andrejthechef
Costa RicaRiceBreakfast

Gallo Pinto con Huevos

Costa Rican gallo pinto with fried eggs: day-old rice and black beans stir-fried with onion, sweet pepper, cilantro and Salsa Lizano, served with warm tortillas.

prep
15 min
cook
25 min
total
40 min
serves
4
level
easy
Costa Rican gallo pinto, a mound of black beans and rice flecked with red pepper and cilantro, beside two fried eggs and a stack of corn tortillas

Gallo pinto, literally "spotted rooster," is the everyday Costa Rican breakfast of rice and black beans fried together with onion, sweet pepper and cilantro. It is served with eggs, tortillas, and often fried plantain or natilla. It is also eaten in Nicaragua, where red beans are more common, and each country has its own version.

The key is day-old rice and the bean cooking liquid. Cold rice has dried out and keeps its grains separate in the pan, while the liquid colors the rice and carries flavor. The classic seasoning is Salsa Lizano, a sweet and tangy brown sauce found on every Costa Rican table, added in the pan so it coats the rice.

Gallo Pinto con Huevos is one of the best breakfasts from around the world.

method

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

  2. Add the beans and their cooking liquid and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half.

  3. Break up the cold rice with your fingers and add it to the pan along with the Salsa Lizano. Stir gently with a wooden spoon for 5 to 6 minutes, until the rice is evenly colored and the liquid is absorbed.

  4. Taste and adjust the salt, then fold in the cilantro and take the pan off the heat. The rice should look moist, not wet.

  5. Fry the eggs in the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.

  6. Warm the tortillas on a dry skillet for about 30 seconds per side. Serve the gallo pinto in a mound with two eggs on each plate and the tortillas alongside.

chef's tips

  • Fresh, warm rice turns gummy in the pan. If you have none from yesterday, spread freshly cooked rice on a tray and let it cool and dry for 30 minutes.
  • If you cook dried beans, save the cooking liquid. It is better than the canned liquid, which can be too thick or too salty.
  • Leftover gallo pinto keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator and reheats well in a skillet with a spoonful of water.