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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    Puerto Rican Style Red Beans

    Published: Dec 14, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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    Puerto Rican Red Beans also known as habichuelas guisadas translates to stewed beans. It is red beans cooked in the most flavorful broth. It's filled with potatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers simmered in a tomato broth seasoned to perfection. This is a favorite puerto rican recipe of mine and an essential puerto rican side dish. These beans are usually served with a main dish like my Puerto Rican Style Pork Chops but these are hearty red beans so they could be eaten alone with white rice or yellow rice. It's like visiting Puerto Rico without leaving your home.

    close up of Puerto Rican style red beans in pot scooped on a spoon

    Everywhere you try stewed red beans they will be different because everyone puts their own special touch to it. This is a tasty meat-free beans recipe so it is vegetarian friendly. Some people make it with ham or ham hock, green olives, fresh cilantro, or a homemade sofrito. I'm in the process of learning to make a puerto rican sofrito recipe to add to future recipes which will only enhance the flavor of this delicious beans recipe.

    Puerto Rican Style Beans Ingredients

    Puerto Rican Style Red Beans Ingredients

    Beans- I used a can of small red beans (habichulas colorados pequenas) but I'm sure this will work with red kidney beans or pink beans (habichuelas rosadas). These beans are kind of similar to pinto beans. I prefer to use canned beans dry beans because it cuts the cooking time down getting your meal to the table quicker. Dry beans would require a pressure cooker or instant pot to reduce cooking time but still have it cooked through.

    The Latin Flavors- Sazon, Adobo Seasoning, and Sofrito is key in this recipe as well. Goya brand is used in this recipe but there are alternate brands like Badia and Tropical. These can be found in most grocery stores. If you have your own sofrito, this would be the perfect time to use it.

    Liquid- In place of the cup of water you can add vegetable broth which will only add another layer of flavor. I had intentions to add it to this recipe but realized that it had gone bad. The water works perfectly fine and the flavor is still unbelievable. Chicken broth can be used as well but it will not be vegetarian anymore.

    How to Cook Puerto Rican Stewed Beans

    Onion, garlic, jalapenos, and sofrito added to pot

    Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, green peppers, garlic, and sofrito for 3 minutes.

    Red Bean ingredients mixed in pot

    Add beans, potatoes, tomato sauce, and all seasonings to the pot and stir.

    Water added to pot of red beans ingredients

    Add water and give one last stir. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to low heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

    Puerto Rican style red beans complete

    Remove from heat and serve hot with white rice. Enjoy this habichuelas guisadas recipe.

    These beans are best served along side pork chops and tostones. Both recipes are great and I recommend you try them as well.

    More Recipes You May Enjoy

    • Puerto Rican Style Pork Chops
    • Tostones with Mayo-Ketchup Sauce
    • Mangu Con Los Tres Golpes
    • Pollo Guisado
    • Ropa Vieja
    Puerto Rican style red beans feature image

    Puerto Rican Style Red Beans

    Puerto Rican Red Beans also known as habichuelas guisadas translates to stewed beans. It is red beans cooked in the most flavorful broth. It's filled with potatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers simmered in a tomato broth seasoned to perfection.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Spanish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 151kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 15.5 oz can of red kidney beans drained
    • 4 oz tomato sauce
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 1/2 small onion diced
    • 1 tbsp green pepper diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 pack goya sazon
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
    • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 tsp goya adobo
    • 1 tbsp sofrito
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 medium potato peeled and diced

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onions, jalapenos, garlic , and sofrito for 3 minutes.
    • Add beans, potatoes, tomato sauce, and all seasonings to the pot and stir.
    • Add water and give one last stir. Bring to a boil then cover and lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and serve hot with white rice.

    Video

    Puerto Rican Style Red Beans

    Notes

    Jalapeño (which was an optional ingredient) was previously in the dish instead of green bell pepper for a small source of heat. Upon comments about the use of jalapeño it has been replaced with green bell pepper.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.7g | Protein: 7.9g | Fat: 4.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 1483mg | Potassium: 266.2mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 1.5g
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Theresa says

      March 27, 2022 at 9:32 am

      5 stars
      Puerto Rican do not use jalapeno in our beans or stews. Oh a lil tip everyones softito will never have the same ingredients or the same taste I put 10/12spices in my softito so it depends on where ur parents came fr PR the beans will always taste different..some very tasty and some are not ...

      Reply
      • Itaira says

        March 27, 2022 at 1:37 pm

        It is something that is optional according to preference which I should maybe make more clear. I did notice there aren't much use of jalapeños in beans or stews but since it's a pepper that I really like (over the green bell pepper) I figured it would be my personal touch on the dish I took inspiration from to make my own. Thanks so much for the sofrito tip.

        Reply
    2. eunice geli diaz says

      April 14, 2022 at 5:14 pm

      There is nothing better to add to Puerto Rican beans than small pieces of deep orange squash that we call CALABAZA. Also don't forget the stuffed green olives, sliced.

      Reply
      • Itaira says

        April 14, 2022 at 5:38 pm

        I don't believe I've ever had it with the squash but it sounds good. I would be wiling to try that swapped out for the potato.

        Reply
    3. Lena says

      January 18, 2023 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      I made this recipe but I altered it. I started it with diced salt pork and I did the jalapeño and then added chicken vienna sausage
      and Spanish olives at the end.
      delicious!

      Reply
      • Itaira says

        January 20, 2023 at 7:17 pm

        Lena I'm happy you turned the recipe into your own! Sounds delicious!

        Reply

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