Striped Spatula

recipes with great taste

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Beans and Rice)

58 Comments

Jump to Recipe     Print Recipe

Email
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Yum

Traditionally served with breakfast alongside fried or scrambled eggs, Gallo Pinto is a hearty and delicious traditional Costa Rican dish. It’s a cinch to prepare, too!

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Beans and Rice)

I’ve always been interested in exploring international cuisine.

In addition to my trusty Time-Life Foods of the World cookbook series (which, I know I’ve gushed about before; it’s a vintage collection at this point, but if you have an opportunity to get your hands on a set, I highly recommend!), I’m also lucky to have friends from a variety of cultural heritages.

black beans in bowl

Most recently, a few of my friends whose families hail from Costa Rica offered to teach me how to prepare some of their favorite traditional dishes, which, in turn, I’m able to share with you (score!).

A few weeks ago, I learned to make Gallo Pinto, Costa Rican Rice and Beans. One bite, and it’s safe to say that I have a new favorite rice dish in my recipe collection. I couldn’t put my fork down!

gallo pinto ingredients

Gallo Pinto means, quite literally, “Spotted Rooster” in Spanish, characterizing the speckled appearance of the dark beans against the white rice.

It’s typically served as a part of a hearty breakfast, alongside fried or scrambled eggs, with accompaniments such as sour cream (“natilla” in Costa Rica, which is thinner than the American variety), a crispy slice of fried white cheese (“queso frito”), plantains, sliced avocado, a corn tortilla, and a strong cup of coffee.

newsletter subscription seasonal cooking ebook

I loved the contrast of the egg’s crispy edges and velvety yolk against the creamy, lightly-spiced rice and beans.

Plus, it’s easy to make, especially if you prep the rice and beans ahead of time. (In fact, day-old rice is preferred, as the refrigerated grains are easier to separate and combine with the beans and sauce.) What a way to start the day!

adding the rice to gallo pinto pan

While Costa Rican cuisine is full of robust, fresh flavors, the heat level (at least, in the dishes I’ve tasted) tends to be mild. If there’s one thing we’ve established on this blog it’s that I’m a total lightweight when it comes to “hot” spices, so I’m pretty much in love!

The primary seasoning in traditional Gallo Pinto is Salsa Lizano, a vegetable-based condiment used widely throughout Costa Rica. The sauce is thin-textured and easily pourable, with a golden, tan color. Tasted on its own, it’s fairly salty, with a warm, round flavor of cumin and a bit of pepper.

Adding the cilantro to gallo pinto

Many recipes suggest using Worcestershire Sauce as an alternative if Salsa Lizano is unavailable.  I can see the parallel, but Worcestershire most definitely lacks the smokiness of Lizano. If making the substitution, I would add a bit of cumin to the rice for a more traditional flavor (more on this in the recipe notes below).

gallo pinto in wooden bowl

I haven’t visited Costa Rica myself (yet!), but from what I’ve heard and read, it is an absolutely gorgeous country. The landscape is diverse (think: incredible beaches, majestic mountains, cloud forests, volcanoes), the culture rich, and, judging by my friends, the people some of the warmest in the world.

gallo pinto on plate with fried eggs

The Costa Rican people live by the mantra of “Pura Vida,” meaning “Pure Life.”  It means living peacefully, positively, and in the moment, with happiness and gratitude for the good things in your life. Pura Vida reflects a profound appreciation for the simple beauty of life itself and the people in it. What a wonderful way to live.

I wish you all “Pura Vida,” including a delicious bowl of Gallo Pinto!

ebook newsletter promotion

costa rican gallo pinto recipe
Print

Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Beans and Rice)

Traditionally served with breakfast alongside fried or scrambled eggs, Gallo Pinto is a hearty and delicious traditional Costa Rican dish. It’s a cinch to prepare, too!
Course: Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: Costa Rican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Calories: 165 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons light-tasting oil (vegetable, mild olive, canola)
  • 1 red bell pepper , chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion , chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 cups cooked black beans , in 3/4 cup reserved cooking liquid*
  • 1/4 cup Salsa Lizano **
  • 3 cups cooked rice , preferably, day-old and refrigerated
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sauté chopped bell pepper and onions until peppers are soft and onions are translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

  2. Add black beans, reserved cooking liquid, and Salsa Lizano, stirring to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened and little bit of the liquid is evaporated. Gently stir in cooked rice and cook until heated through and most of the liquid is absorbed, but not dry, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Season to taste with additional Salsa Lizano (we added about a tablespoon extra).

