Rice with stewed beans, Puerto Rican style
Common food
This is a classic Puerto Rican comfort dish, often called 'arroz con habichuelas,' featuring fluffy white rice smothered in a savory, slow-simmered stew of red or pink beans. The beans are typically cooked with a sofrito base, tomatoes, and sometimes pork or ham for a rich, hearty flavor with a creamy texture. Nutritionally, it's a plant-based protein and complex carbohydrate staple, providing sustained energy with a good fiber content.
Calorie split: 11% protein · 68% carbs · 21% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its deeply comforting, savory flavor profile and its role as a cultural cornerstone in Puerto Rican cuisine. It's incredibly versatile, serving as the perfect canvas for meats, stews, or simply enjoyed on its own as a satisfying, home-cooked meal.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The dish can be high in sodium, especially if made with canned beans or added salt, and the white rice component may cause a quicker blood-sugar spike for some. To counteract this, use low-sodium beans, rinse canned beans thoroughly, and consider mixing in some brown rice or serving with a side of non-starchy vegetables to slow digestion.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber
- Provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy release
- Low in sugar and a good source of essential minerals like iron and magnesium
- Naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat
- Versatile base that can be adapted with various proteins and vegetables
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'sofrito' base—a blend of peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and culantro—is the non-negotiable flavor foundation for this dish and countless others in Puerto Rican cooking, often made in large batches and frozen.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 68.3 g |
| Energy | 138 kcal |
| Protein | 3.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.2 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 23.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.10 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 25.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.5 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 20.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 50.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 134 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 464 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.59 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 5.1 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.13 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.02 mg |
| Niacin | 0.97 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.08 mg |
| Folate, total | 53.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 35.0 ug |
| Folate, food | 18.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 78.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 8.3 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.78 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 3.7 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.47 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.35 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.09 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.3 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.3 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.02 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 1.2 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 1.1 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.15 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
What type of beans are traditionally used?
The most traditional beans are 'habichuelas coloradas' (red kidney beans) or 'habichuelas rosadas' (pink beans). Both are stewed until very tender and creamy.
Is this dish vegetarian or vegan?
It can easily be made vegetarian or vegan by omitting any meat products like ham or bacon from the bean stew and using vegetable broth. The core recipe is naturally plant-based.
How is it typically served?
It's commonly served as a main course with the beans ladled over a mound of white rice. It's often accompanied by 'tostones' (fried plantains), a simple salad, or a side of roasted pork or chicken.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.38 kcal/g · 11% calories from protein · 1.5 g fiber · 0.1 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 3.46 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.