Costa Rica

The traditional Costa Rican dish Casado, served with rice, beans, plantain, and stewed meat.

Sterling Lanier

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Fresh, Mild, and Pura Vida – Discover the Cuisine of Costa Rica

Costa Rican cuisine, often referred to as Comida Típica, is healthy, fresh, and only mildly seasoned – unlike many neighbors, it avoids extreme spiciness. It reflects the Pura Vida (pure life) philosophy through the use of fresh local ingredients.

National and Most Famous Dishes

  • Gallo Pinto: The national breakfast dish. This is rice and beans mixed together and flavored with Salsa Lizano sauce, garlic, onion, and cilantro.
  • Casado: The traditional daily lunch, literally meaning “married man.” It is a rectangular plate that always contains white rice and beans, a slice of fried sweet plantain, a salad, and one type of protein (beef, chicken, pork, or fish).
  • Patacones: Twice-fried and flattened slices of green plantain, served as a side or snack with salt, avocado, or bean paste.
  • Sopa Negra: A hearty black bean soup, often served with a hard-boiled egg and rice.
  • Arroz con Pollo/Camarones: Rice mixed with pieces of chicken or shrimp, often colored and flavored with annatto.
  • Chifrijo: A popular bar snack. Layers of fried pork pieces (chicharrón), rice, black beans, and pico de gallo, served with tortilla chips.

Key Ingredients and Spices

  • Salsa Lizano: The key, slightly sweet and savory, but non-spicy sauce, which is iconic to Costa Rica and used to flavor Gallo Pinto and stews.
  • Achiote (Annatto): Used to impart a deep yellow-orange color to rice and meat.
  • Cilantro: A fundamental herb added to most dishes.
  • Plantain: Popular throughout the country, served in both sweet (ripe, fried) and savory (green, patacones) forms.
A rich plate of Arroz con Pollo with orange-colored rice with shredded chicken, peas, and carrots.

Main Course

Costa Rica

Arroz con Pollo Costarricense (Rice with Chicken)

 A complete Casado plate with beef in sauce, rice, black beans, fried plátanos maduros, vegetable salad, and a tortilla.

Main Course

Costa Rica

Casado Costarricense (Complete Lunch Plate)

 Fresh Costa Rican Ceviche made from white fish and vegetables in a lime marinade, served in a bowl and garnished with cilantro.

Side Dishes

Costa Rica

Ceviche de Pescado Costarricense (Costa Rican Fish Ceviche)

 A bowl of Chifrijo with layers of rice, beans, chicharrón, and Pico de Gallo, served with tortilla chips.

Main Course

Costa Rica

Chifrijo Costarricense (Fried Pork with Rice and Beans)

 Golden-brown, crispy, fried Empanadas made from corn dough, served with a bowl of sour cream and chopped cilantro.

Side Dishes

Costa Rica

Empanadas de Queso y Frijoles (Costa Rican Empanadas with Cheese and Beans)

 A serving of Gallo Pinto, rice with black beans, generously sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

Side Dishes

Costa Rica

Gallo Pinto Costarricense (Costa Rican Spotted Rooster)

 A rich bowl of Olla de Carne with pieces of beef, yuca, corn, and green plantains, garnished with cilantro.

Main Course

Costa Rica

Olla de Carne Costarricense (Beef Stew with Vegetables)

 A pile of crispy golden-brown Patacones (twice-fried plantains), served with a bowl of guacamole and refried beans.

Side Dishes

Costa Rica

Patacones Ticos (Twice-Fried Green Plantains)

 Thick black bean soup Sopa Negra with slices of hard-boiled egg, avocado, and fresh cilantro on top.

Side Dishes

Costa Rica

Sopa Negra Costarricense (Black Bean Soup)

 A bundle of two wrapped Costa Rican Tamales in a banana leaf, tied with string, placed on a bamboo mat.

Main Course

Costa Rica

Tamales Costarricenses (Costa Rican Christmas Tamales)