Guandules Guisados con Calabaza
Pigeon Peas Stewed with Pumpkin or Squash
Guandules Guisados con Calabaza is one of my favorite Dominican comfort foods, and this recipe is especially meaningful to me because it’s something my family has cooked for generations.
This rich and hearty stew is made with pigeon peas, pumpkin, and a few other wholesome vegetables simmered together with a flavorful sofrito base. The result is a deeply savory dish that’s comforting, filling, and absolutely perfect served over a bowl of warm white rice.
For this recipe I used fresh guandules that my family and I harvested from our garden, along with Seminole pumpkin — one of my favorite pumpkins to grow here in my Florida garden. But the beauty of this dish is that it’s very flexible. You can use canned or frozen pigeon peas, and substitute other pumpkins or root vegetables depending on what you have available.
Let me show you exactly how I make it.
Watch the video version of this recipe here:
Ingredients
3 lb fresh, frozen, or canned green guandules (pigeon peas)
4 cups total of peeled and cubed Seminole pumpkin, calabaza or butternut squash.
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 lb peeled and cubed, malanga de coco or other root vegetable like taro, potatoes, or yuca.
2 cups sofrito (recipe below)
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 cup olive oil
4 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
1 packet Sazon Goya with Culantro y Achiote
2 tbsp white vinegar
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or culantro (or a mix of both)
Salt to taste
Water as needed
Sofrito Ingredients
2 sweet peppers (Cubanelle, bell peppers, or ají chachucha), deseeded and quartered
2 Roma tomatoes, quartered
¼ cup fresh garlic cloves, peeled
1 large sweet onion
½ cup olive oil
A handful of fresh herbs such as cilantro, culantro, or Cuban oregano leaves
How to Make Guandules Guisados con Calabaza
Step 1: Clean and Prepare the Guandules
If you’re using fresh pigeon peas, start by rinsing them thoroughly under running water to remove any debris from shelling them out of the pods.
Next, place the guandules in a large bowl of water with a little salt and let them soak for about 20 minutes. This helps clean them and remove any insects or debris that may still be hiding among the peas.
If you are using canned or frozen guandules instead, simply rinse them well and skip the salt soak.
Once cleaned, set the guandules aside.
Step 2: Make the Sofrito
Sofrito is the heart of this recipe and what gives the stew its deep, rich flavor.
To make it, roughly chop the sweet peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and herbs so they fit into a blender. Add the olive oil and blend everything together until smooth.
This recipe makes a large batch of sofrito. Measure out 2 cups for this stew and freeze the remaining sofrito for future recipes.
Step 3: Prepare the Vegetables
Next, prepare the vegetables for the stew.
Peel your choice of pumpkin or squash. I just had a huge harvest of Seminole pumpkins, so that is what I am using. However, you can also use butternut squash or calabaza. If youwould like to learn how to grow Seminole pumpkins, check out my garden guide video HERE. I also sell seeds for Seminole pumpkin HERE.
Peel and slice the carrots.
Wash and chop fresh cilantro, culantro, epazote, or papalo.
Then peel and cube the malanga de coco. If you can’t find malanga, taro, potatoes, or yuca all work well in this recipe.
Once everything is chopped and ready, you can start cooking.
Step 4: Cook the Flavor Base
Place a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil.
Once the oil is warm, add the sofrito and cook it for about 5 minutes until fragrant.
Then add the guandules and stir everything together. Let this mixture cook for about 10 minutes. This helps soften the pigeon peas and build a deeper flavor before adding the liquids.
Next add 1 cup of water and the tomato paste. Stir well until the tomato paste dissolves completely.
Add another cup of water along with the chicken bouillon powder and the Sazon packet. Stir everything together until well combined.
Step 5: Add Vegetables and Simmer
Now add the cubed pumpkin, carrots, and malanga to the pot.
Pour in enough water to just cover the vegetables and pigeon peas.
Bring the stew to a gentle simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
As the stew cooks, the vegetables will soften and the broth will thicken into a rich, hearty consistency.
Step 6: Finish the Flavor
After about 45 minutes, test the guandules and vegetables for doneness. The easiest way is to press one of the peas with a spoon. If it smashes easily, it’s ready.
Now stir in the chopped cilantro or culantro and add the white vinegar to brighten the flavors.
Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed by adding more bouillon powder or salt.
Let the stew simmer for another 5 minutes so the flavors come together.
How to Serve Guandules Guisados
This dish is traditionally served over white rice.
You can garnish it with additional chopped cilantro or culantro on top.
To make it a full Dominican meal, I love serving it with pernil — slow roasted pulled pork — on the side. HERE is my recipe for the pernil.
The combination of tender pork, savory pigeon peas, and fluffy rice is incredibly satisfying and full of flavor.
Guandules Guisados con Calabaza is one of those meals that truly feels like home. It’s hearty, comforting, and packed with rich Dominican flavor.
Whether you grow your own pigeon peas and pumpkins like I do in my garden, or you pick up a few ingredients from the store, this dish is simple to make and perfect for sharing with family.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear what your family likes to cook with guandules too.
