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Arroz Con Salchichas Recipe

Arroz Con Salchichas

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This Arroz Con Salchichas Recipe is an ode to some of the great men in our life.

Arroz con Salchichas is “un plato de refugio.”  It’s a dish born out of necessity. It dates back to the time when Cubans began to come to the United States in the 60s. Like most dishes with roots of the exile, Arroz con Salchichas melds together something cheap and unfamiliar, like Vienna sausages, with something familiar, rice. 

A tomato rich Sofrito is the base for Arroz con Salchichas. The rice is cooked in broth so there is flavor in every step. We top it with piquillo peppers and fresh parsley to finish it off. 

For Ani this is the kind of dish that will always remind her of her dad. It’s classic, comforting and humble in the same bite.

He’s a rice guy, and with good reason. His mom, my grandmother Abuela Oliva, was the master of rice. Everything from perfect white rice topped with an egg, arroz con salchichas, to arroz con mariscos to arroz oriental were some of her standout dishes. She made something so simple, like rice, take on the form of an entrée because of all the ingredients and effort she put into it.

My dad’s favorite thing about rice is the “raspitas.” The crispy layer that forms on the bottom of the pan. It’s nutty and crunchy. If you raise your heat to medium in the last few minutes of cooking the rice in the bottom and the sides will get very crunchy and turn golden brown. Raspitas! It’s the perfect contrast to the fluffy and savory rice.

Ani

For Cristy this dish reminds her so much of her Abuelo Cesar, or Beto. Beto was not a chef by any means, but when he came from Cuba he had his three kids and was also taking care of a few of his younger siblings. Money was tight, and he knew he needed to figure out how to make a few meals and learn a few skills in the kitchen in order to feed his family.

He loved to make Arroz Con Salchichas. Don’t get me wrong, Beto was by no means a master chef. He would even use a canned sofrito. But he was always so proud of himself when he made it. You couldn’t help but love it. To watch this big manly man be so delicate with all the ingredients, humming away when he cooked. When we first talked about making this recipe, it’s just where my mind went. I can still see him standing over the pot, cutting the Vienna Sausages and humming.

This meal automatically makes me think of him. I’m excited to share it with everyone.

Cristy

We didn’t change out the Vienna Sausages in this recipe. If you wanted, you could elevate the dish by grabbing some Andouille Sausage or other type of sausage that you like, but we wanted to keep it classic. This Arroz Con Salchichas Recipe is more than just recipe to us, it’s a dedication to our roots. This is for all the great men of our lives and all the others who came over here in exile. Happy Father’s Day.

Arroz Con Salchichas
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Arroz Con Salchichas

Recipe by Abuela's CounterCourse: EntreeCuisine: CubanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

5

servings
Prep time

8

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 3, 4-oz cans of Vienna sausages, drained and cut in thirds

  • 2 cups long grain white rice, washed and strained

  • 1 onion, chopped

  • 1 cubanelle pepper, chopped

  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped

  • 1, 6-oz jar of piquillo peppers (they are also called fancy peppers), well rinsed and drained

  • 8 cloves garlic minced

  • 4 oz of tomato sauce 

  • 3 cups of chicken bone broth

  • 2 teaspoons of Abuelas Sazon

  • 1 ½ teaspoons bijol 

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • Garnish with freshly chopped parsley

Directions

  • In a large Dutch oven or non-stick sauce pot add the onion, sazon, 3 tablespoons of the oil, salt and pepper. Heat pan to high and cook for 3-5 minutes until the onions are soft and cooked
    through.
  • Add the cubanelle and red bell peppers, another pinch of salt and the remaining oil. Cook another 3 minutes until they are softened.
  • Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the garlic. If you need more oil add another tablespoon over the garlic. After about 2 -3 minutes the garlic should be cooking and starting to look golden. Add the bijol and mix everything together.
  • After about a minute or so, add the tomato sauce and mix in. Incorporate everything together
    and let all the flavors really mix in. Let it boil for a few minutes.
  • Add the broth and the sausages and keep heat on high. Then add the rice.
  • Allow everything to come to a boil again. Mix one last time and cover and let it boil for 2 minutes, then lower the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 20 -25 minutes.
  • Fluff with a fork (never a spoon or it will stick together) Top with parsley and the piquillo peppers.
    Serve warm!