Costa Rican Comfort Foods

Costa Rican cuisine is hearty, savory and typically very healthy. While it is not usually spicy like Mexican cuisine, it is always packed full of flavor. Costa Rica is abundant in fresh fruit and vegetables, no matter what the season you can always find fresh produce. Most dishes are kept relatively simple, consisting of beans, rice, seafood, and meat.

Anyone who has traveled to Costa Rica will tell you how amazing it is. The gorgeous landscapes, fun excursions, white sand beaches, and luscious jungles make for a dream vacation! And no vacation is complete without experiencing the local cuisine.

One dish that you are sure to come across while in Costa Rica is the famous Casado which means married and it refers to the different parts of the meal coming together to form a beautiful dish.

Coffee is another major staple in Costa Rica. Grown in the Central Valley for the last two hundred years, coffee is more than a staple crop, it’s a part of Costa Rica’s history.

Whatever your tastes are, you will find something to fall in love with when it comes to Costa Rican cuisine. If you are missing traveling to this stunning destination, here are some great Costa Rican comfort foods to cook at home.

Breakfast- Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is the national dish of Costa Rica, consisting of beans and rice. Sometimes it is topped with scrambled eggs and Salsa Lizano. You can also add tortillas, onions, cilantro, tomatoes, avocado,  meat, and peppers. Gallo Pinto is simple, typically vegan and very healthy. Costa Rica is the birthplace of Gallo Pinto but other nearby places like Nicaragua have their own versions.

Most locals eat Gallo Pinto for breakfast, but it is delicious all day long. This easy recipe can be used as a main course or a side dish. Here is an easy recipe to make at home that the whole family will enjoy.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups of  white short-grain rice
• 1 cup black beans
• 1/2 cups of Salsa Lizano
• 1/3 a red pepper
• 1/3 an onion
• 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic
• 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro

Directions

Step 1: Soak and cook the beans if they are not premade

Step 2: Cook the Rice

Step 3: Sauté the onions, pepper, garlic

Step 4: Add the cooked beans and the Salsa Lizano

Step 5: Simmer over medium heat for about five minutes

Step 6: Add the rice

Step 7: Simmer on low for about twenty minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice

Step 8: Add any garnishes you may like

Step 9: Enjoy

Looking for a more challenging recipe? Click here: https://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/food/gallo-pinto-recipe-costa-rica/

Lunch- Patacones

Patacones are basically fried plantains and are served as a side dish with most meals in Costa Rica, But they can be a delicious snack on their own. Plantains can be found in most grocery stores, they look similar to bananas but are much thicker and fibrous. Depending on where travel,  they can have different names, in Cuba, these savory snacks are known as tacones. These are wonderful served with beans, salsas, crema, or ceviche. 

Ingredients

• 2 green plantains
• 1 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 pinch salt, to taste

Directions

Step 1: Peel plantains and slice into two inch rounds.

Step 2: Heat oil until it is bubbling .

Step 3: Place plantains into hot oil carefully and let cook for about one-two minutes on each side. They should be a nice golden brown color

Step 4: Carefully remove the Patacones from the oil, laying them on paper towels or something to absorb the liquid.  Let them cool for a few minutes.

Step 5: Smash the Patacones. If you own a wooden tortilla press then this is the perfect tool. However, this could be done with a meat hammer as well.

Step 6: Add the smashed Patacones back to the oil for half a minute on each side to crisp them up.

Step 7: Carefully remove and let the oil drain on a paper towel, you might want to press on them slightly.

Step 8: Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Check out the recipe here: https://www.food.com/recipe/patacones-ticos-costa-rican-fried-plantains-187281

Dinner- Sopa Negra

Sopa Negra or Black Bean Soup is a staple in Costa Rica. This dish is so popular that almost any Latin American country has its own version. It is so healthy and packed with flavor. Authentic Sopa Negra is always served with hard-boiled eggs, which are cooked in the soup itself and then removed and peeled before eating. This is optional, as is the meat if you are looking for a vegetarian option. Try adding some avocado, pico de gallo or cream on top. This is a wonderful Costa Rican comfort food to make at home!

Ingredients

• 2 Garlic cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1/2 package of bacon
• 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
• 1000g Black beans (in water)
• 1 Chicken Stock Cube
• 1/2 white onion
• Additional garnishes

Directions

Step 1: Saute onions until tender and add crushed garlic and bacon, cook for around 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add 1/2 beans (do not drain), vinegar, chilli flakes, chicken stock and Bay leaves.

Step 3: Smash the ingredients with a potato masher

Step 4: Add the rest of the beans and simmer for 6-7 minutes

Step 5: Optional: Add the egg to be hard boiled into the soup

Step 6: Finish with desired toppings

Step 7: Enjoy

Click here for a more advanced recipe: https://www.internationalcuisine.com/costa-rica-sopa-negra/

Costa Rica is such a rich country with a rich cuisine to match. A great way to beat the travel blues is to make your favorite exotic dishes at home. They can bring you back to that magical trip you took to Costa Rica and all the great memories that went along with it!

Did you miss last week’s blog? Click here: https://www.therealdealtours.com/blog/blog/make-your-favorite-mexican-dishes-at-home/