Habichuelas guisadas is a recipe that definitely qualifies as an essential Puerto Rican side dish. If there is white or yellow rice on your plate, there better be some habichuelas! Otherwise, there's a problem. Seriously, don't even try it. This is one of those dishes that each cook puts their signature on, kind of like Italian gravy. You know who made the beans just by eating them. My Mami's beans don't taste like anyone else's and neither do my Abuela's.
I learned this the hard way when I went off to college and kept feeling like my beans were missing something whenever I made them in my dorm kitchen. There's a certain amount of love that flavors this dish when it's made by Mami & Abuela, and you just can't replicate that. It never fails, making habichuelas always remind me of home.
I hate to admit it, but I hated beans when I was a small child. I would literally pick them off my rice and push them to the side of my plate. I'm not sure how my mom didn't just give me away to the neighbors for such blasphemous behavior! These days, I can literally eat rice and beans as a whole meal and be completely satisfied. These are a great Meatless Monday option, as long as you omit the ham.
This recipe is simple to put together as long as you have some Puerto Rican staples in your pantry. The beans are stewed in a tomato based broth that's flavored with country ham, sofrito, sazon & adobo, plus classic Mediterranean ingredients like bay leaves, oregano and olives. The result is a complex, earthy dish that goes great with rice, or even as a standalone meal. I would definitely suggest that you make more habichuelas than you think you need! This dish freezes beautifully, and leftovers reheat perfectly in the microwave or on a stove top.
Habichuelas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed Beans)
