Discover Costa Rica’s iconic dish, the casado, a traditional Costa Rican meal packed with fresh, nutritious ingredients.
The classic Costa Rican Casado will surprise you with its unique combination of ingredients you might not typically pair together. just like traditional chifrijo, each is prepared separately but served together on one plate; it looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
Black beans, rice, plantain, veggies, and protein are just a few of the components that add different flavors and colors to the plate, creating a harmonious, healthy, and delicious meal.
What is Costa Rican Casado?
However, before casados evolved into the casado platters of today, they began as simple banana leaf wraps filled with vegetables, legumes, and meat, prepared by wives as take-away lunches for their hardworking husbands, mostly laborers.
In Costa Rica, lunch is the main meal of the day, they often skip dinner, so lunch is very important. Casado is a big and filling meal that will keep you going until the late afternoon or evening.
The most traditional Costa Rican casado consists of Costa Rican white rice and beans (black or red beans), fried plantain, salad, veggies and protein. Some areas also include picadillo.
What does casado stand for?
The word “Casado” in Spanish translates to “married” or “marriage” in English. The name “casado” in this culinary context originates from the idea that this meal is a complete and satisfying combination of different foods, metaphorically “married” together on a single plate.
How casado became the national dish in Costa Rica
Casado became Costa Rica’s national dish because it perfectly represents the country’s culinary culture and pura vida lifestyle, where enjoying a satisfying meal like casado is part of everyday happiness.
From what I’ve learned, in the 1960s, many people, mostly men, moved to capital city of San Jose.
They had to eat lunch away from home and would go to small restaurants where one woman cooked for many people. Costa Ricans have big appetites for lunch, so they often asked for more food than they were served.
The cooks joked that it was like being at home because their “casado” (husband, married man) always wanted more food. That’s how the casado meal in Costa Rica began.
Over time, casado gained popularity across Costa Rica due to its simplicity, versatility, and ability to satisfy hunger with nutritious ingredients.
It’s a symbol of Costa Rican cuisine, where lunch is big and dinner is light.
Casado is loved across Costa Rica, found in homes, restaurants, and sodas (small eateries).
It brings together a medley of ingredients that reflect the flavors and spirit of Costa Rica.
Ingredients
Black Beans
Black beans are a staple in Costa Rican meals and are considered essential foods for longevity. They are a rich source of protein and fiber. Costa Ricans typically slow-cook them with spices and serve them alongside rice, as in gallo pinto or sopa negra. However, you can also use canned black beans for convenience or substitute them with red beans or pinto beans for a similar texture and taste.
Plantain
Plantains are starchy, less sweet relatives of bananas that are typically fried until golden. Make sure you use ripe and sweet plantain, as unripe doesn’t taste good. It’s best for making Unripe Plantain porridge. If you can’t find plantains, try using ripe bananas or squash instead.
If you are a banana lover, these Strawberry Banana Pudding or Banana Pudding Cake are just a shame to miss.
Rice
Rice, or “arroz” in Spanish, is essential in Costa Rican traditional cuisine. It’s a key part of many traditional dishes found on restaurant menus. My favorites include Paella de Mariscos (Seafood paella), Paella de Arroz (saffron-flavored rice), arroz mamposteado (rice mixed with beans and sometimes meat), and chifrijo recipe.
Cucumber
Cucumbers add a cool, crisp texture, you don’t need to peel them, just cut into shin slices. You can also use bell pepper.
Lettuce
any lettuce leaves with do, whether it’s crisp iceberg lettuce, tender butter lettuce, or flavorful romaine.
Cilantro
Cilantro is frequently used in Costa Rican food to bring a fresh, zesty flavor to dishes like beans and salads. If you don’t have cilantro, parsley or basil can be used as alternatives to achieve a similar bright taste.
You can find cilantro in Pico de Gallo or ceviche from costa rica.
Chicken breasts
Chicken breasts or turkey breast. You can substitute them with tofu for a vegetarian option.