Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas is one of the easiest traditional sides made on the island. These stewed beans are so good that are even served in all of the schools on the island at lunchtime!
Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas is an everyday recipe eaten in every Puerto Rican house. At home, I usually serve them over fluffy white rice, with a good Puerto Rican style pollo frito, and smashed fried plantains.
These beans are made in a delicious savory caldito (broth)that goes perfectly with next to any rice.
The foundation base flavor comes from the classic Puerto Rican sofrito which is made from a blend of cilantro, onions, peppers, and garlic and it also has recao.
We also add sazon seasoning which adds tons of flavor because is made with spices like cumin, oregano, and garlic powder.
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Why This Recipe Works
- This tastes just like they’re made on the island!
- This is a side that goes well with almost anything!
- With leftover beans you can make a Puerto Rican arroz mamposteao.
Recipe Ingredients
- Canned Beans- I used 2 whole 15.5 oz cans of pink beans with the liquid. Just make sure they are not baked beans.
- Ham- I used ham steak and I just cut what I needed. It is very common to add patitas (pork feet). You can also use bacon, sausages, or tocino.
- Tomato Sauce- I use 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce but you can substitute for 1 tablespoon of tomato paste.
- Sofrito & recao- I use 2 tablespoons of sofrito and also add ¼ cup of recao. If you don’t have any, just add ¼ of a small green pepper or cilantro.
- Oil- I used only 1 tablespoon but also used annatto seed oil but you can use your preferred cooking oil.
- Vegetables- I used ½ pound of potatoes and ½ pound of pumpkin that act as thickeners. Sometimes I also add carrots.
- Water- I used 3 ¼ cups of water, there’s no need to use stock in this recipe.
- Seasonings- I used salt, sazon, and ham flavoring for taste. You can use adobo spice mix instead of salt.
How To Make Habichuelas Guisadas
- Photo 1: Peel and cube into about 1-inch pieces the potato and pumpkin.
- Photo 2: Add your oil to a pan on high heat, saute the ham for 1 minute, and then saute the sofrito and tomato sauce.
- Photo 4: Add the rest of the ingredients and cover to cook. Taste the water after you mix everything in. This will help you know if you would like to add more salt to the recipe.
- Photo 5: Cook for 30 minutes. Make sure to stir a couple of times to avoid the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Make sure your pan is covered because it avoids evaporating too much liquid.
Recipe Tips
- Vegetarian/Vegan- This recipe can easily be made to be vegetarian and vegan by eliminating the ham. Also, swap the ham flavoring for a vegetable bouillon.
- Use dry beans- Soak the beans overnight and cover with at least 3 inches of water. Rinse, drain, and cook the beans for 45 minutes. Or use a pressure cooker to do it faster.
- I love making habichuelas and whenever I have plantains, I make Puerto Rican plantain balls to add them in.
Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t need cornstarch or flour. All you need to thicken stewed beans is to add starchy vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, and even carrots cut into small cubes.
This recipe uses pink beans, but in the Caribbean, it is very common to prepare them with red kidney beans. But don’t worry because any bean is good for this recipe. Seriously, you can use black beans, white beans, lima beans, and pigeon peas.
More Puerto Rican Side Recipes
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Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas
Ingredients
Instructions
- Peel your potato and pumpkin. Roughly chop them into ½-inch thick pieces. Set aside.
- In a large pot over high heat add your oil, ham and sauté for 1 minute. Next add your sofrito, and tomato sauce. Saute for 1 minute while stirring to avoid it from sticking at the bottom.
- Add the beans, seasonings, recao, vegetables, and water. Stir and cover.
- Cook for about 30 minutes on medium heat. Make sure to stir at least a couple of times. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Dry beans- If you use dry beans soak overnight, rinse and cook for 30 minutes or until tender. Then follow the recipe. Use any bean you prefer.
- Thicken- You can cook uncovered and more water will evaporate or you can add a couple of pieces more of potato and pumpkin.
- Too thick- Add ¼ cup of water to water down the broth.
- Store- Wait for the beans to cool, transfer to an airtight container and it will be good for 4 days in your fridge. You can also freeze this recipe.
Stephenie says
Gracias Nilda, I get excited when someone tells me that a recipe reminds them of home. I know that feeling of taking a bite and thinking of my grandma’s cooking.
Nilda Levine says
Hola Stephanie! Thank u for the rice and bean recipes. Oh and the chicken reminds me of home. I look forward to seeing other recipes from you!