The Best Way to Prepare Costa Rican Gallo Pinto

Costa Rica’s gallo pinto is more than just rice and beans mixed together. It represents the most popular traditional food of the country, and is usually consumed at breakfast.
You can also find it in Nicaragua, Panama, or even El Salvador, where it is called “Casamiento”.

If you’re ready to learn how to prepare the best gallo pinto from Costa Rica, keep reading:

First thing’s first. Get all the ingredients and keep them close so that everything turns out well :).

You need:
• Frying Pan
• 3 tablespoons of oil
• 1/4 chopped onion
• 1/2 red pepper chopped into cubes (sweet pepper)
• 3 cups of black or red beans, cooked
• bean broth
• 3 cups of white rice, cooked
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• Cumin
• Salsa Lizano

Let’s get to work

To begin, put the pan on low heat with oil. Add onion and chopped pepper, and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add the beans and let boil well. Then add the bean broth and cumin, and let it heat. Add the rice, salt and Lizano sauce. Stir well. Finally add the chopped cilantro. Mix well and serve hot.

Once you have made your delicious gallo pinto (we know it will be great!), you can add more Lizano sauce for more flavor.

In case you didn’t know: Lizano sauce is made in Costa Rica and consists of a mixture of spices and vegetables. It is the favorite and almost mandatory companion to gallo pinto and the country’s other traditional dishes, such as the tamale.

This is the final part of the recipe, but is just as important as everything else. You can accompany your gallo pinto with such options as: Natilla (sour cream), sweet plantains, melted cheese, sausage, bacon, or eggs, depending on your tastes and preferences. Certainly any option you choose will be delicious 🙂

Do you have a different gallo pinto recipe? Tell us how you prepare it!