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18 Recipes for Puerto Rican Meals and Drinks



Vibrant, transportive Puerto Rican flavors are influenced by the Indigenous Taíno individuals, Spanish settlers, enslaved individuals from Africa and India, and elements rising on the Caribbean island. Annatto and sofrito outline a lot of Puerto Rican delicacies, and adobo seasoning is a staple. One other condiment, pique, is part of day by day life, together with plantains and rice. In fact, it is the those who distinguish the delicacies, from grandmothers to movie star cooks, and we’ve got Puerto Rican recipes from each camps. Listed below are among the hottest Puerto Rican food and drinks specialties to channel the flavors of the island in your kitchen.

Pernil Mac and Cheese

Lauren Vied Allen

At Boricua Soul in Durham, North Carolina, Serena and Toriano Fredericks serve Puerto Rican–model roast pork shoulder on prime of a wealthy and creamy mac and cheese. Pernil is flavored with garlic, oregano, and sazón — a seasoning mix that features coriander and annatto.

Asopao

Oriana Koren

Chef JJ Johnson fills this Puerto Rican stew with rice and loads of greens, then tops it with spiced floor rooster for a hearty and sustaining dish.

Kingfish Escabeche

Greg Dupree / Meals Styling by Chelsea Zimmer and Melissa Grey / Prop Styling by Audrey Taylor


Kingfish escabeche (additionally referred to as escovitch fish) is a pickled and marinated fish dish served all through Puerto Rico. Jose Enrique cooks kingfish steaks over coals somewhat than frying, and his sauce leans closely on rice vinegar and honey.

Piña Colada

Photograph by Victor Protasio / Meals Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

The Piña Colada, Spanish for “strained pineapple,” was created in Puerto Rico and have become the Caribbean island’s nationwide drink in 1978. It sometimes combines rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut — this thick, luscious model makes use of white and darkish rum, coconut milk, lime juice, vanilla, and even mild brown sugar.

Pollo Guisado

Photograph by Greg Dupree / Meals Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

2019 F&W Greatest New Chef Kwame Onwuachi drew inspiration from flavors he loved whereas rising up within the Bronx for this marinated rooster soup he calls a competition of consolation. Onwuachi says Puerto Rican abuelitas put together this for his or her grandchildren. His model requires annatto, sofrito, a contact of cumin, and a little bit of home spice.

Lamb Pastelón (Puerto Rican-Fashion Plantain Casserole)

Greg DuPree / Meals Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely


This widespread Puerto Rican casserole options ripe plantains which are sliced lengthwise and baked till tender and frivolously caramelized after which layered with a spiced floor meat filling and melty mozzarella cheese. Chef JJ Johnson opts for floor lamb as a substitute of the extra conventional beef filling for additional richness.

Coquito

Photograph by Jacob Fox / Meals Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Jessica Thomas and Susan Mitchell

Coquito, or “little coconut,” is a creamy rum punch historically served in Puerto Rico for Christmas and all through the winter holidays. Every household has their very own recipe. This one from Shamil Velázquez is wealthy with viscosity from coconut cream and three forms of milk, whereas warming spices and white rum add aroma and taste.

Pernil Asado (Garlicky Roast Pork Shoulder)

Cara Cormack


San Juan chef Jose Enrique marinates this ultraflavorful Puerto Rican basic roast pork shoulder in a single day in a mix of citrus, garlic, and herbs, then cooks slowly within the oven till it is deeply caramelized.

Mamposteao with Shrimp and Adobo

Frederick Hardy II / Meals Styling by Melissa Grey / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman


The Puerto Rican dish mamposteao combines pre-cooked rice and beans (sure, leftovers work properly right here) with sofrito and an adobo spice mix. Chef Eric Rivera’s model contains shrimp and a heat citrus sauce.

Smoky Simmered Beans with Sofrito

Anna Stockwell

Von Diaz grew up consuming sofrito, a base of sauteed aromatics, due to her Puerto Rican household. It is the inspiration of taste for these savory, creamy beans, and the recipe yields additional that you need to use for soups, stews, and different bean dishes.

Guava Quesitos

Christopher Testani / Meals Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley


Quesitos (“little cheeses”) are golden and flakey pastry twists full of sugar-sweetened cream cheese. At 787 Espresso, with places in Puerto Rico and New York Metropolis, quesitos de guayaba are full of guava paste and cream cheese, for distinct sweetness and floral notes.

Candy Potato Cheesecake Empanadas

Lauren Vied Allen

At Boricua Soul in Durham, North Carolina, Serena and Toriano Fredericks mix flavors from Puerto Rico and the American South. You see it on this dessert empanada with marshmallow-topped candy potato casserole, spiced pumpkin cheesecake, crisp pastry, and a caramel drizzle.

Puerto Rican Crimson Beans and Rice

© Emily Farris

Crimson beans and rice recipes are ubiquitous in lots of cuisines for a cause: kidney beans absorb a ton of taste and, when served over rice, will hold you full for hours. Whereas some cooks use ham or sausage, Emily Farris makes use of bacon lardons on this Puerto Rican-inspired model.

Pique (Puerto Rican–Fashion Scorching Sauce)

Lauren Vied Allen

Toriano Fredericks makes this Puerto Rican scorching sauce in-house at Boricua Soul. The easy, fiery pepper vinegar condiment contains jalapeño and habanero chiles for a extra advanced chile taste. 

Pan-Seared Skirt Steaks with Carrot Puree and Braised Cabbage

Photograph by Victor Protasio / Meals Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell

At Jungle BaoBao in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2019 F&W Greatest New Chef Paxx Caraballo Moll superbly composes velvety carrot puree, tender pan-seared steaks, and braised cabbage, topping the dish with a contemporary, punchy cilantro gremolata.

Mofongo with Shrimp

© Con Poulos

Benny’s Seafood in Miami makes this Puerto Rican consolation meals with fried inexperienced plantains, garlic, salt, and chicharrones (crunchy pork rinds). Serve the mofongo with rooster broth on the facet or prime it with meat or seafood, like sautéed shrimp.

Arroz con Chorizo (Puerto Rican Rice with Sausage)

© Emily Farris

Emily Farris offers this Puerto Rican rice dish the correct quantity of kick with spicy sausage, annatto oil, and adobo seasoning. We now have recipes for arroz con pollo and a model of Puerto Rican rice with shrimp, too.

Tostones: Savory Plantains

© Lucy Schaeffer

Cookbook creator Lourdes Castro fries up agency and inexperienced plantains for this quintessential Caribbean snack.

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