North America · Central America
60 recipes
A flavorful rice dish featuring succulent shrimp cooked with aromatic vegetables and spices, often enhanced with a touch of achiote for its vibrant color. This is a popular and delicious main course in Costa Rica.
A flavorful and aromatic rice dish featuring pigeon peas, often cooked with pork or chicken, and seasoned with a blend of traditional Costa Rican spices. This dish is a staple for celebrations and family gatherings.
A flavorful rice dish made with pigeon peas (guandú), often cooked with coconut milk and aromatic spices, offering a taste of Caribbean influence in Costa Rican cuisine.
A creamy and comforting Costa Rican rice pudding, often infused with cinnamon and citrus zest, offering a sweet and satisfying dessert experience.
A creamy and aromatic rice pudding infused with the tropical flavors of coconut milk and cinnamon. This dessert is a beloved classic in Costa Rica, offering a comforting sweetness with a hint of exotic flair.
A delightful twist on the classic rice pudding, this Costa Rican version incorporates the tropical flavor of coconut milk, creating a rich, creamy, and aromatic dessert. It's often enjoyed warm or chilled.
A comforting and flavorful rice casserole featuring tender hearts of palm, often enriched with a creamy béchamel sauce and topped with melted cheese. This dish is a popular choice for family meals and gatherings.
A delightful rice dish combining sweet pineapple with savory pork, creating a balanced and tropical flavor profile. This dish is often prepared for special occasions and family gatherings, showcasing the use of local fruits and meats.
A flavorful rice dish featuring roasted piquillo peppers, often cooked with chicken or vegetables, offering a sweet and slightly smoky profile.
A flavorful and comforting one-pot dish featuring tender chicken and rice simmered with aromatic vegetables and seasoned with traditional Costa Rican spices. It's a staple at family gatherings and celebrations.
A flavorful one-pot rice and chicken dish, simmered with vegetables and achiote for its characteristic yellow hue and mild, earthy flavor. A comforting and popular meal.
Arroz de Maíz con Pollo is a hearty and flavorful dish from the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica, featuring corn kernels cooked with chicken and aromatic vegetables. It's a comforting and traditional meal, often prepared for family gatherings.
A traditional Costa Rican rice cake, often made with cooked rice, coconut milk, sugar, and spices. It has a dense, moist texture and a subtly sweet, tropical flavor, typically enjoyed as a dessert or snack.
A bright and zesty Costa Rican lemon cake, this bizcocho is moist, tender, and infused with the refreshing flavor of fresh lemon. It's a delightful dessert or afternoon treat, often enjoyed with coffee.
A moist and sweet cake made with ripe plantains, a delightful dessert or snack that showcases the tropical flavors of Costa Rica.
A classic Costa Rican vanilla pound cake, known for its dense yet moist crumb and simple, comforting flavor. Often served during holidays and special occasions.
These are tender, steamed corn cakes made from fresh, grated corn kernels, often sweetened slightly and sometimes enriched with milk or butter. They are a delightful way to enjoy the sweetness of fresh corn, distinct from tamales.
A hearty and flavorful fish soup, often made with a variety of fresh fish and vegetables, seasoned with local herbs and spices. It's a comforting dish popular in coastal regions.
A hearty and flavorful beef soup, Caldo de Res is a comforting Costa Rican classic, brimming with tender chunks of beef, a variety of root vegetables, and aromatic herbs. It's a staple in many Tico households, especially on cooler days.
A hearty and comforting beef soup, deeply flavorful with a variety of root vegetables, showcasing the rustic heartiness of Costa Rican home cooking.
A traditional and hearty Costa Rican meal, the Casado is a plate that typically includes rice, black beans, a protein (like fish, chicken, or beef), fried plantains, salad, and a fried egg. It's a complete and balanced meal, often considered a national dish.
A rich and flavorful seafood stew, "Cazuela de Mariscos" is a comforting Costa Rican classic, often prepared with a variety of fresh seafood simmered in a creamy coconut milk broth with aromatic vegetables and spices. It's a taste of the Pacific coast, perfect for a hearty meal.
A refreshing and flavorful Costa Rican-style ceviche featuring fresh sea bass (corvina) marinated in lime juice with finely chopped vegetables and cilantro.
A refreshing and vibrant appetizer that balances the sweetness of ripe mango with the tang of lime and a hint of spice. This vegetarian ceviche is a delightful twist on traditional seafood ceviche, perfect for a light starter or side dish.
A refreshing and tangy appetizer featuring firm green mangoes marinated in lime juice with fresh herbs and vegetables, offering a delightful sweet and sour profile.
A refreshing and tangy appetizer made with pejibaye (peach palm fruit), lime juice, and finely chopped vegetables. It's a unique way to enjoy the tropical flavors of Costa Rica.
A unique and flavorful ceviche made with pianguas (a type of mangrove clam), lime juice, and finely chopped vegetables. This dish is a delicacy, particularly popular in coastal regions like Golfito.
A popular Costa Rican layered dish consisting of rice, beans, pico de gallo, and crispy pork rinds (chicharrón). It's a flavorful and textural delight, often served as a tapa or appetizer.
Chorreadas are savory corn fritters, a popular snack or side dish in Costa Rica. Made from fresh corn kernels, they are typically pan-fried until golden and crispy, often served with sour cream or a light salad.
