Gallo Pinto is a traditional dish from Central America made with red beans and white rice. It is known by different names in different regions, and can be customized with additional ingredients such as herbs, spices, and meat.
Gallo Pinto sounds exotic, literally meaning a “spotted rooster” in Spanish, but it’s really a staple dish created in Central America. It’s a common combination of protein and carbohydrates: red beans and white rice. The name comes from the coloration soaked into the rice by the beans, as well as any other ingredients that can be added to increase the color and diversity of the dish.
Although gallo pinto is what Costa Rican and Nicaraguans call this traditional Latin American, Caribbean and African dish, it goes by a variety of other names. Those names often depend on the most common type of bean in a particular region. In the southern states of America, the dish uses black-eyed peas and is called Hoppin’ John. In Cuba, it is black beans and rice called platillo Moros y Cristianos, a “dish” that combines beans, or “Mori” and rice, the “Christians”.
All of these dishes are prepared simply, with the gallo pinto perhaps the easiest to master. The chef first sautes a finely chopped onion and bell pepper, with a few minced garlic cloves, in a skillet over medium-high heat. Then cooked and drained red beans are added, as well as some water or canned bean juices. After the liquid comes to a boil, the heat is reduced to medium-low. The finishing touch is rice which is added and occasionally mixed with additional liquid, until the rice is fully cooked.
Many cultures blend fresh herbs such as chopped coriander to add freshness and an acidic element. Cooks often give their take on this classic dish by combining other ingredients for a richer meal. Venezuelans call their rice and bean combo pabellon criollo, which adds ground beef for a more savory, protein-packed meal. Instead of cutting vegetables so finely, other chefs caramelize their long-sliced onions and peppers for added interest and texture.
Another common tweak on dishes like gallo pinto is the addition of tomato paste and even chopped tomatoes. In Puerto Rico, chefs prepare their red beans and rice with spices such as sazon, a distinctive blend of salt, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, annatto and, often, monosodium glutamate. Often the goal is to create a standalone dish that provides all the nutrients a person needs. Other times it serves as a side dish to a second course of meat.
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