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!
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.
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 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.
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!
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.
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).
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.
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!
Gallo Pinto (Costa Rican Beans and Rice)
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
- 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.
- 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).
Jenny Wilson says
Just got back from CR and Nicaragua and had a fierce craving. I cooked my beans down with aromatics, which I think really adds a lot to the dish. I had Lizano on hand, so that element was no issue. Served it up with fried plantains, home made corn tortillas, chopped fruit and queso fresco as well as scrambled eggs and a sprinkle of cilantro and scallions. Felt like I was back in Central America.
Maria k says
Hi Amanda I’m from Costa Rica and I loved your post, what a beautiful way to describe our food, county and people.
Thank you.
Magdaline Jackson says
Thank you for the recipe in making your own Lizano sauce. I usually make my own barbecue sauce when I run out it and my husband seems to like it better than store bought. I am definitely going to try this bean & rice dish as my doctor had put me on a Mediterranean diet. Magdaline
Connie says
I lived in Tamarindo, Costa Rica for 8 years. What I miss most is the Lizano sauce; I could eat ANYTHING with Lizano on it! My grocery doesn’t carry it, so I found the best deal on Amazon. You can make a facsimile with Worcestershire sauce, catsup, a few drops of hot sauce, and cumin! I do like to augment my gallo pinto with shrimp, chicken, or any meat cooked and chopped. Adding veggies is a great idea if you’re not having salad or a veggie dish on the side.
Helen Greer says
My husband and I visited Costa Rica recently and I chose this recipe for my first attempt at pinto. Neither of us are a fan of the beans . I did everything else as directed, stir fried some shrimp and voila … delicious !!! Thamk you so much for sharing . This recipe is a keeper 😊 Maybe next time we’ll add the beans 👍
Mandy says
I made this for dinner and added some shrimp. Wow! This is a keeper for sure!
Steph McClernan says
I’ve been making this dish for years ever since a friend brought back a bottle of Lizano from Costa Rica. I decided to make a one-dish dinner tonight based upon your recipe. Alas, I’ve no more Lizano, so I substituted Worcestershire, red wine vinegar, cumin, tsp of chicken bouillon, and a couple of tiny shakes of Cayenne Pepper. I also added in a few stalks of celery to the vegetable saute and a pound of ground beef. My best critic, hubby of 37 years, gave it a 9.5!
Peter Devlin says
made this yesterday. added some grated carrots but followed the rest. my wife and I are in the fold.
Jeannie says
Really, really good….
Elle Hayes says
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.