Traditional Costa Rican corn pancakes, often enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack. Made from fresh corn, they have a slightly sweet and savory flavor, best served with natilla (sour cream) or cheese.
Savory corn pancakes, a popular Costa Rican breakfast or snack, made from fresh corn, flour, and spices, often served with natilla (sour cream) or a light syrup.
A sweet and savory pastry, Empanadas de Chiverre are a beloved Costa Rican treat, especially popular during Lent and Easter. These turnovers are filled with a unique sweet filling made from chiverre (a type of squash) and panela (unrefined whole cane sugar), often spiced with cinnamon and cloves.
Central America's quintessential breakfast staple: perfectly seasoned rice and black beans fried together with aromatic vegetables and fresh cilantro. A simple yet deeply satisfying dish.
A hearty and traditional Costa Rican soup made with beef tripe, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. This dish is a testament to the resourcefulness of Costa Rican cuisine, often found in local eateries rather than tourist hotspots.
A rich and flavorful beef and vegetable stew, Olla de Carne is a comforting and traditional Costa Rican soup. It features tender chunks of beef simmered with a variety of root vegetables and corn, creating a deeply satisfying meal.
A hearty and comforting beef stew, 'Olla de Carne', traditionally made with various root vegetables and tender chunks of beef. This version is elevated by serving it with a side of fragrant 'Arroz de Coco' (Coconut Rice), a popular accompaniment on the Caribbean coast.
A hearty and flavorful beef stew, this version of Olla de Carne incorporates the sweetness of ripe plantains, adding a unique Costa Rican twist to the traditional hearty soup. It's a comforting and complete meal, perfect for family gatherings.
Whole fried red snapper, crispy on the outside and flaky within, served with a vibrant and fresh 'ranchera' salad, a popular coastal dish.
A savory pie made with 'chiverre' (a type of squash), typically filled with seasoned ground meat and vegetables, encased in a cornmeal crust.
Crispy, twice-fried green plantains (patacones) served with a flavorful tomato and onion relish (hogao). This is a popular appetizer or side dish, showcasing the versatility of plantains.
Crispy, twice-fried green plantain slices, a beloved Costa Rican snack or side dish. They are golden brown on the outside, tender on the inside, and perfect for dipping.
A delightful Costa Rican dish featuring pan-fried fish fillets bathed in a sweet and tangy pineapple sauce. This recipe balances the savory notes of the fish with the tropical sweetness of pineapple, creating a light yet flavorful meal.
A savory and hearty vegetable hash made with arracache (a root vegetable similar to parsnip), ground meat, vegetables, and spices.
A savory and hearty Costa Rican dish made with green papaya, beef, and potatoes, seasoned with traditional spices. It's often served with tortillas.
A variation on the classic Costa Rican breakfast or light meal, this dish features perfectly cooked rice and beans (pinto), a fried egg, and sweet, caramelized fried plantains. It offers a delightful balance of savory, sweet, and rich flavors.
A beloved Costa Rican side dish or snack, featuring sweet, ripe plantains that are fried until caramelized and served with a dollop of creamy natilla (sour cream) and grated cheese. It's a simple yet satisfying combination of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors.
Sweet, ripe plantains baked until tender and then filled with melted cheese. A popular side dish or appetizer that balances sweet and savory flavors.
A flavorful and tender chicken dish marinated and slow-cooked in a tangy vinegar-based sauce with vegetables, creating a unique sweet and sour profile.
A flavorful Costa Rican chicken dish featuring a vibrant sauce made with fresh cilantro (culantro), onions, peppers, and spices. It's a staple in many Tico households, offering a fresh and aromatic taste of the country's culinary heritage.
A flavorful and comforting Costa Rican dish featuring chicken simmered in a rich, tangy sauce made with pickled vegetables (curtido) and aromatic spices. This recipe offers a unique twist on traditional chicken preparations, highlighting the country's love for vibrant, complex flavors.
A vibrant and flavorful chicken dish featuring a sweet and tangy pineapple sauce infused with fresh cilantro, offering a delightful tropical taste.
Tender chicken pieces simmered in a vibrant, herbaceous sauce made with pine nuts and cilantro, offering a unique and flavorful twist on chicken dishes.
A rich and flavorful seafood stew, often made with coconut milk, root vegetables, and various types of fish and shellfish. It's a staple in Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, known for its comforting and aromatic qualities.
A rich and flavorful seafood soup, typical of Costa Rica's coastal regions. It features a medley of fresh seafood in a savory broth, often enhanced with vegetables and a hint of spice.
A hearty and flavorful soup made with tripe, vegetables, and rice, often considered a comforting and traditional Costa Rican dish. This version incorporates rice directly into the soup for a more substantial meal.
A hearty and flavorful black bean soup, a staple in Costa Rican cuisine, often enriched with hard-boiled eggs and a touch of cilantro.
Sweet corn tamales, a delightful dessert or snack in Costa Rica, made from fresh corn masa, sweetened with sugar and often flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, then steamed in corn husks.
A beloved dessert in Costa Rica, this moist sponge cake is soaked in a mixture of three milks: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream, often topped with a light meringue or whipped cream.
A beloved dessert in Costa Rica, this moist sponge cake is soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with a light meringue or whipped cream.
A popular and refreshing Costa Rican street food, Vigorón is a vibrant salad featuring boiled yuca, chicharrones (fried pork rinds), and a tangy cabbage slaw, all drizzled with a zesty lime dressing.
