Description
Mama’s Chickpea in Sofrito with Arroz con Gandules is a comforting and flavorful Puerto Rican-inspired vegan dish featuring protein-packed chickpeas simmered in a rich sofrito sauce, served alongside fragrant basmati rice cooked with green pigeon peas. This delicious meal is perfect for meal prep and offers an authentic taste of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sofrito (Chickpeas)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup very finely diced yellow onion
- ½ cup very finely diced green bell pepper
- ⅓ cup finely diced cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce (from one 15 oz can, reserve extra sauce for rice)
- 3 teaspoons (2 packets) Sazon seasoning
- 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 ½ cups low sodium vegetarian broth or water
For the Rice
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup very finely diced yellow onion
- ⅓ cup very finely diced green bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely diced cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup no salt added tomato sauce
- 3 teaspoons (2 packets) sazon seasoning
- 1 (15 oz) can green pigeon peas (with liquid)
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups basmati white rice
To Garnish
- Extra fresh chopped cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Tostones
Instructions
- Make the Sofrito: Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add yellow onion, green bell pepper, cilantro, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and peppers soften, about 2-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in tomato sauce and sazon seasoning, then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Cook the Chickpeas: Add the rinsed chickpeas and low sodium vegetarian broth to the pot with the sofrito. Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, to infuse the flavors. If the liquid reduces too much, add up to ½ cup more broth or water as needed.
- Prepare the Rice Sofrito: In another medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, green bell pepper, cilantro, and garlic, sautéing until soft and translucent, about 2-4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low, add tomato sauce and sazon seasoning, and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Cook the Rice and Pigeon Peas: Pour in the entire can of green pigeon peas with their liquid and add 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the basmati rice, cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
- Adjust Seasonings and Serve: Taste both the chickpeas and rice, adjusting salt or other seasonings as desired. Serve the chickpeas over a bowl of arroz con gandules with some of the extra bean sauce poured on top. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and avocado slices. Add tostones on the side for an authentic Puerto Rican touch.
Notes
- This recipe is inspired by authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and features a vegetarian sofrito base, perfect for meatless meals.
- The chickpeas provide over 13 grams of plant-based protein per serving, making this dish both nutritious and satisfying.
- You can prepare your own homemade sazon seasoning for a fresher taste if desired.
- If the chickpea liquid reduces too quickly, simply add more broth or water to maintain a good simmer.
- This dish is great for meal prepping and reheats well for leftovers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 4 servings)
- Calories: 459 kcal
- Sugar: 4.4 g
- Sodium: 340 mg
- Fat: 6.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 87.8 g
- Fiber: 10.3 g
- Protein: 13.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