Recipe Notes

*Low-sodium canned beans in their liquid can be subsititued here if time is of the essence. But, if you do have the time to soak and cook beans from dried, the flavor and texture will be a big reward!

To cook beans from dry: Place 1 pound sorted, rinsed black beans in a large bowl and add enough cool water to cover by 1-2 inches. Soak overnight, 8-12 hours.

Drain beans, transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with fresh, cool water by 1-2 inches. Add 1-2 bay leaves, a handful of cilantro, and a few garlic cloves, if desired.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until beans are tender throughout. This will take 1-2 hours, depending on size and age of beans.

Add a few pinches of salt to the water when beans are just starting to get tender (adding salt too soon will add to the cooking time). Cool and store beans in their cooking liquid, discarding any aromatics you've added.

**Salsa Lizano is essential to this dish. It's available in some Latin markets, much to my pleasant surprise, in the International aisle at my local grocery store, and can be ordered online.

If you're absolutely unable to locate Salsa Lizano, you can make this recipe with Worcestershire Sauce, but the flavor will not be traditional. If using Worcestershire Sauce, add ground cumin to the rice to bring some of the smokiness of the Lizano to the dish (start with 1/2 teaspoon and increase, to taste, from there).

Have you made this recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below! Don’t forget to take a picture and tag @stripedspatula and #stripedspatula on Instagram for a chance to be featured in my newsletter!
Email
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share
Yum

Reader Interactions

Comments

  6. I fell in love with Costa Rica on my first visit there in 2005 and have been there many times since then. Gallo Pinto is one of my favorite dishes and now I’m so glad you shared the recipe so I can make it at home and pretend I’m back living the Pura Vida life until I can get back to Costa Rica. I hope you get there soon too. It truly is a beautiful country.

    Reply

  7. That entire pan looks like my kind of comfort food. You have some gorgeous photography here and I want to dive right into the pan and eat! :) Thanks again for trying to comment on my post. :) ~ Ramona

    Reply

  8. Greetings from a native Costa Rican, it is not often I see good recipe from Costa Rica, thank you for sharing one of my countries (and mine!) most beloved foods X

    Reply

  9. I’m intrigue by Salsa Lisano and keen to try it. In the West Indies we have a traditional rice and peas dish too, and I look forward to trying this as it looks delicious.

    Reply

      • Ohh it’s so delicious! I couldn’t resist bringing several bottles of it home when I visited in 2009. Such a wonderful place! I sure did not want to leave.

        Reply

  11. What a great looking dish! I love the way that so many Spanish-style flavors are so well complimented with lime :) Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply

  14. So today I made the Gallo Pinto exact to this recipe and it is what you get here in Costa Rica. Now I can offer it to my guests. Thank you

    Reply

  16. I am from Nicaragua and I always thought Gallo pinto was just a dish from Nicaragua. Learned something new today. This is delish.

    Reply

  17. I used your advice and I substituted the salsa lizano with Worcestershire and cumin and the result was awesome!! Now, I have never had the original costa rican dish but the rice that I made with the substitution was very tasty and very easy to make. I cooked fresh rice along with the rest of the ingredients and used chicken stock for the liquid; came out very tasty. Thank you

    Reply

    • Hi Katie,
      Thanks for visiting! I’ve only made Gallo Pinto fresh, but I do know that rice and cooked beans are both freezable on their own. I’m not sure if freezing the whole dish, cooked with the sauce, will change the texture when it’s defrosted and reheated. If you do try freezing it, I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      Reply

  19. I’ve lived in Costa Rica for about 9 years and this is my favourite dish. Have never tried to make it before, but this is as good as you can get anywhere here! Thank you, it’s really authentic.

    If only you had a recipe for arroz con pollo… That’s my next experiment, as this one was so successful.

    Reply

  20. Gallo pinto was my last breakfast before I left Costa Rica last week and my host said that it was the Salsa Lizano that made the taste AND the color! I, too, have seen recipes that substitute Worcestershire for the Lizano but I can’t imagine doing that! We’ve had Lizano in our house since my wife visited CR 10 or more years ago, and we especially like it on eggs. I’m very happy that now I have another use for it! Thank you for the recipe — I’ll be trying it out very soon. …

    Reply

  22. Just got back from Costa Rica last week and we were craving Gallo Pinto. We made this recipe this evening however we used the fast no-soak black bean recipe found on http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/09/the-lazy-cooks-black-beans-easy-recipe.html. This recipe came out amazing and wouldn’t be the same without the Salsa Lizano. Highly recommended and satisfied our craving! Now if only we could get the Costa Rican sunsets back we would be in paradise!

