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Gallo Pinto, A Traditional Costa Rican Dish: A Recipe

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at IUP chapter.

There is a reason why there is a saying in Costa Rica that directly translates to “more Costa Rican than gallo pinto.” After all, gallo pinto is the most popular and traditional Costa Rican dish there is. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; it is a staple in the country’s culture. Since I grew up eating this dish, I thought what better recipe to share than one that represents my culture? And, for those who are not cooking fanatics (like myself), this recipe is relatively easy to follow. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. It can be served with fried plantains and eggs as well and should take roughly thirty minutes to prepare and cook.

Ingredients:

3 cups white rice, already cooked

2 cups canned black beans

~2 tablespoons olive oil

Cilantro (however much you would like for extra flavor)

Chopped onions (1 small onion will suffice)

~2 cloves minced garlic

Instructions:

  1. Fry onions and garlic in olive oil in a large pan until golden
  2. Add beans first, stirring to make even
  3. Add white rice after beans, continuing to stir in pan
  4. Add cilantro at the end for extra flavor

Serve with eggs for breakfast, along with fried or sweet plantains for a full, hearty meal!

Tatiana Cleffi is a writer for the Her Campus chapter at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP,) who enjoys writing about her personal experiences, particularly in regards to her Latin culture. She is a senior nursing student who is eager to graduate in December 2023. Tatiana is passionate about bridging the language gap in the healthcare setting. She studied medical Spanish abroad to become better equipped to provide nursing care to a diverse range of patients. In her free time, Tatiana enjoys visiting her husband in Costa Rica, going to the beach, singing on the worship team at her church, and eating pumpkin pie.