Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto, the Fiber Packed Breakfast You Need

Sugar-packed, nutrition-lacking breakfasts are everywhere, With Gallo Pinto, you can start your day right, the Central American way.

What is Gallo Pinto?

Gallo Pinto is a Central American dish of beans and rice. It’s a great way to start your day, loaded with protein and fiber to keep you full till lunch.

There are two main versions: the Nicaraguan and the Costa Rican. This recipe is for the Nicaraguan version.

I tried this dish for the first time at a Nicaraguan friend of mine’s house. It was good in a homey way; I’d never eaten it before, but the familiar ingredients presented in a new way were easy to love.

Rice and beans have always been a winning pair across many cultures. These two ingredients are shelf stable, affordable, and pair well nutritionally, which is why we come back again and again.

This dish is another tool to have in your arsenal that comes together in less than 30 minutes on a busy school morning or as a side for a larger meal.

What to Serve with Gallo Pinto

While Gallo Pinto may seem like a great side dish for a Nicaraguan dinner (and it is), it’s always a breakfast dish for me.

The combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber is a great way to start the day with a good energy base. To make it even more nutritionally diverse (and more exciting) here are some of my favorite sides and toppings:

Sides

• Fried eggs (creaminess, healthy fat)
• Avocado (rich texture, healthy fat)
• Corn tortillas (the perfect vessel, hot and soft, extra fiber)
• Tortilla chips (to add a crispy element) 
• Plantain Chips (when you want a different crunch)

Toppings

• Cilantro (freshness, herby flavor)
• Cotija cheese (salty, strong flavor contrast)
• Queso fresco (creamy, umami)
  

These options taste great with Gallo Pinto, but feel free to mix and match as you like! The toppings are what take this dish to the next level.

Gallo Pinto Ingredients

Cooked White Rice – Using day-old rice gives gallo pinto an almost fried rice feel, and allows the individual grains to crisp up.

Small Red Beans – I buy these from my town’s Latino Supermarket (which I highly recommend!). I almost always use canned beans because they’re way faster, and I don’t have time to soak and cook beans in the morning.

Lard – Vegetable oil works too, but if you’re like me and you keep lard stocked in your fridge, this is the time to use it!

Onion – White or yellow onion is best for this dish, red is a little too strong. Sautéing the onions first brings out their sweetness and softens the texture.

Garlic – Minced fresh garlic completes the aroma base for this dish, add it after sautéing the onion to maintain a bit of freshness.

Garlic Powder – Using garlic powder in tandem with fresh garlic may seem odd, but the two have different properties. The rounded-out flavor of garlic powder is a welcome addition to this recipe.

Cumin – Cumin brings a warm, earthiness that we often associate with Latin cooking, and is one of the main spices in this recipe.

Annatto – Annatto (achiote in Spanish) is a very red spice that gives dishes like pollo asado and al pastor their distinct color and taste. Just a pinch in this recipe makes the rice and bean combo more pleasing color-wise.

You can buy this from many Latin American supermarkets, or on Amazon.

More Latin American Dishes

I don’t have as many Latin American dishes on my site as I’d like, but here are a few!

• Sofrito Black Beans
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Smoky Chicken Tacos

Video

If you prefer to learn in video format, check out this video!

Ingredients

• 400 grams (2 c.) of cooked and cooled rice
• 2 cups of small red beans
• 20 grams (1 tbsp. + 1 tsp.) of lard
• 60 grams (½) of a white onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2 tsp. of ground cumin
• 1 tsp. of garlic powder
• ½  tsp. Of annatto
• Salt, to taste

Toppings

• Crumbling cheese (queso fresco, cotija, etc.)
• Sliced avocado
• Cilantro
• Fried eggs

Directions

1. Melt the lard in a 10-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion, along with a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and translucent, about 5–6 minutes.

2. Add the minced garlic, cumin, garlic powder, and annatto. Stir well, and fry for about 1 minute. By frying these spices and aromatics beforehand, the lard brings out their flavors and carries them through to the rest of the dish.

3. After 1 minute add the rice, turn the heat up to medium-high, and break up immediately with a wooden spoon or a spatula. 

4. Add the beans to the rice, and immediately begin flipping, turning, stirring, and cutting. The goal is to coat each grain of rice in flavorful lard and seasonings.

5. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring and flipping often, for about 10 minutes, or until crispy.

6. Top with cilantro, and some crumbly cheese; serve with avocado, fried eggs, and hot corn tortillas.