    Reply

  23. My husbands from costa rica and he makes a wonderful rice.
    1/2head of garic,onion,bell,peppers,celery,cilantro, chop ,saute, all together for 3min.add 2c. rice.salt.then cook. You can add as much veggies As you want except for garlic.
    This rice is wonderful alone or add beef sausage while rice cooks and its even better.
    Try this…youll love it.

    Reply

  25. Hi! I have a Spanish project to make and bring Costa Rican breakfast and we’re making this as one of the dishes. Do you have any suggestions for other breakfast foods and drinks we could try?

    Reply

  28. You, USA citizens, are all welcome in Costa Rica. The greenest and happiest land on earth. We are ‘PURA VIDA’

    Reply

  29. My family is from Costa Rica and this is the closest recipe I have come across to the Gallo Pinto I know and love. While this recipe is delicious, I prefer it with less cooking liquid (if the rice gets too much liquid, it can get a bit mushy). I used 1/4c less than the recipe calls for and thought it was perfect –
    especially if you actually use Salsa Lizano. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  32. Amanda, i visited Costa Rica a number of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the Gallo Pinto with my scrambled eggs for breakfast. I happened upon this recipe a few months ago and have made it a number of times using dried beans and brown rice with Salsa Lizano and thoroughly enjoy it ( I live in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and found the Salsa Lizano at Argyll Foods, 9844-63 Ave) .
    Thank you and Pura Vida to all

    Reply

  33. What a great find! Thanks so much for the recipe – I’m in love with Gallo Pinto (and my husband doesn’t even mind, he loves it, too!)

    Reply

  34. Going to give this a go. Just came back from Costa Rica and now kicking myself for not buying Salsa Lizano as it’s virtually impossible to buy at a sensible price in the UK. But hey, Pura Vida!

    Reply

  35. I lived in Costa Rica for a total of 9 years went to school ( General Tomas Guardia) in Puerto Limon, and this Gallo Pinto is one of my favorite Costa Rican dishes the only way hong I add is Chile Pañameno ( Scottish bonnet pepper)

    Reply

  36. Just got back from Costa Rica the rice and beans there were amazing. We made sure to bring salsa linzano home with us it’s so yummy! Really flavorful. Thanks for posting this.

    Reply

  37. Amanda,

    I lived in Costa Rica three different times. The longest was for one year. You have nailed this recipe! I wouldn’t change anything. I agree with the others about Salsa Lizano. This is something I still crave because it reminds me of my times there. Thank you for sharing. Pura vida!

    Jeanine

    Reply

  38. I love this recipe. Vacationed in Costa Rica recently and had everyday for breakfast. I brought home Salsa Lozano. Thank you for recipe.

    Reply

  39. This was easy to make. I sub’d A1 sauce with some cumin. No complaints from the table, but it doesn’t taste quite like what I had in CR. I’m sorry now that I didn’t get a small bottle of Lozano at the airport in SJO as I was coming home. The gallo pinto in CR has a subtler taste. A1 is a bit on the sweet side.

    Reply

  40. I have been missing Costa Rica and just got a large bottle is Lizano Salsa from Amazon. I cant wait to make this for my family so they can have a taste of the most beautiful place on earth.

    Reply

  41. Ive been looking for a pinto y gallo recipe for my Instant Pot but could not find one with an authentic flavor. I house sat all over Costa Rica for months every year-we planned on retiring there but it didn’t work out. Now I know I I was always missing the Salsa Lizano

    After 6 months of IP experience I decided I could wing it. I cooked a dried mix of black and kidney beans and rice in the IP then added it to the peppers onions and garlic that I sautéed on the stove. Next time I’m doing it all in the IP,

    No problem missing the Salsa Lizano as there are online recipes and though I didn’t have all the ingredients I did discover an onion chopped, half a bag of bag of coleslaw, 3 poblano peppers off my pepper plants a couple dried peppers and surprisingly enough half a bottle of martini onions and the juice gave the slight pickled taste I remember. I put 2 pints of the salsa into the IP and processed them for keeping -I do love the Instant Pot!

    As I was cooking the Salsa Lizano down my grand daughter who had visited me several times in Costa Rica came into my apartment sniffing. “It smells like Costa Rica in here”.

    I took pictures but don’t do instantgram and couldn’t figure out how to post them to your comments section.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Email
Share
Tweet
Pin
Share