Costa Rica’s Favorite Meal: The Casado

Costa Rica is a fabulous destination for luxury travelers, as well as seniors, couples, and families, not least because of its many excellent dining options. A Casado is perhaps the most popular and delicious meal that one can indulge in during a Costa Rican culinary vacation, and one which you will likely try several variations of before you go home. The word Casado means “married,” or “married man,” which is a loving reference to the wives who traditionally prepared these plates when their husbands returned home for lunch.

What is Costa Rican Casado?

The Casado is comprised of white rice, black beans, plantains, protein, and salad or cooked veggies. A bit of bread or tortilla and a hard boiled egg are usually included as well. In Costa Rica, lunch is the main meal of the day and therefore the largest. The history of the Casado in Costa Rica is intimately intertwined with the history of the “Sodas,” which are small, convenient eateries scattered around cities and town. Working men and school children in the 1960s didn’t have the time to return all the way home for lunch, and small local shops nicknamed “sodas” popped up in urban areas to feed them more conveniently. Sodas usually sell a plate of Casado for just a few dollars, as they save money on ingredients by preparing the food in large batches as opposed to cooking everything to order. This is called a plato ejecutivo and it is usually under $4 and includes a cup of fresh fruit juice as well.

Check out 8 Reasons to Make Costa Rica your Next Culinary Destination!

The Casado is a great meal to cook in large quantities and most elements will keep very well. The variable nature of the Casado is determined by whatever ingredients one might have on hand. Since one of the functions of this culinary tradition is to eliminate food waste, this means that leftovers and seasonal flavors play a crucial role in the make up of this dining staple. For instance, Gallo Pinto is a typical breakfast food in Costa Rica, consisting of white rice and black beans mixed together with peppers, onions, and cilantro, and the same beans and rice used at breakfast are usually served separately at lunch to complete the Casado. Tuna salad from the night before might be repurposed to include pasta and fresh veggies, or leftover chicken might be shredded and added to a picadillo.

What is Picadillo?

Picadillo is another common element of the Casado, and can even serve as the veggie or protein portion on the plate in lieu of salad or another meat dish. Picadillo usually consists of vegetables, minced meat, and spices that are cooked together until the mixture has become soupy and stew-like. The dish originates in Spain, but variations are served throughout Latin America.

Much like the Casado itself, a picadillo can come in any number of varieties and is usually thrown together using the ingredients on hand. A few popular picadillo varieties in Costa Rica are potato, green bean, and chayote based. A chayote is a type of small green squash that was originally cultivated between Mexico and Honduras, which can be purchased at most grocery stores, though it is easier to source in late summer and early fall, when the fruit is in season.

The Casado is one of those excellent dishes where the sky is the limit and there are no wrong answers, especially since there is something for everyone on this plate. Preparing a Casado can be time consuming due to the number of components involved, but you will find it is entirely worth it once you sit down to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Cooking Costa Rican Rice and Beans

Rice and beans are essential elements of this dish, and although their preparation is relatively simple, their quality will determine the success of your Casado.

In order to prepare your rice, you will add two tablespoons of vegetable oil to a saucepan on high heat along with a thoroughly rinsed cup of rice. At this stage, you may also choose to add chopped onion or carrot along with the rice.

Once the rice is lightly toasted, add a cup and a half of water and a sprinkle of salt. Cover your saucepan and cook on medium heat without stirring until the rice is tender.

Next, turn off your burner and leave the rice covered for ten minutes before serving.

The process of cooking Costa Rican black beans is slightly more time consuming without a pressure cooker, as they are traditionally made using dried beans. This requires your beans to be soaked for at least 4 hours prior to cooking, then drained and rinsed. It is possible to skip the soaking step with the use of a pressure cooker.

Learn how to prepare dried beans for cooking from our Black Bean Soup Recipe

Costa Rican black beans are cooked with minced garlic and onion, as well as a variety of spices. Cumin, cilantro, salt, pepper, and bay leaves can be added to enhance the flavor. A pinch of oregano is another popular way to add depth of flavor.

Recipe for Picadillo de Papas

Picadillo de Papa is one of Costa Rica’s favorite side dishes, and it makes for a delightful breakfast or snack as well, usually served over rice or with corn tortillas.

Make corn tortillas from scratch using our recipe!

