The Kitchen Everything

19+ Best Puerto Rican Recipes

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by

CeCe Jones
in , , , , , , , ,

Puerto Rican cooking runs on garlic, sofrito, and slow patience. Every plate tells a story of Taíno roots, Spanish seasoning, and West African technique, all simmered together on one small island. If you’ve ever had pernil crackling hot from the oven or a cup of coquito at a holiday party, you know why this food earns so much devotion.

This collection gathers the dishes that show up at every Puerto Rican table, from crispy mofongo to sweet tembleque. Some recipes take all day on the stove. Others, like tostones or quesitos, come together in under thirty minutes. All of them lean on the same pantry staples: sofrito, adobo, sazón, and a heavy hand with garlic.

Pernil stands out as the centerpiece dish, pulling together slow-roasted pork, garlic, and crackling skin that Puerto Rican families build entire holidays around.

Quick picks:

  • Best centerpiece dish: Pernil, for holidays and big family dinners
  • Best quick side: Tostones, ready in under 20 minutes
  • Best make-ahead sauce: Sofrito, freezes well for months
  • Best party drink: Coquito, perfect for batch-making at celebrations

1. Mofongo

Mofongo is mashed green plantains, fried first, then pounded with garlic, olive oil, and pork cracklings called chicharrones. The texture is dense and a little chunky, nothing like mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 3 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup chicharrones or cooked bacon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth

Method:

  1. Fry plantain chunks in 350°F oil for 8 minutes until golden.
  2. Drain, then mash with garlic, chicharrones, olive oil, and salt in a mortar.
  3. Shape into balls, drizzle with warm broth. Serves 4; prep 15 min, cook 15 min.

2. Pernil

Pernil is a slow-roasted pork shoulder rubbed with garlic, oregano, and vinegar until the skin turns deep brown and shatters when you cut it.

Ingredients:

  • 6-8 lb bone-in pork shoulder
  • 10 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar

Method:

  1. Blend garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar into a paste.
  2. Cut slits in the pork, rub paste deep inside. Refrigerate overnight.
  3. Roast uncovered at 325°F for 5-6 hours until skin crackles. Serves 10; prep 20 min plus overnight, cook 6 hours.

3. Arroz con Gandules

Arroz con gandules is yellow rice studded with pigeon peas, simmered in sofrito until every grain turns golden and fragrant.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups medium-grain rice
  • 1 can (15 oz) pigeon peas, drained
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 packet sazón with achiote
  • 3 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Sauté sofrito and tomato paste in oil for 3 minutes.
  2. Add pigeon peas, sazón, water, and salt; bring to a boil.
  3. Stir in rice, cover, simmer on low 20 minutes. Serves 6; prep 10 min, cook 25 min.

4. Tostones

Tostones are twice-fried green plantain slices, smashed flat between fryings so the outside turns shatteringly crisp.

Ingredients:

  • 2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt, to taste
  • Garlic powder, optional

Method:

  1. Fry plantain rounds at 325°F for 3 minutes per side.
  2. Remove, smash flat with a tostonera or cup bottom.
  3. Fry again at 350°F for 2 minutes per side until golden. Salt immediately. Serves 4; prep 10 min, cook 15 min.

5. Pollo Guisado

Pollo guisado is a hearty chicken stew built on sofrito, potatoes, and olives, simmered until the sauce turns thick and glossy.

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 2 potatoes, cubed
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup pimento-stuffed olives
  • 1 packet sazón
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

  1. Brown chicken in olive oil, remove and set aside.
  2. Sauté sofrito, add tomato sauce and sazón, cook 2 minutes.
  3. Return chicken, add potatoes, olives, and broth. Simmer covered 35 minutes. Serves 6; prep 15 min, cook 40 min.

6. Sofrito

Sofrito is the aromatic base of Puerto Rican cooking, a blend of peppers, onion, garlic, and cilantro that gets spooned into almost every savory dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 head garlic, peeled
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 6 ají dulce peppers (optional)
  • 1 bunch culantro, if available

Method:

  1. Rough chop all ingredients.
  2. Pulse in a food processor until finely blended but not pureed.
  3. Store in freezer-safe containers or ice cube trays. Makes about 3 cups; prep 15 min, no cooking required.

