Arroz a la Cubana

Arroz a la Cubana is a flavorful ground beef hash traditionally served with rice, saba bananas, and fried eggs. It's easy to make, budget-friendly, and a hearty meal that's sure to be a dinner favorite.

It's debatable whether Arroz a la Cubana did originate from Cuba, as its name implies, but the dish does exist in many Spanish-speaking countries. There are many regional varieties, from the meatless boiled rice with tomato sauce or sofrito, fried eggs, and plantains of Spain, or the more hefty version consisting of white rice, fried hot dog Weiner, fried egg, and fried plantains of Peru.

Filipino arroz cubano

In Philippine cuisine, arroz cubano is composed of four elements: savory minced beef, rice, sunny-side-up eggs, and fried bananas.

• Ground beef- I like to prepare mine with a simple addition of green peas, but feel free to cook it picadillo-style with potatoes, carrots, raisins, and bell peppers.
• Rice- usually steamed rice, but it's also common to pair the dish with sinangag for breakfast
• Bananas- while fried saba bananas are traditional, some use Dole or cavendish bananas as well.
• Fried eggs- sunny-side-up eggs with soft, runny yolks

This hearty feast fits the bill if you're looking for an easy recipe to add to your meal rotation. It's simple to make and can be quickly put together for busy weeknight dinners.

But don't let its ease of prep deceive you! This Cuban rice is everything but lacking in flavor. It's hearty, tasty, and filled with comforting flavors the whole family will love!

How to serve

• Arroz a la Cubana makes a filling meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
• To assemble, shape a generous scoop of steamed rice into a dome using a cup. Place rice on a plate, top with a fried egg, and serve with the savory minced beef and slices of fried bananas.

Storage and reheating instructions

• Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat in a wide pan over medium heat to 165 F. Or microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals, stirring well between each interval to distribute heat.

More giniling recipes

Giniling Baboy with quail eggs is easy to make for family dinners as well as special occasions. With ground pork, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, raisins, and fresh tomatoes, this Filipino stew is hearty, tasty, and the ultimate comfort food.

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4.75 from 4 votes

Arroz ala Cubana

Arroz Cubano or Cuban Rice is easy to make and budget-friendly. The savory beef, white rice, fried saba bananas, and sunny-side-up eggs make a hearty and tasty meal the whole family will love.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Breakfast, Main Course

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6 Servings

Ingredients

• canola oil
• 1 onion, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ cup water
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
• salt and pepper to taste

For the Sides

• 6 saba bananas, ripe but firm
• 6 eggs
• 6 cups steamed white rice

Instructions

• In a pan over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
• Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with the back of a spoon, for about 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Drain excess fat.
• Add tomato sauce, soy sauce, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Lower heat, cover, and simmer until meat is cooked through and liquid is mostly reduced.
• Add green peas and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• In a pan over medium heat, heat about ¼ cup of oil.
• Peel bananas and slice lengthwise. Add bananas and cook, turning once or twice, until golden and lightly crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
• In the pan, add eggs and cook sunny side up, with the white part set and the yolks runny.
• Serve the minced beef with steamed rice, fried bananas, and fried eggs.

Notes

Choose ripe bananas for a sweeter taste but firm to keep them from falling apart.

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”