Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is a Costa Rican and Nicaraguan dish. It consists of rice and beans, fried and seasoned. The seasoning is moderate; it is not spicy hot.

In Nicaragua, small red beans are used; in Costa Rica, black beans are used. During the cooking process, some of the coloration of the beans used tints the rice.

Gallo Pinto is served as a side dish with either breakfast, lunch or dinner; sometimes it is served with all three in the same day.

At breakfast it is usually served to the side of some eggs, or a breakfast meat.

Everyone has their own variation of Gallo Pinto; some variations add coconut or coconut milk. The one additional critical ingredient, at least for people in Costa Rica, is Lizano Sauce.

Gallo Pinto is similar to “Moros y Cristianos” in Cuba, to Rice and Beans in Jamaica; and to Casamiento in El Salvador.

Nutrition

Beans and rice together make a complete protein.

History Notes

Gallo Pinto probably originated in Nicaragua. The name dates from sometime in the 1900s, some think around the 1930s.

Language Notes

“Gallo pinto” means “painted rooster.” It is pronounced: “ga-yo pinto” (because two ll’s together in Spanish make a Y sound.)