7. Pasteles

Pasteles are masa made from green bananas and plantains, filled with seasoned pork, then wrapped in banana leaves and boiled.

Ingredients:

  • 6 green bananas, grated
  • 2 green plantains, grated
  • 1 lb pork shoulder, diced and cooked with sofrito
  • 1/4 cup annatto oil
  • Banana leaves, softened over flame
  • Kitchen twine

Method:

  1. Mix grated bananas and plantains with annatto oil to form masa.
  2. Spread masa on banana leaf, add pork filling, fold and tie.
  3. Boil pasteles for 1 hour. Makes 12; prep 1 hour, cook 1 hour.

8. Habichuelas Guisadas

Habichuelas guisadas are stewed pink beans in a tomato-sofrito broth, the everyday partner to a plate of white rice.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans (15 oz each) pink beans, undrained
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 small potato, cubed
  • 1 packet sazón
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup water

Method:

  1. Sauté sofrito and tomato sauce for 2 minutes.
  2. Add beans, potato, sazón, bay leaf, and water.
  3. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes until thickened. Serves 4; prep 5 min, cook 20 min.

9. Carne Guisada

Carne guisada is beef stew simmered low and slow with potatoes, carrots, and olives until the meat turns fork-tender.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cubed
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 2 potatoes, cubed
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 packet sazón
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Method:

  1. Brown beef in olive oil in a heavy pot.
  2. Add sofrito, tomato sauce, and sazón; cook 2 minutes.
  3. Add broth, potatoes, carrots. Cover, simmer 1.5 hours. Serves 6; prep 15 min, cook 1 hour 30 min.

10. Asopao de Pollo

Asopao de pollo is a soupy, rice-thickened chicken stew, closer to gumbo than soup, loaded with peas and bell peppers.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1/4 cup sofrito
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 packet sazón

Method:

  1. Brown chicken, then sauté sofrito and bell pepper.
  2. Add broth, sazón, and chicken; simmer 20 minutes.
  3. Stir in rice and peas, cook 20 more minutes until thick. Serves 6; prep 15 min, cook 40 min.

11. Alcapurrias

Alcapurrias are fritters made from grated green banana and yautía, stuffed with seasoned beef, fried until deep golden brown.

Ingredients:

  • 4 green bananas, grated
  • 1 yautía (taro root), grated
  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked with sofrito
  • 2 tablespoons annatto oil
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Mix grated bananas, yautía, annatto oil, and salt into a dough.
  2. Flatten dough in your palm, add beef filling, fold closed.
  3. Fry at 350°F for 6 minutes until golden. Makes 10; prep 30 min, cook 15 min.

12. Bacalaítos

Bacalaítos are crisp, lacy codfish fritters, a boardwalk favorite along Puerto Rico’s coast, best eaten hot with a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb salted codfish, soaked and shredded
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 cup water
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, garlic, water, and salt into a thin batter.
  2. Fold in shredded codfish.
  3. Ladle into 350°F oil, fry 3 minutes per side. Makes 8; prep 15 min plus soaking, cook 10 min.

13. Rellenos de Papa

Rellenos de papa are mashed potato balls stuffed with picadillo, breaded and fried until the shell turns crackly.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked with sofrito and tomato sauce
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

  1. Shape mashed potato around a spoonful of picadillo filling.
  2. Dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs.
  3. Fry at 350°F for 5 minutes until golden brown. Makes 8; prep 30 min, cook 15 min.

14. Piononos

Piononos are sweet plantain rings stuffed with savory picadillo, fried until the plantain edges caramelize into a sticky crust.

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe (yellow-black) plantains, sliced lengthwise
  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked with sofrito
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Toothpicks

Method:

  1. Fry plantain strips briefly, shape into rings, secure with toothpicks.
  2. Fill centers with picadillo.
  3. Dip in egg, fry at 350°F for 4 minutes per side. Makes 6; prep 30 min, cook 15 min.

