Puerto Rican Christmas Food: Pasteles, Arroz con Dulce, Coquito and More

Ask a Puerto Rican what the best part of Christmas is and chances are they'll talk about food. Puerto Rican Christmas food is abundant, takes hours of work and is almost always made as a family: an aunt makes the pasteles, someone else handles the lechón, grandma makes the arroz con dulce and someone, always, brings the coquito.

This guide covers the full Puerto Rican Christmas menu, where each dish comes from, and what you need in the kitchen to serve it right—whether you're on the island or recreating it in the States.

The main dishes of a Puerto Rican Christmas

Lechón asado

The king of the table: a whole pig roasted on a spit for hours, with crackling skin—the cuerito—everyone fights over. Many families buy it at the lechoneras of Guavate in Cayey, famous for the so-called Ruta del Lechón. At home, the equivalent is pernil al horno: a pork shoulder marinated overnight and slow-roasted. An aluminum rectangular pan handles both the oven and the trip to the family gathering.

Pasteles

The most labor-intensive dish and the most celebrated. The masa is made by grating green bananas, yautía and other root vegetables; it's seasoned, filled with stewed pork, wrapped in plantain leaves and paper, tied and boiled. Making pasteles is an event: they're made by the dozen, assembly-line style, with the whole family at the table.

Arroz con gandules

The official rice of the season, with sofrito, pigeon peas, pork and olives, cooked in a caldero. As with any Puerto Rican rice, the pegao at the bottom is the prize.

The sides

• Guineítos en escabeche: boiled green bananas in a marinade of olive oil, vinegar, onion and garlic.
• Morcilla: rice blood sausage with spices, fried until crisp.
• Ensalada de coditos: macaroni salad with mayonnaise, egg and peppers, served cold.
• Gandinga and other stews that every family defends as their own.

Puerto Rican Christmas desserts

Arroz con dulce

Rice cooked with coconut milk, ginger, cinnamon, clove and raisins until creamy and firm. Served cold, dusted with cinnamon.

Tembleque

A coconut pudding set with cornstarch, white and wobbly—hence the name—topped with cinnamon.

Turrones and sweets

Spanish-style turrones and classic Puerto Rican candy, like coconut turrón or polvorones, round out the dessert tray.

Coquito: a basic recipe

Coquito is the drink of a Puerto Rican Christmas: creamy, coconut and cinnamon, with rum. Every family has its secret recipe, but this is the base most share:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can cream of coconut
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• White rum to taste (leave it out for an alcohol-free version)
• Ground cinnamon, a touch of vanilla and, if you like, a pinch of nutmeg

Blend everything, bottle it and refrigerate for at least a few hours. Shake before serving in gold-rimmed glasses with a cinnamon stick. A bottle of coquito with a red bow is one of the most Puerto Rican gifts there is.

Please enjoy alcohol responsibly.

What you need in the kitchen for Christmas

• A pilón: to crush garlic for the pernil marinade and sofrito. Our wooden "Puerto Rico" pilón is a best-seller.
• A tostonera: because tostones show up at Christmas too. The large carved tostoneras and the 8-inch Christmas tostonera work and decorate.
• A small saucepan: for sofrito, sauces or the milk for coffee. The red "Puerto Rico" saucepan looks as good on the stove as on the table.
• Aluminum pans: for pernil, arroz con dulce and your niece's lasagna. Buy several rectangular pans.
• To dress the table: gold placemats and coquito glasses.

Equipping your whole kitchen? Read Puerto Rican kitchen essentials, and for the rest of the season, Christmas in Puerto Rico. A reminder for your big December order: over $100, 10% off is applied automatically in the cart.

Puerto Rican Christmas food FAQ

What is traditional Puerto Rican Christmas food?

Roast lechón or pernil, pasteles, arroz con gandules, arroz con dulce, tembleque and coquito are the classics.

What are Puerto Rican pasteles made of?

A masa of green bananas and root vegetables like yautía, filled with stewed pork, wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled.

What's in coquito?

Coconut milk and cream of coconut, condensed milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, vanilla and rum. There are alcohol-free versions.

How long does coquito last in the fridge?

It depends on the recipe and ingredients. Always keep it refrigerated in a closed bottle and follow your recipe's guidance.