This take on the recipe calls for ground beef, but one can easily throw together a vegan or vegetarian version. If you want to spice up your picadillo, you can also substitute the beef for chorizo.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Diced Russet Potatoes
• 2 lb Ground Beef
• 1 Diced White Onion
• 4 Diced or Crushed Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Cup of Finely Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Finely Chopped Red Pepper or Jalapeno
• 4 tbs of Vegetable Oil
• 3 tbs of Chicken Bouillion
• 3 tsp of Cumin
• 6-8 Cups of Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Warm vegetable oil in a large pot on high heat and add white onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro, and spices. Cook until the onions are translucent. This sofrito of veggies and spices can act as the base to any Costa Rican-style Picadillo recipe.

2. Adjust the stovetop to medium heat and add your ground beef. Cook the beef until the mixture has browned.

3. Now you will add the diced potatoes, water, and chicken bouillon. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 18 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Some recipes for Picadillo de Papas call for tomato sauce rather than chicken broth, and others recommend preparing the potatoes separately before adding them to your beef mixture.

Frying the Perfect Plantains

Plantains are a popular delicacy throughout Latin America and Costa Rica is no exception. Plantains are a type of starchy banana that is usually fried and served as a side dish, though they can also be baked or roasted. Plantains are not as sweet as the bananas eaten in the United States, and are thicker in texture. They are the perfect complement to meat stews or your daily serving of Gallo Pinto.

Costa Ricans prefer their fried plantains cut to be about one inch thick, though you will find thin and crispy versions of this dish in countries like Jamaica. This version of plantains is perfect for a plate of Casado or even just a healthy sweet treat.

You will want to ensure that you are using only ripe plantains for this dish in order to account for consistency. A ripe plantain should be yellow in appearance, with perhaps a few brown or black spots on the outside. Plantains that are slightly overripe will work perfectly for this recipe.

First boil about an inch of oil over medium heat, then add the plantains when it starts to bubble. Next, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 90 seconds on each side or until golden brown. Your plantains should have a sticky, honey-like texture on the outside and a soft inside. You have the option to add a sprinkle of salt or sugar to your plantains, which can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Costa Rican Recipe for Chicken in Red Sauce

The Casado is not complete without a hearty portion of protein, which can come in many varieties. Fried fish and hearty meat stews are popular options for a typical plate of Casado, but this flavorful chicken dish is not to be passed up.

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Breasts
• 2-3 tbs Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Salsa Lizano or Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 Diced White Onion
• 2 Crushed or Diced Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Diced Red Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Can of Tomato Paste
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Oregano
• 1/2-1 Cup Water

1. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet on medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and pepper until tender.

2. Add the chicken to the pan and braise until the outside looks done, then add the tomato paste, water, spices, and Salsa Lizano.

3. Cover the pan and cook until chicken is done, turning occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly.

This dish works equally well with shredded or diced chicken, which gives the dish a more stew-like consistency.

The Perfect Plate

A key ingredient to Costa Rican fare is Salsa Lizano, which is similar in its flavor profile to Worcestershire Sauce, though it is slightly tangier and has a hint of spice. Another important ingredient in Costa Rica is achiote, which is a spice made from ground annatto seeds. It has a nutty, sweet, and slightly peppery flavor and a rich red hue, which is why it is also used as a food dye. Nutmeg and paprika can be suitable replacements for achiote in most recipes, however both achiote and Salsa Lizano can  be found in the international food section of most grocery stores.

Once you have cooked every element of your Casado, you can prepare a simple side salad using the fresh vegetables on hand. The salad can be as simple as lettuce and carrots drizzled with lime juice, or you can substitute the salad with a portion of cooked veggies. The Casado is completed with a fried or hard boiled egg and a side of tortillas or chips.

Popular toppings for a plate of Casado also include fresh avocado, cheese, and chimichurri sauce. Sour Cream will go well with a Casado, although in Costa Rica, they use natilla in place of sour cream. Natilla is similar to sour cream, though it does not contain added sugar and has a less tart flavor. Natilla is saltier and runnier than sour cream, but creamier in flavor, pairing perfectly with the complex spices of the Casado.

This is the perfect dish to replicate for large group gatherings or meal prepping, with so many variations and delicious components that no one could walk away unsatisfied.

By Chloe Dubisch

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