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Vegetarian, Americas

Gallo pinto with fried eggs

Gallo pinto with fried eggs is a Costa Rican dish of rice and black beans, topped with a fried egg and served with caramelized plantains. For 4 people, it takes 40 minutes, it's easy to make, and costs €2.00 per serving. The trick is using day old rice, which stays loose and soaks up the beans' flavor instead of turning mushy.

Gallo pinto is Costa Rica's rice and beans, eaten with a fried egg and golden plantains.

Gallo pinto with fried eggs
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.00
Calories per person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Gallo pinto is Costa Rica's everyday rice and beans, cooked together until they turn a gray purple color, seasoned with onion, bell pepper, and cumin. A fried egg on top adds a runny yolk that works like a sauce, while caramelized plantain slices bring a sweet note that balances the whole plate.

It's a great weeknight recipe when you want something warm and complete without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids love breaking the yolk into the rice, and adults enjoy the mix of textures, soft rice, creamy beans, and plantains that get a little crisp at the edges.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Canned black beansoften in the pantry 480 g
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Cilantro 1 bunch
  • Ripe plantains 2

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Sour cream 8 cl

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, drain it, and let it air out. 11 min

    Spread it on a baking sheet, it dries and separates better.

  2. Sauté the onion, diced bell pepper, and garlic in 2 tablespoons of oil until soft. 8 min

    Small dice coats the rice better than large chunks.

  3. Add the drained beans with a splash of their liquid, the cumin, then the rice, and stir over high heat for a few minutes. 6 min

    The bean liquid turns the rice gray purple, that's the authentic touch.

  4. Cut the plantains into diagonal slices and brown them in hot oil until caramelized. 8 min

    Pick very black ones, they're sweeter and softer.

  5. Fry the eggs and serve them over the gallo pinto with the plantains, cilantro, and sour cream. 5 min

    A runny yolk works as a sauce for the rice.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the beans well but keep a splash of their liquid, it's what gives the rice its signature color and flavor without making it soggy.
  • Pick plantains that are very ripe, almost black on the outside, they caramelize faster and turn soft inside.
  • Fry the eggs right before serving, the yolk should still be runny when it hits the hot rice.

The variations

  • Swap the black beans for red beans, the taste barely changes but the rice turns pink instead of gray purple.
  • For an egg free version, top the rice with sliced avocado instead, it keeps that creamy element in the dish.
  • For a quicker kid friendly version, skip the plantains and serve the rice and beans with just the egg, still a full meal in half the time.

What to serve it with

  • Homemade or store bought hot sauce
  • Fresh avocado slices
  • Warm corn tortillas

Storage

Gallo pinto keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the eggs and plantains stored separately. You can freeze the rice and beans without the eggs or plantains for up to 2 months. Reheat the rice in a skillet with a little oil to bring back its texture, then cook fresh eggs and plantains.

Questions about this dish

Can you make gallo pinto with freshly cooked rice?

You can, but the rice will clump more and absorb the bean flavor less evenly. Rice cooked the day before and cooled gives looser grains and a better result.

Can you use dried beans instead of canned black beans?

Yes, just soak and cook them ahead of time, keeping a bit of their cooking liquid. It takes longer but works very well.

Can you prepare the rice and beans ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the rice and bean base a few hours ahead and reheat it in a skillet before serving. Fry the eggs and cook the plantains just before eating so they stay hot.

What if you can't find plantains?

You can use very ripe regular bananas instead, sliced and quickly browned in a pan. The result will be a bit sweeter but still works well with the rice.

How long does it take to make a gallo pinto with fried eggs?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a gallo pinto with fried eggs?

About 720 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 gallo pinto with fried eggs cost?

About €2.00 per serving, or €8.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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