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Meat, Americas

Bandeja paisa

Bandeja paisa is a large Colombian platter that combines rice, red beans, ground beef, bacon, chorizo, a fried egg, avocado, and fried plantain. This version for 4 people takes 1 hour 15 minutes, is medium difficulty, and costs about €4.20 per person. The key to success is organization, since each element cooks separately before everything comes together on the plate.

Tonight it's the big plate from Medellín, a bandeja paisa with everything on it, rice, beans, meat, egg, and avocado.

Bandeja paisa
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
830 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Bandeja paisa doesn't pick one dish over another, it brings them all together. Plain rice, soft red beans, well browned ground beef, crispy bacon and chorizo, a fried egg with a runny yolk, fresh avocado, and sweet plantain sit side by side without blending into each other. Every bite changes depending on what you scoop up, and that contrast is the whole point.

It's a generous meal, great for a Sunday when the whole family gathers around the table, or for a weeknight when you have a bit more time to cook. Kids love building their own bite with the egg, rice, and avocado, and it's easy to scale down for smaller appetites. Mon Chou walks you through each step so everything lands on the plate warm at the same time.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned red beansoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Ground beef 400 g
  • Fresh chorizo sausages 4
  • Smoked bacon bits 150 g

Dairy

  • Eggs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Avocados 2
  • Ripe plantain 2
  • Onion 1
  • Tomato 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves

Allergens Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the chopped onion and tomato with the garlic, add the beans and half a glass of water, then let simmer over low heat. 20 min

    Mash a ladle of beans into the sauce, it turns creamy without needing any cream.

  2. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Keep the pot covered off the heat for five minutes, the rice finishes swelling in the steam.

  3. Pan fry the bacon over low heat, then the chorizo cut into chunks, and keep them warm. 12 min

    Prick the chorizo with a fork so it doesn't burst and loses less of its juices.

  4. In the same pan, brown the ground beef with the cumin, salt, and pepper, then set aside. 8 min

    Don't stir too much so it forms small golden crusts full of flavor.

  5. Fry the plantain slices, then the fried eggs, cut the avocados into slices, and plate everything on large plates. 10 min

    Leave the yolk runny, it acts as a sauce for the rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Start the beans first, they hold up well covered on low heat while you move through the other steps.
  • Use a large skillet or two pans at once so the beef, bacon, and chorizo don't cool down too much before plating.
  • Pick plantains that are very ripe, almost black on the outside, they caramelize better and turn soft when fried.

The variations

  • Swap the ground beef for ground pork for a version closer to some traditional Colombian recipes.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the beef, bacon, and chorizo, and double the beans and plantain to keep the plate hearty.
  • For a faster dinner, use precooked rice and swap the fried plantain for ready to heat plantain slices.

What to serve it with

  • A mild hot sauce on the side
  • Fresh lime wedges to squeeze
  • A cold homemade limeade

Storage

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, keeping the avocado and egg separate if you can since they don't hold up as well. The rice, beans, beef, and chorizo freeze well on their own. Reheat in a skillet or the microwave, and fry a fresh egg right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you make bandeja paisa ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the beans, rice, beef, and chorizo the day before and keep them in the fridge. Reheat each part separately and add the fried egg and avocado right before serving.

What can you use instead of plantain?

A firm banana sliced and quickly pan fried works as a substitute, though the flavor will be milder while the texture stays similar. You can also swap it for sautéed potatoes.

Does this dish freeze well?

The beans, rice, ground beef, and chorizo all freeze well on their own for about 2 months. The avocado and fried egg don't freeze, so prepare those fresh when you're ready to serve.

How do you make this dish kid friendly?

Serve the components separately on the plate instead of mixed together, since kids usually like assembling their own bite. You can also cut the cumin in half for a milder flavor.

How long does it take to make a bandeja paisa?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a bandeja paisa?

About 830 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a bandeja paisa cost?

About €4.20 per serving, or €16.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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