Chop the vegetables Finely chop the onion, the red bell pepper and the cilantro, and mince the garlic, keeping the cilantro separate.
02
Soften onion and pepper Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion and red pepper and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly golden.
03
Add the garlic Stir in the garlic and cook until it smells fragrant.
04
Simmer the beans Add the black beans, their cooking liquid and the Salsa Lizano, then let it bubble gently until the liquid reduces by about half and turns dark and glossy.
05
Fry the rice Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps, and fold it gently through the beans until every grain is stained, then keep frying, folding every minute or so, until the rice is hot and the liquid is absorbed.
06
Finish with cilantro Taste and add salt if it needs it, stir in the chopped cilantro, then take the pan off the heat and let it sit.
07
Serve Serve the gallo pinto hot with fried or scrambled eggs, sour cream, sweet plantain or corn tortillas, and put the bottle of Salsa Lizano on the table.
Day-old white rice fried with black beans, onion, sweet pepper, cilantro and Salsa Lizano. It is the everyday Costa Rican breakfast, usually served with eggs, sour cream, fried plantain or tortillas, and it also appears as a side at lunch and dinner.
Servings4 servings0123456789 SERVINGS
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Method
1
Chop the vegetables
Finely chop the onion, the red bell pepper and the cilantro, and mince the garlic, keeping the cilantro separate.
Chop everything small so it melts into the rice instead of sitting in big chunks.
2
Soften onion and pepper
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onion and red pepper and cook, stirring now and then, until soft and lightly golden.
Soften onion and pepper · 5 min
3
Add the garlic
Stir in the garlic and cook until it smells fragrant.
Keep it moving so the garlic does not brown and turn bitter.
Add the garlic · 1 min
4
Simmer the beans
Add the black beans, their cooking liquid and the Salsa Lizano, then let it bubble gently until the liquid reduces by about half and turns dark and glossy.
If you cannot find Salsa Lizano, use a vegan, anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce with a pinch of ground cumin and a pinch of sugar. Regular Worcestershire usually contains anchovies, so check the label.
Simmer the beans · 4 min
5
Fry the rice
Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps, and fold it gently through the beans until every grain is stained, then keep frying, folding every minute or so, until the rice is hot and the liquid is absorbed.
Use day-old rice and fold rather than stir. Fresh rice or hard stirring turns it mushy instead of speckled.
Fry the rice · 6 min
6
Finish with cilantro
Taste and add salt if it needs it, stir in the chopped cilantro, then take the pan off the heat and let it sit.
Finish with cilantro · 2 min
7
Serve
Serve the gallo pinto hot with fried or scrambled eggs, sour cream, sweet plantain or corn tortillas, and put the bottle of Salsa Lizano on the table.