Congri Oriental

Name: Congri Oriental
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cuba
Ingredients: 1 cup dried red beans, soaked overnight; 2 cups long-grain rice; 4 oz salt pork or bacon, diced; 1 onion, chopped; 1 green bell pepper, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 bay leaf; 1 tbsp olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste

6 servings10 min prep60 min cookMedium Cuba

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Congri Oriental

Story updated September 17, 2026

Congri Oriental, rice cooked with red beans, hails from eastern Cuba's Oriente region, distinguishing it from the black-bean moros y cristianos more common in the west. Its name is thought to blend French and Spanish influence, reflecting Haitian and French immigration into eastern Cuba in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Ingredients

Scale:· 6 servings

1 cup dried red beans, soaked overnight
2 cups long-grain rice
4 oz salt pork or bacon, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1Cook the soaked beans in fresh water until tender, about 45 minutes, reserving the cooking liquid.
2In a heavy pot, render the salt pork until crisp, then saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the fat.
3Stir in cumin and bay leaf, then add the cooked beans with about 4 cups of their liquid, adding water if needed.
4Bring to a boil, stir in the rice, and season with salt and pepper.
5Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
6Let rest 5 minutes, then fluff and remove bay leaf before serving.

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