Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans and Rice)

Habichuelas guisadas are Puerto Rican stewed beans simmered with sofrito, tomato sauce, potatoes, olives, herbs, and savory seasonings until tender and full of flavor. They're traditionally served with white rice and make a delicious side dish for pernil, bistec encebollado, or other Puerto Rican favorites. They're also hearty enough to enjoy as a simple meal on their own.

I always order habichuelas guisadas when I find them on the menu at a Puerto Rican or Dominican restaurant. The combination of tender pink beans, creamy potatoes, sofrito, and savory broth is incredibly comforting, and they're surprisingly easy to make at home.

One other traditional rice dish from Puerto Rico that is also a favorite of my family is arroz con gandules (pidgeon peas). Both of these rice dishes pair nicely with tostones ( fried green plantain) and bistec encebollado. You will have a full Latin meal with these on the menu!

Jump to:

• What are habichuelas guisadas?
• Why you'll love these Puerto Rican beans
• What's the difference between sofrito and recaito?
• Key ingredients for habichuelas guisadas
• How to make habichuelas guisadas
• Tips for the best habichuelas guisadas
• Substitutions and Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQ
• More Puerto Rican recipes to try
• 📖 Recipe
• Food Safety

What are habichuelas guisadas?

Habichuelas guisadas are Puerto Rican stewed beans cooked in a flavorful broth with sofrito, tomato sauce, herbs, spices, and often potatoes, olives, and ham. Pink beans, known as habichuelas rosadas, are commonly used. The beans are typically served with white rice as a side dish or comforting everyday meal.

Why you'll love these Puerto Rican beans

• Ready in under an hour
• Uses convenient canned pink beans
• Packed with classic Puerto Rican flavors
• Tender potatoes make the beans especially hearty
• Easy to make ahead and reheat
• Delicious as a side dish or simple meal with rice
• Easy to adjust for a meatless version

What's the difference between sofrito and recaito?

Sofrito and recaito are both aromatic seasoning bases used in Puerto Rican and Caribbean cooking, and the names and ingredients can vary by region and brand. Puerto Rican sofrito typically includes peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, and culantro (recao). Some commercially sold recaito products emphasize cilantro and culantro, while red sofrito products may also contain tomato. In this recipe, I use both to build layers of flavor, but homemade Puerto Rican sofrito can be used in place of the recaito.

I have a recipe to make homemade Spanish sofrito which I freeze into cubes for dishes like this. I have notes below on how to make the Puerto Rican version of sofrito below.

Key ingredients for habichuelas guisadas

• Beans - (habichuelas rosadas) - These small, tender beans are traditionally used for Puerto Rican stewed beans. Canned beans make the recipe especially quick. Pinto beans are the closest easy substitute.
• Ham - Any nice salty country ham will do.
• Onion - I like Spanish onions for this dish.
• Tomato sauce - Get a plain tomato sauce or purée.
• Potato - A waxy potato holds its shape well while simmering and adds body to the broth.
• Olives - Pimento-stuffed green olives add a distinctive salty, briny flavor.
• Olive oil - Use extra virgin olive oil.
• Spices/Herbs - Ground cumin, dried oregano leaves, garlic, and bay leaves.
• Chicken bouillon - Use one cube; any brand will work nicely.
• Sofrito - The Spanish version sold in stores by Goya or my homemade one. (See link above.)
• Recaito - This is also sold in stores by Goya and is similar to Puerto Rican sofrito.
• Sazón - There are several types offered, so get the version that says "Con culantro y achiote".

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to make habichuelas guisadas

Here are the step-by-step photos to make Puerto Rican stewed beans.

• Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven or large soup pot on medium and add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Sauté on medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the diced ham and continue to sauté for 3-4 minutes.
• Step 2: Add the tomato sauce, sazón, cumin, recaito, sofrito, beans, oregano, bay leaves, olives, chicken bouillon and potato.

• Step 3: Add the water and raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a low boil.
• Step 4: Once it boils, lower the heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add salt to taste. While the beans are simmering, make the rice according to the package instructions.

Tips for the best habichuelas guisadas

Drain and rinse the canned beans before adding them to the pot so the broth stays flavorful rather than starchy. Cut the potatoes into small, evenly sized pieces so they become tender at the same time. Use a fork to test when the potatoes are tender. Simmer the beans gently after they come to a boil to keep them intact, and wait until the end to add extra salt because the ham, olives, sazón, and bouillon already contribute plenty of seasoning. The finished beans should be saucy enough to spoon over rice but not watery. If the broth is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few minutes; if it becomes too thick, add a splash of water.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are some easy variations you can try to suit your taste or particular diet.

• Vegetarian - Leave out the ham and swap chicken bouillon with vegetable bouillon.
• Spicy - Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the recipe or just add your favorite hot sauce when serving.
• Puerto Rican Sofrito - Swap the store-bought recaito with the homemade Puerto Rican sofrito. Use a food processor and blend together the following into a purée: 3 green bell peppers (cored and seeded), 3 Spanish onions, 10 cloves of garlic, 1 bunch of cilantro (about 1.5 cups chopped), 12 aji dulce or cubanelle peppers (cored and seeded), and 12 leaves of culantro (also known as recao). Once you blend all these together, use 2 tablespoons in the recipe and freeze the rest in ice cube trays or pack thin and flat into freezer bags so you can break off portions as needed. In some places, these ingredients may be hard to find, so that is why I use store-bought recaito in this recipe.

Equipment

You really only need a few basic items to make habichuelas guisadas. A large soup pot or Dutch oven with a lid. Be sure you have a lid so it does not reduce while you simmer. If you don't have a lid then you may have to add some water. It should have the consistency of chili. The beans will need to be drained and rinsed, so a fine mesh colander works well. A good cutting board and chef's knife for chopping wraps up all the equipment needed.

Storage

You can store the beans in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Be sure to allow the beans to completely cool before storing in the refrigerator. You can freeze this dish and it reheats nicely. Store in airtight containers for 4-6 months in your freezer. I like to use the Still Tasty site as a reference for all food storage questions.

FAQ

More Puerto Rican recipes to try

If you love these habichuelas guisadas, there are plenty of other Puerto Rican favorites to add to your menu. For a traditional meal, serve pernil with arroz con gandules, the classic combination of slow-roasted pork and seasoned rice with pigeon peas. If you're craving something crispy, try alcapurrias filled with savory beef picadillo, bacalaitos made with salted cod, or golden tostones made from green plantains. Another comforting favorite is bistec encebollado, tender steak cooked with plenty of flavorful onions and perfect alongside rice and beans.

📖 Recipe

Food Safety

• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.