Make up this quick and easy authentic Gallo Pinto recipe in just 30 minutes! Lizano sauce coats black beans, rice, peppers and onions for a flavor explosion. Serve these Costa Rican rice and beans for a fabulous vegetarian dinner or a simple side dish.
Costa Rica is one of the most refreshing beach vacations you can take.
The people are out-of-this-world friendly, the beaches are tranquil, and the food is lick-your-plate-worthy.
Exhibit A: Gallo Pinto – the traditional dish of Costa Rica…. as well as a few other Central American countries such as Nicaragua!
What is seriously such a simple dish of black beans and rice comes alive when it is tossed in a slightly sweet, but kinda spicy hot sauce, called Lizano, along with a few other spices.
While some cultural dishes can seem a bit too complex to whip up for a cooking newbie, this easy gallo pinto recipe is a great place to start.
You cannot really mess it up and it comes together in under 30 minutes when you’re in a time-crunch on busy weeknights!
What is Gallo Pinto?
Gallo Pinto is an authentic Costa Rican dish that is served across the country and consists of cooked rice, beans, a few seasonings, and Lizano sauce.
In Spanish gallo pinto means “spotted rooster” and represents the speckled appearance the beans give the rice.
Pinto beans were originally used to make this dish, however, black beans are now often found the ingredient of choice.
Ingredients
The ingredients needed to make an authentic gallo pinto are relatively easy to find and consist of the following:
- Cooked Rice. Day-old rice cooked on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot is best as it does not have quite as much moisture as freshly cooked. Brown or white rice can be used, but white is the traditional ingredient.
- Beans. While pinto beans were commonly used, black beans have become the new staple and are what are used in this recipe. Use canned beans to keep it simple, just make sure to rinse and drain before cooking!
- Lizano Sauce. The star of the show when it comes to where this dish gets it flavor. You can leave it out, but it won’t have the same traditional taste.
- Onion. A sweet onion is best in this recipe, but a red or white onion can also be substituted.
- Red Bell Pepper. You can also use a green bell pepper, but the red does give the dish a subtle sweetness and a brilliant color.
- Spices. Cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper help boost the flavor profile.
- Cilantro. This is optional but brings a bite of freshness.
How to Make
Here are the simple steps for cooking this authentic gallo pinto recipe at home:
- Sauté diced onion and bell pepper for 5-7 minutes then add crushed garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Dice the onion and bell pepper into small pieces so every bite has some in there.
- Add rice, beans, and seasoning ingredients to the skillet.
Don’t forget to rinse and drain the beans first.
- Pour Lizano sauce over ingredients.
Stir well until combined.
- Cook for 5-10 minutes, uncovered, over low heat.
You’ll know it’s done when the rice has absorbed most of the sauce.
Where to Buy Lizano Sauce?
When we went on our last vacation to Costa Rica my sister-in-law requested we pick up a bottle of Lizano Sauce for her. I thought it would be rather difficult to locate this unfamiliar hot sauce, but boy was I wrong!
Not only was it in EVERY single grocery store, or market, across the country, but I found out it is also available online through Amazon!
Being that my luggage was already extremely close to the 50-pound maximum, I brought back an authentic Costa Rican bottle for my sis’ and then bought a 3-pack of it to be delivered when I got home.
So needless to say, you do NOT need to take a trip to Costa Rica to purchase Lizano sauce. However, if you want a good place to vacation, it might be JUST the extra push you need to get down there!
Don’t have Lizano? You can always try out this other rice and beans recipe.
Meal Prep and Storage
- To Prep-Ahead: Cook the rice, and chop the bell peppers and onions in advance. Store separately until ready to cook.
- To Store: Gallo pinto stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: It also freezes well if placed in a freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
- To Reheat: You can either warm it up in the microwave or add it back to a skillet with a bit of oil. Cook on medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly, or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you do not need to cook the rice a day ahead of time. To get the best texture I would recommend cooking and at least letting it cool to room temperature before adding it to the skillet.
