Ingredients
- 2 cups of white rice
- 2 Tablespoons of Sofrito
- 1 15 oz can of gandules (pigeon peas)
- 1 Packet of sazon
- 4 ounces of tomato sauce
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons of olives
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional - Country ham or cooked bacon
Instructions
- Hit the Sauté button and add olive oil, sofrito, olives, tomato sauce, sazon, and grandules. Cook for approximately 5-6 minutes, while gently stirring.
- Add the chicken broth and rice and stir. Be sure to scrape the bottom for any bits that might have gotten stuck. Cancel Sauté mode.
- Place the pressure cooker lid on top, lock in place, and close the vent. Press the Rice button and allow it to cook with preset timing. Once done, allow to set 5-6 minutes, and then release remaining pressure.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Arroz con Gandules
- Drain the gandules well before adding: The liquid in the can adds extra moisture that can throw off the rice-to-liquid ratio. Drain and give them a quick rinse before they go into the pot.
- Don't skip the sauté step: I know it's tempting to just dump everything in and pressure cook. Don't. The sauté step blooms the sofrito and builds the flavor base that makes this dish taste like arroz con gandules rather than just seasoned rice. It takes 5 minutes and it's worth every second.
- Scrape the bottom before locking the lid: Any stuck bits from the sauté can trigger the Burn warning. Take 30 seconds to deglaze the bottom with the broth before locking the lid.
- Use the Rice button, not Manual High: The Rice button cooks at Low Pressure, which is gentler on the rice and gives you better texture. High Pressure can overcook the rice and make it mushy. If your model doesn't have a Rice button, use Low Pressure manually for 12 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork, not a spoon: A fork separates the grains without compressing them. A spoon tends to mash the rice together, especially when it's fresh out of the pot and still very tender.
- Add the bacon or ham during the sauté: If you're using the optional country ham or bacon, add it at the beginning of the sauté step so it renders and flavors the oil before the sofrito goes in. That rendered pork fat becomes part of the flavor base and makes the whole dish richer.