Afar's Costa Rica food guide originally listed 12 must-eat foods. The summary available here covers seven of them, so that's the set we'll use: ceviche, gallo pinto, patacones, heart of palm salad, batidos, rice and beans, and casado. Afar's argument is that Costa Rican cooking is simple, fresh, and tied closely to place, shaped by the country's biodiversity, regional traditions, and farm-to-table culture.
That simplicity is good news for home cooks. Most of these dishes rely on a few fresh ingredients and pantry staples. Here's what each one is, and how to think about making it in your own kitchen.
Start With the Pantry Dishes: Gallo Pinto and Rice and Beans
Rice and beans sit at the center of Costa Rican eating, and Afar's list includes two versions: gallo pinto and Caribbean-style rice and beans. The two are not the same dish, and the difference comes down to region. Caribbean rice and beans reflect the coast's own culinary traditions, while gallo pinto is the more widely known national staple.
If you want to try this at home, the practical advice is the same for both:
- Cook a pot of rice ahead of time. Day-old rice behaves better in a skillet than fresh, steamy rice.
- Use cooked or canned beans, drained, so dinner stays quick.
- Keep the flavorings simple and fresh rather than heavy.
A batch of rice and beans also stretches across meals, which makes it a smart weeknight base.
Casado: The Plate That Builds a Whole Dinner
Casado is the dish to copy if you like composed, balanced plates. It's one of the seven on Afar's list, and it's a good model for weeknight cooking: rather than one complicated recipe, you assemble several simple components on a single plate. Rice and beans are a natural anchor. Add a protein, something fresh, and something cooked, and you have dinner.
The lesson here is technique-free: make each part easy, and let the plate do the work.
Ceviche: Seafood With No Stove Required
Ceviche is the standout for fresh seafood, which Afar ties to Costa Rica's food identity. Because it's a no-cook dish, it's the fastest dinner on this list. The rules that matter are about sourcing and handling:
- Buy the freshest seafood you can find, from a fishmonger you trust.
- Keep it cold until the moment you use it.
- Serve soon after preparing it, while the flavors are bright.
Pair it with something crunchy, and you have a light meal for a hot evening.
Patacones: A Fried Snack Worth Learning
Patacones are the fried snack on the list. The summary doesn't spell out the method, so treat this as general guidance: they're a fried plantain preparation, and the key skill is frying at a steady heat so the outside crisps while the inside stays tender. Salt them while they're hot. They work as a side, a snack, or a base for toppings.
Heart of Palm Salad: The Fresh Counterpoint
After fried food and rice, heart of palm salad gives the table something cool and crisp. Jarred or canned heart of palm is a handy pantry item if you can find it. Slice it, toss it with fresh vegetables and a bright dressing, and you have a side in about ten minutes. It's an easy way to bring a farm-fresh feel to a meal built on staples.
Batidos: The Fruit Smoothie, Costa Rican Style
Batidos are the fruit-packed drinks on the list, and they're the easiest entry point of all. Blend ripe fruit with ice and a liquid, then taste and adjust. Use fruit that's truly ripe, since that does most of the flavor work, and consider freezing overripe fruit so nothing goes to waste.
Putting It Together
Here's one realistic dinner built from this list: a pot of rice and beans, a simple heart of palm salad on the side, and a batido to finish. Patacones can join as a snack while the rest comes together. Ceviche works as a starter if you want to lean into seafood.
Afar frames Costa Rica's cuisine as simple, fresh, and deeply place-based. You don't need a plane ticket to borrow that approach.
This week, cook a double batch of rice and beans, and build three different plates from it.
