Puerto Rican FoodPuerto Rican Brothy Rice with Chorizo, Pumpkin, and White Beans with Crispy Green Plantain
An original Puerto Rican-inspired brothy rice cooked with sofrito, local pumpkin, white beans, and browned chorizo, finished with crispy green plantain for texture. Comforting, flavorful, and deeply Boricua.
Ingredients
- 340 g cooking chorizo, sliced into half-moons (si es muy graso, escurrir parcialmente)
- 15 ml olive oil (solo si the chorizo suelta poca grasa)
- 120 g Puerto Rican sofrito (casero or preparado)
- 12 g fresh garlic, minced
- 300 g Puerto Rican pumpkin, small diced
- 220 g medium-grain rice (enjuagado and escurrido)
- 260 g cooked white beans, drained
- 120 ml tomato sauce
- 45 g stuffed green olives, sliced
- 16 g capers, drained
- 1 g dried oregano
- 1 g ground cumin
- 1 g smoked paprika
- 1200 ml chicken or vegetable broth (hot)
- 2 unit bay leaves
- 1 unit green plantain (pelado)
- 500 ml vegetable oil for frying (approximate, for frying superficialmente)
- 15 g recao or cilantro, chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 5 g salt (ajustar to taste)
- 1 g black pepper (ajustar to taste)
Nutrition facts
per serving
Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.
Allergens
Instructions
- 1
In a wide pot or Dutch oven, heat the chorizo over medium heat. If it releases little fat, add the olive oil. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Remove a few spoonfuls of chorizo for garnish if desired.
- 2
Add the sofrito and garlic to the pot with the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often so the garlic does not burn.
- 3
Stir in the pumpkin, rice, tomato sauce, olives, capers, oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika. Mix well for 1 to 2 minutes so the rice absorbs the flavors.
- 4
Pour in the hot broth and add the bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally so the rice does not stick.
- 5
While the rice cooks, cut the green plantain into thin strips or matchsticks. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet to 350 °F / 175 °C. Fry the plantain in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels or a rack and season with a pinch of salt.
- 6
When the rice is almost tender, add the white beans and cook 8 to 10 minutes more, until the texture is brothy and creamy. If it thickens too much, add a little more hot broth or water.
- 7
Turn off the heat and add the recao and lemon juice. Stir, taste, and adjust with salt and black pepper.
- 8
Serve hot in shallow bowls and finish with the crispy green plantain on top and the reserved chorizo, if using it.
Chef tips
For deeper flavor, let the chorizo brown well before adding the sofrito. The rice should be loose but brothy; if it rests too long, add a splash of hot broth when reheating.
Substitutions
You can replace the white beans with cooked pigeon peas for a more traditional profile. If Puerto Rican pumpkin is unavailable, use kabocha or butternut squash. For a pork-free version, use seasoned chicken sausage.
What I used to make it
Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.
Illustrative imageCosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
Illustrative imageTempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
Illustrative imageT-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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