World Flavors Cookbook

Costa Rica Recipes

Costa Rican cuisine is known for being flavorful yet mild, relying on fresh tropical fruits, vegetables, and the staple combination of rice and beans. It is a cuisine that celebrates the "Pura Vida" lifestyle, with a focus on natural ingredients and balanced, hearty meals like the "Casado" and "Gallo Pinto."

Recipes from Costa Rica

• Gallo Pinto

  The national dish of Costa Rica: a flavorful breakfast of rice and black beans sautéed with aromatics and Lizano sauce.

• Casado

  The standard Costa Rican lunch platter featuring rice, beans, plantains, salad, and a choice of protein.

• Patacones con Todo

  Loaded double-fried green plantains topped with beans, cheese, and meats.

• Empanadas de Pipián

  Crispy fried corn masa pockets filled with a savory pumpkin seed and spice mixture.

• Olla de Carne

  A rich and robust beef stew slow-cooked with a variety of local root vegetables.

• Ceviche Tico

  Fresh white fish cured in lime juice with finely chopped vegetables and ginger ale.

• Picadillo de Papa

  A savory hash of finely diced potatoes and ground meat, seasoned with achiote.

• Tres Leches Cake

  A moist sponge cake soaked in three types of milk and topped with meringue.

• Chicharrón con Yuca

  Crispy fried pork belly served with boiled yuca and lime.

• Arroz con Leche

  Creamy rice pudding with a hint of citrus and cinnamon.

• Chifrijo

  A popular bar snack layered with rice, beans, chicharrón, and pico de gallo.

• Sopa Negra

  A traditional black bean soup served with hard-boiled eggs and rice.

• Empanada de Queso

  Large, fried corn masa pockets filled with melted white cheese.

• Arroz con Pollo

  Costa Rican style chicken rice with plenty of vegetables and aromatics.

• Chorreadas

  Sweet corn pancakes served with a dollop of sour cream.

• Picadillo de Chayote

  A light and healthy hash of diced chayote squash and corn.

• Vigorón

  A refreshing salad of yuca, chicharrón, and a spicy cabbage slaw, served on a banana leaf.

• Pozol

  A hearty corn and pork soup, traditional to Guanacaste.

• Gallina en Achiote

  Chicken stewed in a bright red annatto sauce.

• Tarta de Coco

  A sweet and rich coconut tart, traditional to the Caribbean coast.

• Arroz con Guandú

  Rice cooked with pigeon peas and coconut milk.

• Tortilla Aliñada

  Thick, hand-formed corn tortillas mixed with cheese.

• Ceviche de Plátano

  A refreshing vegetarian "ceviche" made with green plantains.

• Churchill

  An elaborate shaved ice dessert with kola syrup, condensed milk, and powdered milk.

• Pan de Bono

  Small, chewy cheese breads made with corn and yuca flour.

• Sopa de Albóndigas

  A light, clear soup with seasoned meatballs and vegetables.

• Rondón

  A traditional Caribbean fish soup with coconut milk and root vegetables.

• Atole de Maíz

  A sweet, hot beverage made from corn flour and milk.

• Patí

  Spicy Caribbean meat patties with a yellow flaky crust.

• Plantintá

  Sweet Caribbean turnovers filled with spiced red plantain.

• Bizcocho de Maíz

  Crispy, ring-shaped corn and cheese snacks.

• Sopa de Mariscos

  A rich and clear seafood soup with shrimp, calamari, and mussels.

• Fresco de Chan

  A refreshing drink made from Chan seeds (similar to chia).

• Pan de Maíz

  A dense, sweet corn bread with a rustic texture.

• Budín de Pan

  Classic bread pudding with raisins and a hint of vanilla.

• Arroz con Camarones

  Costa Rican shrimp rice — rice cooked in a sofrito of achiote, tomato, and peppers with fresh Pacific coast shrimp.

• Ceviche Tico Classico

  Costa Rican ceviche with sea bass, lime, cilantro, and sweet red peppers — lighter and more citrusy than Peruvian or Mexican versions.

• Tamales Ticos de Navidad

  Costa Rican Christmas tamales — corn masa filled with pork, rice, olives, chickpeas, and prunes, wrapped in banana leaves.

• Rice and Beans (Caribbean)

  Costa Rica's Caribbean coast rice and beans — red beans and rice cooked together in coconut milk with thyme. Distinct from Pacific gallo pinto.

• Patacones con Ceviche

  Double-fried green plantain discs topped with fresh fish ceviche — the ultimate Tico beach appetizer.

• Salsa Lizano (Costa Rican Sauce)

  The unofficial national condiment of Costa Rica — a slightly sweet, slightly smoky brown sauce that goes on literally everything Tico.

• Arroz con Leche Tico

  Costa Rican rice pudding — thick, creamy, and scented with cinnamon and evaporated milk. The comfort dessert of every Tico childhood.

• Rondon Limonense

  Caribbean Costa Rica's run-down stew — fish and root vegetables slow-cooked in coconut milk until everything melts together. The pride of Limón.

• Queque Seco

  Costa Rican dry cake — a dense, buttery pound cake that is the afternoon coffee companion in every Tico household.

• Picadillo de Arracache

  Diced arracacha (white carrot) cooked with tomato, onion, and bell pepper — a Costa Rican root vegetable hash unique to the Central Valley.

• Pan Bon

  Caribbean Costa Rican spiced dark bread — dense, molasses-colored bread with dried fruits and warm spices, a Limón specialty.

• Agua Dulce

  Costa Rica's traditional morning drink — hot water sweetened with a block of tapa de dulce (raw cane sugar). The farmer's coffee companion.

• Casado Completo

  The complete Costa Rican lunch plate — rice, black beans, picadillo, fried plantain, salad, and your choice of grilled meat or fish.

• Ceviche Tico

  Costa Rican ceviche — corvina or tilapia marinated in lime with cilantro, red onion, and sweet pepper. Served with saltine crackers.

• Tamal Tico (Christmas Tamal)

  Costa Rican Christmas tamales — corn masa filled with pork, rice, chickpeas, olives, and raisins, wrapped in banana leaves.

• Sopa de Mondongo

  Costa Rican tripe soup — slowly simmered with yuca, potatoes, corn, and vegetables in a rich broth. A hearty weekend staple.

• Gallo de Chicharron

  A warm corn tortilla filled with crispy chicharron (fried pork) and pico de gallo — Costa Rica's most popular gallo (taco).

• Arroz con Leche Tico

  Costa Rican rice pudding with cinnamon and condensed milk — slow-stirred until thick, served warm or cold at every family gathering.

• Patacones con Ceviche

  Crispy twice-fried green plantain rounds topped with fresh ceviche — the quintessential Costa Rican beach bar appetizer.

• Tres Leches Tico

  Costa Rican three-milk cake — a moist sponge soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream, topped with meringue.

• Tortilla Palmeada

  Thick, hand-patted Costa Rican corn tortillas — fatter and more substantial than Mexican tortillas, the base of every Tico meal.