Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans) with Rice & Avocado

Red beans simmered in a fragrant sofrito broth with potato, sweet squash and olives until thick and saucy, ladled over white rice. This is everyday Puerto Rican comfort food.

Ingredients

• 2 (15 oz) cans red kidney or pink beans, undrained
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ½ onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• ½ bunch cilantro
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 large potato, peeled, in ½-inch cubes
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled, in ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup pimento-stuffed olives
• 1⅓ cups long-grain white rice
• 2 avocados, sliced

From your pantry: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 bay leaf, salt, pepper.

Instructions

1. Start the rice. Pulse the onion, green pepper, cilantro and garlic in a food processor to a coarse sofrito.
2. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat and cook the sofrito until fragrant and soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, oregano and turmeric for 30 seconds.
3. Add the tomato sauce and cook 2 minutes, then add the beans with their liquid, the broth, potato, sweet potato, olives and bay leaf.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, until the potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened, 25 to 30 minutes. Mash a few beans against the pot if you want it thicker.
5. Season with salt and pepper and serve over rice with sliced avocado.

Tip: Calabaza (West Indian pumpkin) is traditional and melts into the sauce; butternut squash works too. For a meaty version, brown 4 oz diced ham in the oil first.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

Adapted from Billy Parisi.

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