Stewed Breadfruit (Pana Guisada)
Chunks of breadfruit simmered low and slow in a savory sofrito-tomato broth with ham and olives until tender and deeply flavorful. A classic Puerto Rican side that's just as good as the root-vegetable guisados it stands beside.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Peel and cut the breadfruit
Rub a little oil on your hands and knife since raw breadfruit has a sticky, milky sap. Cut the breadfruit into quarters, cut away the tough core, then peel each piece and cut into chunks about 4 cm. Drop the chunks into a bowl of water with the lime juice as you work, so they don't darken.
- 1.2 kg breadfruit
- 1 lime juice
✅ Done when: all the breadfruit is peeled, cored and cut into even chunks sitting in the lime water
Brown the ham and sofrito
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the diced ham and cook for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden, then stir in the and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until it smells fragrant and most of its liquid has cooked off.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100 g diced ham
- 120 g
✅ Done when: the sofrito smells fragrant and has darkened slightly rather than looking watery
Build the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add the breadfruit and simmer
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Season and rest
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Peel and cut the breadfruit
Rub a little oil on your hands and knife since raw breadfruit has a sticky, milky sap. Cut the breadfruit into quarters, cut away the tough core, then peel each piece and cut into chunks about 4 cm. Drop the chunks into a bowl of water with the lime juice as you work, so they don't darken.
- 1.2 kg breadfruit
- 1 lime juice
✅ Done when: all the breadfruit is peeled, cored and cut into even chunks sitting in the lime water
Brown the ham and sofrito
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the diced ham and cook for 2–3 minutes until lightly golden, then stir in the and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often, until it smells fragrant and most of its liquid has cooked off.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 100 g diced ham
- 120 g
✅ Done when: the sofrito smells fragrant and has darkened slightly rather than looking watery
Build the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add the breadfruit and simmer
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Season and rest
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Breadfruit originally came from the Pacific islands and was carried to the Caribbean in the late 1700s, most famously on ships sent to supply cheap, filling food for enslaved laborers on plantations. In Puerto Rico it took root in home kitchens and became one of the island's everyday viandas, the starchy roots and fruits that anchor a meal.
Guisar it the same way as yautía, ñame or green bananas, in a sofrito and tomato base, turned pana into comfort food rather than plantation rations, and that's the dish that survives on tables today.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It turns a humble, starchy fruit into a rich, savory stew that tastes like a Puerto Rican home kitchen, served alongside rice, beans or meat.
💡 Fun Fact
The breadfruit's journey to the Caribbean is tied to Captain William Bligh and the famous mutiny on the HMS Bounty, which was sailing breadfruit saplings from Tahiti when the crew rebelled.
Puerto Rico
18.22°N, -66.59°W
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!