Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans)

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans)

Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Beans)

Beans with potatoes and pork in them! Don’t mind if I do! Puerto Rican beans contain either salt pork or ham that is cubed. You could use slab bacon or even pork belly if you wanted to. Once the pork is cooked, sofrito is added to the pot. Sofrito is a Spanish style mire poiux that gives the beans it’s flavor. Pink beans are used instead of a pinto or a kidney. There is also potatoes and caper stuffed olives. The beans will need to simmer for about 25 minutes. These beans are usually served with rice.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Keyword: Pork, Puerto Rican, side dish
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz salt pork or ham cubed
  • 1/2 cup sofrito
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 packet Sazon with Achiote no annatto
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 cans pink beans drained
  • 2 medium potatoes peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 1/3 cup Spanish olives stuffed with capers
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Heat up cooking oil in a pot over medium high heat. Sauté the ham for 5 minutes.
    Puerto Rican, side dish, pork
  • Add in the sofrito, cumin, and sazon. Cook for 2 minutes.
    Puerto Rican, side dish, pork
  • Add in the beans, potatoes, stuffed olives, chicken stock, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes.
    Puerto Rican, side dish, pork
  • Season with salt and pepper. Continue simmer for 10 more minutes until the beans have thickened.
    Puerto Rican, side dish, pork
Puerto Rican, side dish, pork

Sofrito

Sofrito is used as a base for soups, stews, beans, and rice in many Spanish speaking countries such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. It is typically made out of a lot of green ingredients such as green bell pepper, cilantro, green onions, and culantro; similar to green seasoning used in African/Caribbean cuisine. Sofrito adds aromatics to whatever you add it to.
Sofrito can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month. I like to freeze it in ice cube trays and store in gallon sized freezer bags. You can then keep your sofrito for up to a year.
Prep Time10 minutes
Course: ingredient
Cuisine: Caribbean, Cuban, Puerto Rican
Keyword: Caribbean, Cuban, ingredient, Puerto Rican
Author: Alex Gorgos

Equipment

  • Food processor or blender

Ingredients

  • 2 small green bell pepper seeded and chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1 1/2 cup culantro
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 medium white onion
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp oregano

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor.
    Cuban, ingredient
  • Purée until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month or in the freezer for put to a year.
    Cuban, ingredient