Gallo Pinto

The national dish of Costa Rica!! Try this classic rice and beans using Lizano sauce for an authentic flavor not found anywhere else in the world.

My husband and I traveled to Costa Rica a few months after we started our plant-based journey. And since we were staying at an all-inclusive resort and didn’t have a rental car, we were a little concerned that we wouldn’t have anything to eat. Crazy, I know.

To our delight, a plethora of freshly prepared and cooked vegetables and raw fruit were available at every meal. An array of breads, rice, and bean dishes were available as well. My favorites were the tropical fruits like mango and papaya. I simply couldn’t get enough of it – I think I was in food heaven.

It turns out, there’s a reason for this. Costa Rica is a blue zone state. A blue zone what? Okay, I admittedly didn’t know what a blue zone state was until after I transitioned to this lifestyle and did a bunch of research. Then, as I learned more, it made a whole lot of sense.

So real quick, Dan Buettner discovered what he calls blue zones – five geographic regions or countries around the globe where the longest living and healthiest centenarians live – Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California. And we just happened to vacation at one per chance right after starting our plant-based journey. How cool is that? (and we had no idea until after we left)

Essentially, Costa Rica and the other four places share nine lifestyle habits: they move naturally, have a sense of purpose, relieve stress, stop eating when they are 80% full, enjoy a mostly plant-based diet (eating meat only 3-4 times a month), typically drink one glass of wine every day, are faith-based, put their families first, and have social networks that support healthy behaviors.

Before we went on vacation to Costa Rica, we relied heavily on the Forks Over Knives menu plan, which I highly recommend, especially now that they released their meal plan app. But at the time, we were just learning and still trying to navigate how to eat meals without meat and eggs every day. Seriously, when we went to Costa Rica, a light bulb came on for me. Yes, it was a confirmation that plant-based living does support health and longevity; but I quickly realized that food could be a lot more fun than it had been those first few months.

Needless to say, there were plenty of non-meat dishes in Costa Rica and we enjoyed tasting all of them. Plus, every morning for breakfast, there was a delicious rice and beans dish that we both started looking forward to. So much so, that on the last day, we asked our server to tell us what that the amazing flavor was. He brought out a bottle of Lizano sauce – a special Costa Rican sauce that makes Gallo Pinto so awesome and delicious.

Gallo Pinto is the national dish of Costa Rica, and I’ve already told you exactly why – this dish is delicious. And the direct translation for Gallo Pinto is “spotted rooster”. How fun is that?

So, when I returned home, I researched recipes for authentic Gallo Pinto so that we can have it whenever we want. It may be perfect in the morning for breakfast, though we typically eat it for dinner. Why? Because it’s amazing and we already have breakfast favorites. We enjoy it whenever we want a taste of Costa Rica, which is often.

And it’s super easy to make. Gallo Pinto is comprised of four primary components: black beans, rice, vegetables, and seasonings. And since it’s often served at breakfast, it is usually made with leftover rice and leftover black beans. Combine the two with sautéed veggies and salsa Lizano, and you’ve got a quick and nutritious breakfast or dinner.

And honestly, if I’m planning properly, I do soak and cook the beans a day or two before (weekend prep) and make extra rice with another meal. That way, Gallo Pinto comes together quickly, the way it is made in Costa Rica. The times included in the recipe below include the soaking and cooking times. But please note, if the rice and beans are prepared in advance, it takes about 20 minutes to make – hence its popularity as a breakfast dish.

And as I mentioned already, the not-so-secret superstar in this dish is Lizano sauce or Salsa Lizano. It’s a Costa Rican classic sauce that gives this popular breakfast dish it’s authentic and incredible flavor. If you don’t have some in your pantry, you can buy it on Amazon, of course. Gallo pinto is the most beloved Costa Rican dish and is usually enjoyed for breakfast. If you can’t get Amazon where you live or prefer to make something similar, please see the Notes section below.

I hope you enjoy this Gallo Pinto dish as much as we do.  Please leave a comment below, rate it, and tag a picture #pebblesandtoast on Instagram! I’d love to see your results. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry black beans (about 4 ½ cups cooked/3 cans)
• 2 cups rice
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp minced ginger or puree 
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 3-4 Tbsp Lizano Sauce*
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• ¼ cup green onions
• 2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
• Salt to taste (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the black beans in water for 12 hours or overnight.
2. Drain and rinse well. Place in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker and cover with fresh water. Cook black beans in the Instant Pot on High Pressure for 7 minutes.  Release pressure naturally.  Remove the lid, drain and rinse the black beans in cool water.  Set aside.

1. Cook the rice according to the package directions. In the Instant Pot, combine 2 cups rice with 2 1/2 cups water. For white rice or light brown rice, cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes; if using regular brown rice, cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes.  Release pressure naturally.  Set aside.

1. Meanwhile, in a large pot, sauté the onions, peppers, ginger, and garlic.
2. Add in the cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Sauté 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

1. Add in the cooked rice, cooked beans, Lizano Sauce, lemon juice, green onions, and cilantro.  
2. Continue cooking on low heat for about 5 minutes, until heated through. 
3. Garnish with additional cilantro and green onions, if desired.

Notes

• * You can cook the beans and rice the day before to make this meal a quick weeknight dish.

• ** If you don’t have access to Lizano sauce, you can order it on Amazon.  Or for this recipe, you can use 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoon cumin, and 2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice.  

• This Gallo Pinto recipe serves 4 as an entrée or 8 as a side.