15. Empanadillas de Picadillo

Empanadillas de picadillo are hand-sized turnovers stuffed with seasoned ground beef, fried until the dough blisters golden.

Ingredients:

  • 10 empanada dough discs
  • 1 lb ground beef, cooked with sofrito, tomato sauce, and olives
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Method:

  1. Spoon picadillo onto each dough disc, fold into a half-moon.
  2. Seal edges with a fork dipped in egg.
  3. Fry at 350°F for 3 minutes per side. Makes 10; prep 20 min, cook 15 min.

16. Tembleque

Tembleque is a chilled coconut pudding, silky and jiggly, dusted with cinnamon for a dessert that feels light after a heavy meal.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Ground cinnamon, for topping

Method:

  1. Whisk coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a saucepan.
  2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 8 minutes.
  3. Pour into molds, chill 3 hours. Dust with cinnamon. Serves 6; prep 10 min plus chilling, cook 10 min.

17. Arroz con Dulce

Arroz con dulce is a spiced coconut rice pudding, studded with raisins and simmered low until it turns thick and fragrant with cinnamon.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup short-grain rice
  • 2 cans (13.5 oz each) coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:

  1. Simmer rice in water with cinnamon sticks for 10 minutes.
  2. Add coconut milk, sugar, ginger, and raisins.
  3. Cook uncovered, stirring often, 25 minutes until thick. Serves 6; prep 5 min, cook 35 min.

18. Coquito

Coquito is Puerto Rico’s answer to eggnog, a creamy rum drink made with coconut milk and cream of coconut, poured cold at every holiday gathering.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
  • 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups white rum
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Chill at least 4 hours before serving.
  3. Shake well and pour over ice. Serves 8; prep 10 min plus chilling, no cooking required.

19. Quesitos

Quesitos are flaky puff pastry rolls filled with sweetened cream cheese, baked until golden and brushed with a light sugar glaze.

Ingredients:

  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons honey, warmed

Method:

  1. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; spread on pastry strips.
  2. Roll up, brush with egg wash.
  3. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until golden. Drizzle with honey. Makes 8; prep 15 min, cook 15 min.

Tips for Sourcing Puerto Rican Ingredients

Look for sofrito peppers, culantro, and sazón packets at any Latin American grocery store before trying a regular supermarket. Goya brand stocks most staples, including achiote oil and adobo seasoning, in the international aisle of many chain stores.

Green plantains and yautía show up in the produce section near yuca and malanga. Pick plantains that feel firm and look completely green for tostones and mofongo; save the black, soft ones for sweeter dishes like piononos.

Frozen banana leaves for pasteles usually sit in the freezer section near other frozen produce. If your store carries Cuban or Dominican ingredients, browsing those shelves for shared staples like sazón and sofrito works well, since the overlap with Cuban recipes and broader Caribbean recipes runs deep.

Salted codfish for bacalaítos comes in a wooden box or plastic tub, shelf-stable until opened. Soak it the night before to pull out excess salt.

For a fuller pantry list and more dishes to pair with these staples, the Puerto Rican recipes collection and 12 Puerto Rican recipes roundup both cover ingredient swaps worth knowing.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

Sofrito freezes beautifully, so batch it once a month and freeze in ice cube trays for easy portioning. A frozen cube drops straight into a hot pan, no thawing needed.

Pernil and carne guisada both taste better the next day, once the seasoning has had time to settle into the meat. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Rice dishes like arroz con gandules keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat with a splash of water to loosen the grains back up.

Coquito stores in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks in a sealed bottle; shake before each pour since the coconut separates slightly. Tembleque and arroz con dulce both hold in the fridge for 4 days, covered tightly to keep out other flavors.

Fried foods like tostones, alcapurrias, and quesitos lose their crunch in the fridge, but a few minutes in a hot air fryer brings back the crispy edges without drying out the inside.

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