Red Beans and Rice

Diana A's Note:

This is an authentic Puerto Rican recipe for rice & beans. You can also substitute other beans in place of the kidney beans, such as pinto beans or navy beans.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans
• 4 ounces tomato sauce
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 (1 ½ ounce) envelope goya sazon goya , con achiote seasoning (found in the Spanish food section of your supermarket)
• 1 ½ tablespoons of goya sofrito seasoning (found in the Spanish food section of your supermarket. This is in a glass jar.)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 small cooked potato , cubed (you can use a couple of those small canned white potatoes) (optional)
• 1 ½ cups uncooked rice
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large heavy pot, with a tight fitting lid, put the 2 and 1/2 cups water, the tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. Bring to a boil and stir in the rice.
3. Bring to a boil again over medium high heat.
4. Stir.
5. Boil for about 1 minute and then put on the lid and reduce the heat to medium low.
6. Cook for about 20 minutes WITHOUT LIFTING THE LID.
7. After the 20 minutes or so, take off the lid and with a large spoon begin lifting the rice from the bottom and bringing it to the top.
8. Check for doneness.
9. If not quite done, put the lid back on for another 10 minutes and check again.
10. When done, put the lid back on and reduce heat to low for another 5-10 minutes and then turn off the heat.
11. (The best type of pan to use for this is a heavy cast aluminum dutch oven type pan--do not try to use stainless steel pans for this).
12. Beans: In a medium saucepan put the can of beans, the tomato sauce, salt, Goya Sazon con Achiote, Goya Sofrito, garlic powder, and the cubed cooked potato.
13. Place over medium low heat and cook stirring occasionally without a lid until it is thickened and hot.

Reviews

[Nikoma]

Very good. I would leave out the salt next time though! And double the recipe as well - the two of us at the whole batch for dinner. For some reason I forgot the potato when I wrote down the recipe, and it did seem a little sparse so I added about 1/2 cup of chickpeas - worked great. Thanks!

[bmcnichol]

Very good and easy to make. I used canned potatoes instead of cutting a potato and canola oil instead of vegetable. We all enjoyed this as a side dish with steaks. Made for Spring PAC 2010

[Danielle K.]

This is a wonderful recipe. My boyfriend who is Puerto Rican said that this tastes better than his rice and beans. I will definately be making this again and again.