Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is the Costa Rican national dish. It is eaten almost every day for breakfast, accompanied by fried eggs, plantains, fried cheese, avocado, and corn tortillas. To get the traditional taste, the most important ingredient in this dish is salsa lizano. Salsa lizano is a vegetable based condiment, used almost similar to Worcestershire sauce. It adds a salty, peppery, cumin taste to the rice and beans. You can find salsa lizano at any Latin market.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: Costa Rican
Keyword: breakfast, Costa Rican, main course, rice
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup salsa lizano plus 1 tbsp
  • 1 can black beans with juices
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups day old white rice
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Heat up cooking oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add in the onions and bell pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes.
    Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
  • Add in the garlic. Sauté for 1 more minute.
    Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
  • Stir in the black beans with it’s juices, salsa lizano, and salt. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
    Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
  • Add in the day old rice. Mix thoroughly with the beans, breaking up any rice clumps. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the liquid is absorbed by the rice.
    Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
  • Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 tbp of salsa lizano and the chopped cilantro.
    Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
Serve with fried eggs. Other great sides to this are fried plantains, fried cheese, avocado, and corn tortillas.
Costa Rican, main course, breakfast, rice
Salsa Lizano; a staple condiment in Costa Rican cuisine.