peek and see if the liquid has been absorbed. If yes, remove the pot from the heat immediately so it doesn't continue to cook with the residual heat. If not, continue to cook in 5 minute increments until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove pot from the heat.
• Fluff the rice with a fork then stir in the frozen peas until warm. Serve and enjoy!

INSTANT-POT MOJO PORK

Steps:

• Heat oil in an electric pressure cooker on sauté mode. Add half the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining pork.
• Add garlic, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, orange and lime zests, salt and pepper to the pot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in orange and lime juice and water and scrape up any browned bits. Nestle the pork into the sauce. Drizzle with any accumulated juices from the bowl and scatter onion over the top.
• Close and lock lid. Cook on high pressure for 1 hour. Manually release pressure and remove lid.
• Transfer the pork to a platter and shred the meat into large pieces. Skim fat from the liquid, if desired. Return the pot to sauté mode and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve the sauce over the pork.

CUBAN RICE

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan add the can of peas, liquid and all, into warm rice and cover pot so rice will absorb most of pea liquid. Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices and dice ham and onion.
• Heat 12-inch frying pan over high heat. Add 1/2 stick of butter. Once the butter melts add mushrooms to pan. Do not stir or turn for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes turn mushrooms and add onion and remaining butter. After 2 more minutes stir once and add ham cubes and olive oil. Reduce heat to medium and cook while stirring constantly for 1 more minute to warm ham. Pour contents of frying pan into pot with rice and peas and then add all spices. Mix well and serve.