Absolutely! The original recipe was made with pinto beans. You can try pinto, red, or even kidney beans and see what you think!
As mentioned previously, Lizano sauce gives this authentic dish a large majority of the traditional flavor we all know and love. However, if you are unable to order it on Amazon, you can always follow this recipe to make homemade Lizano sauce.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Day old is best. If the rice is cooked the day before it has less moisture which is ideal for this recipe.
- Look for Lizano. This adds the authentic flavor to the dish. So worth it!
- Rinse it good. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans.
- Double the batch. Make extra and freeze for later for an easy dinner!
- Dice them small. Cut the peppers and onions in tiny pieces so you get some in every bite!
What to Serve with Gallo Pinto
This dish can be eaten on its own, or served with these other Central American classic dishes and drinks:
Or topped with a fried egg for breakfast!
Gallo Pinto Recipe | Costa Rican Rice and Beans
Make up this quick and easy authentic Gallo Pinto recipe in just 30 minutes! Serve these Costa Rican rice and beans for a fabulous vegetarian dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked rice brown or white*
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 sweet onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- ⅓ cup Lizano salsa
- ½ tsp. cumin
- ¼ tsp. paprika
- ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp. salt to taste
- 15- oz. can black beans drained
Instructions
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In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, bell peppers, and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are tender.
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Add crushed garlic and continue sautéing for 1 minute.
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Whisk together cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
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Add rice, beans, and seasoning ingredients to the skillet. Stir to combine.
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Pour Lizano salsa over rice and stir well. Cook for 5-10 minutes, uncovered, over low heat, or until rice absorbs the sauce.
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Serve gallo pinto with cilantro and additional Lizano salsa, if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Three cups cooked rice is roughly 1 cup uncooked rice. Day old rice is preferable.
- Estimated time does not take into account the time it takes to cook the rice.
- To Store: Gallo pinto stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: It also freezes well if placed in a freezer-safe container for up to 4-6 months.
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Betty H says
I made this recipe for the first time, and let me tell you, it came out yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I like making new recipes and being hispanic, I love to embrace diverse cultures since I have such a mix of ethnicities.
London Brazil says
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Betty! It’s wonderful to try new recipes from different cultures. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Melyssa Braman says
I’m in love with this recipe- it’s sheer perfection! <3
However, that nutritional info in concerning, and confusing. Is that for the whole dish? it's 50% daily sodium so that doesn't seem right.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
London Brazil says
The Lizano sauce used has quite a bit of sodium in it, so yes – that amount is per serving. If you’d like, you can reduce the amount in half to scale back on the sodium used. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
RCMS says
I finally bought Salsa Lizano and made this recipe. Pura vida! The taste sends me back to my happy place – Manuel Antonio. Thank you so, so much. I served it alongside some sliced avocado and queso fresca. Tomorrow morning, I’ll add some softly scrambled eggs and reprise the entire dish – I might cry from the sheer perfection of the meal, stateside, all these years later. Thank you thank you thank you.
London Brazil says
Salsa Lizano is the KEY to making this dish!! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
Mike says
Pretty close to what I remember when I lived in Costa Rica, thanks! I always added a runny fried egg and some sour cream with a side of French bread for my desayuno típico. Riquísimo!
London Brazil says
Oh the egg makes the perfect breakfast dish! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, Mike!
Taurus says
Loved this recipe! The Lizano Salsa has a really awesome flavor profile that I have not really had before. It really does bring everything together as stated. The pico on top was a nice addition as well. Will make again!
London Brazil says
Yay, Taurus! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. Isn’t Lizano Salsa so unique?! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating! 🙂
Mike Rossi says
When do the beans go in? They’re not listed in the steps. Thx!
London says
They go in when you add the rice and seasoning ingredients! Sorry for the confusion – just updated the recipe to reflect this 🙂