Chifrijo is a traditional Costa Rican layered dish made of rice, beans, pico de gallo, and crispy pork, which brings the longevity spirit of Costa Rica into your kitchen.
If you’ve ever visited Costa Rica, you were probably surprised to find that the combination of rice and beans is part of almost every meal, even breakfast.
Costa Rica is one of the prime locations with a high concentration of vital centenarians who live their pura vida lifestyle, thus staying healthy and having a strong sense of purpose.
The heart of Nicoya’s longevity lies in its traditional diet, and its staple foods include corn, beans, rice, squash, and tropical fruits.
You can experience it by making this tasty quintessential Costa Rican chifrijo recipe.
What is Costa Rican Chifrijo?
Chifrijo is a popular Costa Rican dish made by layering beans, rice, pico de gallo, and crispy pork in a bowl.
The word chifrijo is a blend of chicharrón (fried pork) and frijoles (from frijol, meaning beans) – the two main ingredients in the original version.
Surprisingly, Chifrijo only came about in the 1990s. It was first created at a bar in San José by owner Miguel Ángel Cordero Araya, who threw together beans, chicharrón, and Costa Rican chimichurri for a quick snack. After the owner of the bar and a customer loved it, the dish took off.
Today, most versions include rice and avocado, but the original was simpler. Chifrijo is now a popular street food staple in many Costa Rican bars and restaurants.
Ingredients to make Chifrijo from Costa Rica
You’re making four simple meals: rice, beans, crispy pork, and pico de gallo. Once they’re ready, you layer them into a single, delicious bowl.
You can build it from leftovers at home or start from scratch by preparing each component separately.
I like to prepare the beans, rice, marinate the pork the day before, and start the pico de gallo before I fry the pork. While the pork is frying, I heat the beans and rice and slice the avocado.
Rice
Like in Casado, another traditional Costa Rican dish, rice forms the base of Chifrijo. If you have leftover white rice, it’s perfect for quick assembly. Otherwise, you can cook a fresh batch or use brown rice or long-grain white rice as a healthier alternative.
Beans
Most traditional Chifrijo recipes use cubace beans, but red kidney or brown or black beans also work well.
You can soak dried beans overnight and cook them the next day for an authentic touch. To speed up the process, follow this recipe on how to make Instant pot brown beans.
However, I used canned red beans and added extra flavor to make the recipe quicker, similar to what I did in this sopa negra recipe. Feel free to go the traditional route with dried beans if you prefer.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de Gallo is a fresh, chunky salad made with tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice.
In Costa Rica, it’s sometimes called chimichurri, not to be confused with the Argentinian herb sauce. You can whip it up in less than 10 minutes
Crispy pork belly – Chicharrón
Chicharrones are a popular dish in Costa Rica that is made with pork belly. Costa Ricans cut the pork belly into cubes and then fry it. You can flavor them more by coating them in spices before frying. I used cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and oregano.
In this recipe, chiccarrón is mixed with other ingredients into one bowl. In Costa Rican culture, you can buy it as a stand-alone snack.
If you love pork belly, you might also love this Okinawa Soba, which combines pork belly with soba noodles in a light broth.
To make it more in line with Costa Rican longevity traditions, consider replacing the pork with avocado.
Chifrijo Recipe
First step: Prepare the Beans
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery, green onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the beans, chopped cilantro, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes and set it aside.
Second step: Fry the Pork
Add the pork cubes to a skillet over medium-high heat and season with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is golden brown and crispy, about 20–25 minutes. Drain excess fat before serving.
Third step: Make Pico de Gallo:
Dice the tomatoes, chop the onion, and finely chop the jalapeño (remove seeds). In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, then squeeze the lime juice over the mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and mix gently.
Forth step: Assemble the Bowls
In each soup bowl, layer a scoop of rice, a ladle of beans, a handful of crispy pork, and a generous spoonful of pico de gallo. Add sliced avocado or tortilla chips if desired.
What Is Salsa Lizano?
Salsa Lizano is Costa Rica’s favorite sauce – smoky, tangy, and sweet. In comparison to Worcestershire sauce, it has a deeper, smoky flavor. Salsa Lizano makes Costa Rican recipes like Gallo Pinto and Chifrijo extra special.
You can find Lizano in many Latin American stores or online. If it’s not available, try mixing Worcestershire sauce with a pinch of cumin as a quick substitute.
Longevity Twist
- Swap Crispy Pork: Instead of pork, try grilled zucchini, roasted chickpeas, or sautéed mushrooms for a healthier twist.
- Upgrade the Base: Use brown rice or a mix of brown and quinoa for more fiber and nutrients.
- Boost the Beans: Add a spoonful of cooked lentils to the red beans for extra plant protein.
- Healthy Fats: Add a few slices of avocado or a drizzle of olive oil to nourish with healthy fats.
Serve it with Tortilla Chips.
Serve this Costa Rican food layered in a bowl with tortilla chips for easy scooping. Ideally, you have Salsa Lizano at hand and top it up with avocado slices.
This flavorful Costa Rican bar food makes a satisfying appetizer, or even a full meal!
For a lighter option, spoon the mix into large romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
Serve alongside warm corn tortillas for wrapping or dipping.
Traditional Costa Rican Chifrijo Recipe
Ingredients
Pico de Gallo Ingredients
- 2 pcs tomatoes medium, seeded and diced
- ½ pcs red onion small, finely chopped
- 1 pcs jalapeño or pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 1 pcs lime Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- Salt and pepper to taste
Beans
- 1½ cups cooked red kidney beans or canned, rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 celery stick finely chopped
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 bell pepper finely chopped
- Salt to taste
Crispy pork belly – Chicharrón
Rice
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice leftovers work great
Instructions
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, celery, green onion, and bell pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the beans, chopped cilantro, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes and set it aside.1½ cups cooked red kidney beans, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1 celery stick, 1 green onion, 1 handful fresh cilantro, 1 bell pepper, Salt to taste
- Add the pork cubes to a skillet over medium-high heat and season with chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is golden brown and crispy, about 20–25 minutes. Drain excess fat before serving.1 lb pork belly or pork rinds, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp cumin, Pepper and salt to taste
- Dice the tomatoes, chop the onion, and finely chop the jalapeño (remove seeds). In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, then squeeze the lime juice over the mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and mix gently.2 pcs tomatoes, 1/2 pcs red onion, 1 pcs jalapeño, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1 pcs lime, Salt and pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil
- In each soup bowl, layer a scoop of rice, a ladle of beans, a handful of crispy pork, and a generous spoonful of pico de gallo. Add sliced avocado or tortilla chips if desired.2 cups cooked white or brown rice
This worked exactly as written, thanks!