Afar's roundup of the foods you have to eat in Costa Rica lands on a simple idea: the cuisine is fresh, uncomplicated, and tied closely to place. Per Afar, that comes from the country's biodiversity, regional traditions, and farm-to-table culture. The good news for home cooks is that "simple and fresh" is exactly what's easy to borrow.
Here are seven dishes from Afar's list, what to expect from each, and a beginner-friendly way to bring the idea into your own kitchen. Afar's piece doesn't give recipes or quantities, so the home-cooking suggestions below are my own general tips, not Costa Rican rules.
1. Gallo Pinto: The Breakfast Starting Point
Gallo pinto is a rice and beans dish, and it's one of the essentials Afar highlights. If you cook rice and beans already, you're most of the way there.
Try it at home: Use leftover cooked rice and cooked beans, and warm them together in a skillet with a little oil. Day-old rice works best because it doesn't turn mushy. Season simply, taste, and adjust. It takes about 10 minutes when your rice and beans are already made.
Swap tip: No black beans? Any cooked bean from your pantry works as a stand-in, though the flavor will shift.
2. Rice and Beans: The Caribbean Cousin
Afar lists Caribbean-style rice and beans as its own dish, separate from gallo pinto. That's a useful reminder that Costa Rica's food changes by region, and similar-sounding dishes aren't identical. If you try both, taste them side by side and see what differs.
3. Ceviche: Fresh Seafood, No Stove
Ceviche leads Afar's list and reflects the country's seafood. It's a good lesson in how little cooking some great food needs.
Try it at home: Start with very fresh fish from a trusted fishmonger, and ask which fish they'd recommend for raw preparations. Keep everything cold, cut the fish into small even pieces, and serve soon after mixing. If raw fish makes you nervous, this is one to order out rather than make yourself.
4. Patacones: Fried Snacks You Can Manage
Patacones are part of the fried-snack side of Costa Rican eating. Afar includes them among the must-tries.
Try it at home: Patacones are typically made from green plantains. Look for firm, green ones at the grocery store. The general method is to slice, fry briefly, flatten, and fry again, then salt. Use a heavy pan, keep the oil at a moderate heat, and be careful with hot oil. Plan on 20 to 25 minutes your first time.
5. Heart of Palm Salad: The Pantry Shortcut
Heart of palm salad is the most pantry-friendly dish here, because canned or jarred hearts of palm are easy to find in many supermarkets.
Try it at home: Drain and slice the hearts of palm, toss with something crisp and something acidic, such as chopped tomato, onion, or a squeeze of lime, and season with salt. It's a five-minute side dish that needs no cooking.
6. Batidos: Fruit Smoothies, Done Simply
Batidos are the fruit-packed drinks in Afar's title. They're a flexible way to use fruit that's getting too ripe.
Try it at home: Blend about 1 cup of chopped fruit with 1 cup of ice and a splash of water or milk, then adjust the thickness. Use whatever fruit is in season and cheap near you. That's the whole idea: local fruit, blended fresh.
7. Casado: The Plate That Ties It Together
Casado is a full plate meal, and Afar includes it on the list. Think of it as a template: a main alongside a few simple sides on one plate.
Try it at home: Use it as a weeknight strategy. Pick a protein, add rice and beans, and put a simple salad on the side. Because gallo pinto, rice and beans, and a heart of palm salad all appear on Afar's list, you can build a casado-style dinner from those pieces. Expect about 30 minutes if you cook the protein while the rice heats.
A Simple Way to Start
Don't try all seven at once. Make a pot of rice and beans this week, turn the leftovers into gallo pinto the next morning, and blend a batido to go with it. You'll get a real feel for why Afar describes this cuisine as simple, fresh, and tied to place.
