Gallo Pinto Nicaragua Recipe

Gallo Pinto Nicaragua Recipe

This Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto recipe was handed down by my Abuelita and is one of my favorite dishes EVER! She’s from Nicaragua, and I grew up eating this almost every day in her kitchen. Now, I make it for my own family to carry on her legacy and traditions. Made with fluffy rice, savory beans, sautéed onions and bell peppers, and topped with queso fresco, sweet fried plantains, and creamy avocado, this dish is simple, filling, and full of irresistible tastes and textures I know you'll love. It’s also the perfect way to use leftovers, and it comes together in one pan in about 30 minutes!

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine Nicaraguan

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings Servings

Calories 659kcal

Author Christine McMichael

Equipment

1 Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

1/4 cup avocado oil + 2 Tablespoons divided
2 very ripe plantains peeled and thinly sliced at an angle into 1/4” pieces, about 2 cups
pinch of flaky salt
1/2 cup diced onion or about 1/2 onion
1 medium diced bell pepper about 1 1/2 cups
3 cups cooked beans drained, a little liquid is ok!
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 1/2 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup queso fresco panela or cuajada
1 large avocado sliced

Instructions

Add 1/4 cup avocado oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Once the oil is hot, add in the sliced plantains in a flat layer and fry for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they brown and soften. Work in batches if there are too many slices in the pan (making sure not to overcrowd them).
Add a dash of flaky salt over the plantains (optional, but so good!).
Use a slotted spatula to remove the fried plantains and set aside, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the pan with the leftover oil.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cooked beans along with 1 Tablespoon avocado oil to the pan and cook until they begin to crisp or blister a bit, about 10-12 minutes.
Halfway through, add the salt and garlic, stirring well.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, then add in the cooked rice along with the last 1 Tablespoon avocado oil.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until everything is evenly warm and distributed.
Turn off the heat and top with crumbled queso fresco (or see notes below about frying it!).
Serve with the fried plantains and fresh avocado topped with a pinch of flaky salt.

Video

Notes

If too much liquid is in the beans, continue to cook for a solid 10-15 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid, before adding the rice.
You can fry the cheese in a little bit of oil instead if you want! I recommend doing this in a separate pan while the gallo pinto cooks. Just add about 2-3 Tablespoons of oil, slice the cheese into thin rectangles, and fry over medium heat for a few minutes on each side.

Nutrition