Traditional Costa Rican dishes typically contain inexpensive yet delicious ingredients such as chicken, vegetables, fish, rice, and beans. Their breakfast or "Desayuno" is quite similar to dishes served in the U.S. but with a few Costa Rican twists. You can find eggs, bacon, and sausage almost anywhere, as well as Gallo pinto, a local favorite. It's fried rice and beans served with Lizano sauce. A tortilla is typically used to eat rice and beans. Lunch and dinner fare are very similar.
While visiting Costa Rica, make sure you indulge in the fabulous cuisine that Costa Rica has to offer! I have listed, below, some of the most popular dishes to try.
Foods To Try
Casado
More of a combination platter than a specific recipe, casado brings together cooked rice and beans (which are sometimes mixed together, but more often served apart) with a green or pasta salad, plantains and, if desired, a meat (fish, chicken, or beef).
Gallo pinto
Gallo pinto or gallopinto is a traditional dish from Central America. Consisting of rice and beans as a base, gallo pinto has a long history and is important to various Latin American cultures.
Chicharrones
Chicharrones are generally on most menus in Costa Rica, and you can find some restaurants that dedicate themselves solely to all things pork- they are generally in the Central Valley of Costa Rican and called chicharroneras. Chicharrones are a popular party food and appetizer in Costa Rica.
Patacones
Patacones are the salty, savory, often starchy form of fried plantains that are shaped like flat disks and served as a side on many Costa Rican Dishes.
Olla de carne
One dish that is quite common among other cultures is beef stew. In Costa Rica, it's called Olla de Carne. In many other parts of the world, they have their own signature beef stew recipe or other typical food that incorporates broth, vegetables, and spices along with the meat. These kinds of dishes have been around for hundreds of years because of their ability to combine locally produced vegetables with a central meat staple, beef.
During the cold months, people from North America make a traditional beef stew or pot roast to fill hungry bellies and make cold nights a bit warmer. Of course, it's best to try the Costa Rican version when you come for a visit.
Rondon
Rondon is a rich, delicious traditional Jamaican party dish and is very popular on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. The name is the Patois pronunciation of “run down”. Rondon was merely a matter of “running down” the ingredients in the bush, in the sea, or on the farm.
Cacao fresco
Cacao fresco is one of the more delightful treats Costa Rica has to offer. You can crack open the yellow, football-shaped fruits to eat the sweet, tangy flesh inside. You can also visit some cacao farms around Costa Rica to learn about the process by which chocolate is made.
Trits
Trits is a type of ice cream made from the Costa Rican company Dos Pinos who makes all sorts of dairy products. It's originally an ice cream cookie and they just made an entire Trits flavor ice cream. You can get Trits ice cream at any supermarket or small grocery store. It's so good!
No trip is complete without trying the local food fare! I'd love to help you plan your trip, so be sure to click on the link below when you're ready to start planning.
Costa Rica