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What to eat in Central America? Top 6 Central American Rice Dishes

Last update: Tue Apr 15 2025
Top 6 Central American Rice Dishes
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01

Rice Dish

GUANACASTE PROVINCE, Costa Rica and  one more region
4.3
Arroz con camarones y pollo
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Arroz con camarones y pollo is a traditional dish originating from Costa Rica. The dish is usually made with a combination of rice, chicken, shrimp, onions, tomatoes, garlic, hot peppers, coriander, achiote paste, oil, salt, and pepper. The shrimp and chicken pieces are boiled in separate pots, and the rice is then cooked in the leftover cooking liquid of both the chicken and the shrimp.


The tomatoes are chopped and fried in oil with hot peppers, onions, garlic, achiote, salt, and pepper. Shrimp and chicken are added to the mixture and cooked for a few minutes, and the rice is then added to the dish until it absorbs some of the liquid. 
02

Side Dish

COSTA RICA and  one more region
4.1
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Gallo pinto, sometimes referred to only as pinto, is the traditional national dish of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Although many variations of the dish exist, at its most basic it is a blend of cooked and fried rice and beans, combined with herbs and vegetables such as cilantro, peppers, celery, and onions.


The name of the dish means spotted rooster, referring to the fact that the combination of beans and rice results in a spotted, speckled visual appearance. It is typically served as a side dish, either for breakfast (alongside eggs or meat), lunch or dinner, and sometimes with all three meals of the day. 

MOST ICONIC Gallo pinto

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03

Rice Dish

LEÓN DEPARTMENT, Nicaragua
4.1
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A regional specialty of León, arroz con pescado is a savory dish that consists of rice, shredded fish, and tomatoes. The combination is typically further enhanced with the addition of spearmint and bitter oranges. Common snook (known as róbalo in Nicaragua) or snapper are among the most common choices of fish used for this Nicaraguan delicacy, although other varieties of marine or freshwater fish may also be used.


The dish is usually accompanied by a side of cooked green plantains and fresh salad, and it is traditionally enjoyed during Semana Santa (Holy Week), the week before Easter.

04
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Casamiento is a traditional dish hailing from El Salvador. It's usually made from leftover beans and rice that are mixed together. The dish can be enriched with the addition of sautéed bell peppers and onions When paired with scrambled eggs, casamiento makes for a great breakfast.


It's typically served with fried plantains, fresh tortillas, cheese, or crema. The name of the dish means wedding, reffering to the marriage of rice and beans.

05
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Arroz a la plancha is a traditional rice specialty hailing from Nicaragua. The rice is cooked a la plancha, referring to the unique cooking method that involves grilling food on a round, flat metal plate. To prepare this dish, rice is first boiled in water or stock until tender, then portions of it are cooked on a hot plancha or a non-stick pan until the exterior becomes slightly crispy and caramelized.


The rice portions are often shaped while they’re being cooked on the plancha or pan using a round or square mold. There are numerous variations on this dish, and the grilled rice may come with a variety of accompaniments. One version calls for boiling the rice in fish fumet and then combining arroz a la plancha with sautéed shrimps, calamari, or chipirones (baby squid or small cuttlefish). 
06

Stir-fry

BAJA VERAPAZ DEPARTMENT, Guatemala
n/a
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Arroz con apio is a Guatemalan rice specialty hailing from the region of Baja Verapaz. The key ingredients of this dish are rice and chopped celery stalks, which are cooked with leeks, butter, garlic, lemon juice, water, and salt. The combination is typically stir-fried before it’s simmered with water until the liquid has evaporated and the rice has become tender.


This simple rice-and-celery dish is usually enjoyed warm for lunch, and it's often enhanced with chopped parsley.

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Central American Rice Dishes