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What to eat in Costa Rica? Top 4 Costa Rican Meat Dishes

Last update: Thu Feb 13 2025
Top 4 Costa Rican Meat Dishes
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01

Meat Dish

COSTA RICA
4.3
Casado
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Casado is the most popular dish in Costa Rica, consisting of white rice, beans, meat such as pork, chicken, or beef, and a salad such as iceberg or coleslaw. Additional side dishes may include avocado slices, French fries, cheese tortillas, fried plantains, and potato-based stews.


The name casados translates to married, and it is clearly visible on the plate as all of the ingredients provide a nice balance of protein and carbohydrates, making it a nutritionally valuable dish as well as a tasty one. According to a popular legend, the dish was usually eaten by newlyweds, and as the two would not know the other one's preferences in food, a variety of ingredients would be served on one plate in order to find out the favorites of each newlywed. 

MOST ICONIC Casado

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02

Rice Dish

GUANACASTE PROVINCE, Costa Rica and  one more region
4.3
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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. 
03
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Picadillo de papa is a savory Costa Rican dish consisting of picadillo potatoes, chopped bell peppers, onions, and ground beef. The dish is traditionally served with tortillas and rice, and it is customary to consume it by filling the tortillas with picadillo and blended beans, which are typically served on the side.


Picadillo de papa is popular throughout Latin America, so there are several versions of the dish with different vegetables.

04

Vegetable Dish

GUANACASTE PROVINCE, Costa Rica and  one more region
n/a
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Picadillo de papaya is a traditional dish originating from Costa Rica. The dish is usually made with a combination of green papaya, onions, celery, achiote, hot peppers, oil, salt, thyme, baking soda, and ground meat, either beef or pork. The papaya is peeled, cut into pieces, and placed in a mixture of baking soda and salted water.


It is then mashed or ground, boiled in water, drained, and added to a sauce consisting of oil, onions, hot peppers, celery, thyme, achiote, and ground meat. The dish is shortly simmered and it’s then ready to be enjoyed.

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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Costa Rican Meat Dishes