Wake up to the taste of Costa Rica's national dish — Gallo Pinto, affectionately known as "Spotted Rooster"!
This traditional Costa Rican breakfast features day-old rice and black beans sautéed with a fragrant onion, red bell pepper, and cilantro sofrito — then finished with the essential Costa Rican condiment, Salsa Lizano, for that authentic savory flavor found on tables across the country!
Pura Vida!
One of my favorite trips was to Costa Rica, the land of Pura Vida. I loved the beaches, cloud forests, animals and people of this beautiful Central American country. It also goes without saying that I went crazy for their delicious food!
If you have visited this amazing country, you will be familiar with Gallo Pinto, also known as "spotted rooster." Gallo Pinto is considered a national dish of Costa Rica, like Belizean Rice and Beans is to Belize.
You will be treated to this incredible dish of Costa Rican cuisine at most breakfasts in Costa Rica, which is a great way to start the day!
Here I am delighted to share with you a Traditional Gallo Pinto Costa Rican Breakfast Recipe which you will absolutely love!
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🥘 Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make "Spotted Rooster":
- Olive oil - I love Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cook with!
- Black beans - you can use canned beans, however using beans you have cooked yourself can't be beat! Be sure to save your bean broth!
- Bean broth - reserved from your cooked black beans, or from canned
- Cooked white rice -you will need to use day old cooked white rice (this recipe is a great way to use up leftover rice!)
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Cilantro - use both the stems and the leaves (no waste!)
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Salsa Lizano - it's not possible to make Gallo Pinto without Lizano! This essential Costa Rican condiment is a mixture of vegetables and spices that enhances the flavor of so many different foods, especially this dish!
🔪 Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and red bell pepper. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes and cook until the onion is translucent.
Then add the cilantro and cook, stirring all the while, for about one minute.
You've just made a sofrito!
Now add the rice, and use your spoon or spatula to break up any clumps of rice. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Lower the heat just a bit, then add the bean broth (or water), salt and pepper, cooked black beans, and 1 tablespoon of Lizano.
Stir to combine all of the ingredients and heat through for about 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed and heated through.
Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you desire.
Your glorious Costa Rican rice dish is ready to serve!
Suggestions For Serving
Enjoy this traditional breakfast just as Costa Rican people do, with some gallo pinto and a fried egg and some delicious fresh fruits like mango or pineapple.
Be sure to have your Salsa Lizano ready to drizzle over your rice and beans!
You could also add a dollop of sour cream and some white cheese like crumbly queso fresco to your perfect breakfast dish.
Or enjoy as a side any time of day with some grilled chicken or fish!
FAQ
Salsa Lizano is the quintessential Costa Rican condiment. You'll find it on almost any table, used to season gallo pinto as well as all sorts of other foods. It contains vegetables and spices, tastes savory, but is not hot.
You need to use day old leftover rice to make this rice and beans dish from Costa Rica. Freshly cooked rice used to make "spotted rooster" will turn out mushy, so be sure to use rice cooked the day (or days) before.
Some Other Recipes From Central America That You Will Enjoy!
You'll want to try these other Central American recipes from the country of Belize:
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Cheers!
Grace
Traditional Gallo Pinto Costa Rican Breakfast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large frying pan
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cups black beans cooked (best if you use beans you have cooked yourself from dried black beans); you can sub 2x 15oz cans of drained black beans (but reserve ¼ cup of the liquid from the cans)
- ¼ cup bean broth use bean broth reserved after cooking your dried black beans, or bean broth from the canned beans (can sub water)
- 3 cups cooked rice you will need to use day old/leftover rice
- 1 cup onion finely chopped (1 small onion)
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced (1 small red bell pepper)
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped (use both the stems and the leaves)
- 1 ts salt
- ¼ ts black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Salsa Lizano plus extra to pour over your Gallo Pinto
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and red bell pepper. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes and cook until the onion is translucent. Then add the cilantro and cook, stirring all the while, for about one minute. You've just made the sofrito!
- Now add the rice, and use your spoon or spatula to break up any clumps of rice. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Lower the heat just a bit, then add the bean broth (or water), salt and pepper, cooked black beans, and 1 tablespoon of Lizano.
- Stir to combine all of the ingredients and heat through for about 1-2 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed and heated through. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you desire and plenty of Salsa Lizano drizzled over your gallo pinto!
