6 Tips for Making Nicaraguan Gallo Pinto Recipe | How to Make Rice, Beans, and Gallo Pinto

Boil the black beans with a metal spoon in the pot to cook quicker.

Use already minced garlic or chop regular garlic into chunks and add to beans.

Let the beans boil, then turn down to simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours until soft.

Add sliced chunks of onion to the beans based on personal preference.

Add about 1 cup of rice and double the water (about 2 cups).

Add salt to taste and mix to coat the rice with oil.

Let the rice sit, mixing once or twice, and brown it slightly without letting it get too dark.

Cover the rice and set a timer for 12 to 14 minutes, checking for salt and adjusting as needed.

Wait a bit before putting the cover on the rice to prevent mushiness.

Add a piece of bread to absorb excess water in the rice.

Add sliced green pepper (chiltoma) in the last few minutes of cooking to infuse flavor.

Heat oil in a pan and add onions to brown before adding the beans.

Mash the beans with the bottom of a cup until flattened but not completely mashed.

Mix in some water from the boiled beans if they get too dry while frying.

Combine the fried beans with the rice, using about half the amount of beans as rice (e.g., 1 cup beans for 2 cups rice).

Stir together and adjust salt to taste.

Optionally, use coconut oil for a different flavor.

Equipment Needed

Dietary