Habichuelas Blancas Guisadas (Puerto Rican Stewed White Beans)

Fry the ham

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot (about 5 quarts / 4.7 L) — called a caldero in Puerto Rican cooking, but any heavy pot or Dutch oven works — over medium heat. Add the ham and fry for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g smoked ham

✅ Done when: ham is lightly browned at the edges

Add the sofrito

Add the sofrito, tomato sauce and adobo seasoning to the pot. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.

• 3 tbsp sofrito
• 100 g tomato sauce
• 1 tsp adobo seasoning

✅ Done when: mixture smells fragrant and looks slightly darker

Simmer the beans

Add the white beans with their liquid, the calabaza, potato, water and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to medium and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, stirring now and then.

• 2 cans (400 g each) white beans with liquid
• 200 g calabaza
• 1 potato
• 400 ml water
• ½ tsp salt

✅ Done when: potato and calabaza are soft enough to mash with a spoon

Thicken

Press a few pieces of calabaza and some beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to mash them, then stir back into the stew.

• a few pieces of calabaza and some beans the stew from step 3

✅ Done when: sauce looks thick and creamy, coating the back of a spoon

Serve

Stir in the fresh coriander and serve the beans hot over white rice.

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander
• to serve white rice