Sancocho de Guandules [Video+Recipe] Pigeon Peas & Pork Stew

Ingredients we love, combined in this tasty Sancocho de guandules (pigeon pea stew) with strong, comforting flavors.

Recipe by Clara Gonzalez on February 19, 2026

Prep time: PT15M

Cook time: PT40M

Total time: PT55M

Rating

5 stars (4 reviews)

gandules stew, pigeon peas stew, sancocho de gandules

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds chicharrón (fried pork rind) (or roast pork (see tips), cut into small pieces)
3 cups guandules (pigeon peas) (boiled or canned (plus the liquid in which they were boiled, separated))
½ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground) ((or more, to taste))
1 ½ teaspoons salt (or more, to taste)
6 cloves garlic (crushed)
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups auyama (kabocha squash) (diced)
1 plantain (see tips, peeled and sliced)
1 bunch cilantro (chopped (or two cilantro ancho/culantro leaves if you can find it.))

1. Cook the meat
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat.Add the pork rinds and cook until heated through.⚠️ If using raw pork (see tips), cook while stirring until well browned.
2. Cook the pigeon peas
- Add the pigeon peas and sauté while stirring until heated through.Season with garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano. Cook, stirring, until the garlic releases its aroma (one to two minutes).Add the plantains and pumpkin.
3. Cook the vegetables
- Add three tablespoons of the liquid in which the pigeon peas were boiled (or from the can). Cook, covered, for 3 minutes.Add more liquid from boiling the pigeon peas, adding water if necessary to make 8 cups. Cover.
4. Boil
- Boil covered until the plantains are soft.Mash some of the pigeon peas and pumpkin with a potato masher.When the broth is as thick as you like, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve
- Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.Serve (see recipe suggestions).

Jesseniaf84 on 2018-09-17 (5 stars):
Cilantro ancho is called culantro (I think that's how you spell it) lol. I'm dominican born and raised in northern NJ close to NYC I didnt know it was called culantro until I moved to Pennsylvania where there is barely any Spanish supermarkets and dominicans are only a hand full. Well I was in the produce section looking for cilantro for my Rican mother-law, what I see right before my eyes cilantro ancho. I could not believe my eyes! I pick it up and smell it just to make sure. Then I eat one of the leaves just to make sure and sure it was cilantro ancho. I notice the twist thing and it said culantro. I took a bunch home and my mother-lawn made sofeito (again not sure of the spelling.
Amity on 2012-12-20 (5 stars):
Made this for a snow day this week--with lentils--but otherwise the same. And so good and hearty!!
Mari on 2012-12-20 (5 stars):
Exquisito caldo! Me encanta esto caldos así. Es una muy buena receta para el día después de noche buena.
Sandra Paez on 2012-12-19 (5 stars):
Hay dios mio tia Clara que cosa riiiica!!! Tantos recuerdos de mi infancia. Gracias por todas sus recetas ;) Usted es la mejor!!!