Costa Rican Recipes

No one can eat rice like Costa Ricans! We eat our standard white rice recipe three times a day. Yes, you read that right- three times a day! The thing is, not…

Who doesn't love a good traditional Costa Rican Empanada recipe? I adore them- and lucky for me they are easy to make. That means we make them for breakfast, snacks, appetizers…

Empanadas are a culinary staple in Costa Rica, and we generally serve them at breakfast or during the coffee hour, a span of time from about 1-4 pm. I have to…

You could order the soup in three sizes- anywhere from about half a cup of soup to about 3 cups of soup. I always knew how drunk Oscar had been that…

Though cajeta is a Mexican specialty, we love it down in Costa Rica, too! Traditionally made with goat’s milk and sugar, cajeta is a variation of dulce de leche. This rich…

Empanadas are a hallmark of Latin American cooking, and here in Costa Rica, we have a special way of serving them! At a Costa Rican restaurant, you can order any type…

Whether it’s drizzled over ice cream, slathered over cakes or eaten straight out of the jar, this magic sauce rarely disappoints! Here are three different ways to prepare your own dulce…

Let me tell you a secret- Costa Rican chop suey is an actual thing. You can find it on almost any menu, and it's an insanely popular street food (along with…

Costa Rica is well known for its picadillos, and with good reason! Traditionally made with diced vegetables, meat, and spices, picadillos are a beloved staple of Costa Rican cuisine. …

Let’s get passionate about this fruit! (Indulge me one pun, it was too easy to pass up!) Passion fruit hails from the tropics and can be recognized by its wrinkly exterior…

Sweet, cold, and refreshing, this iconic drink is not only the hook to a Rupert Holmes track, but a summer staple in its own right!…

“Salchipapa.” Yep, you read that correctly! Part salchicha (sausage) and part papa (potato) this french fry and hot dog medley is a favorite fast food all over Central and most South…

Picadillo is one of Costa Rica's most popular recipes… and with good reason! Coming from the verb picar (to cut), picadillos consist of diced vegetables that have been sauteed together with…

This recipe is a Costa Rican essential recipe. That means that once you know how to make this and keep in on hand, you can make all kinds of other recipes.  To…

This is one of my best and most requested recipes. Since chicken broth is a staple of Costa Rican cuisine, I have worked for years to perfect this recipe. …

Pollo asado, or grilled chicken, is just one part of the great Costa Rican carne asada. Literally translating to “grilled meat,” the carne asada is an EVENT, and certainly not one…

Tacos are a super controversial food! From the American-style "taco" with ground beef and taco seasoning to Native American tacos to the myriad of authentic Mexican tacos found in all regions…

Homemade Costa Rican pineapple juice (jugo de piña) is so healthy and delicious- all you need is a pineapple and a blender! Table of contents Recipe About This Recipe Substitutions Variations…

This three-ingredient Costa Rican jugo de mango (mango juice) recipe only requires two large mangos, water, and a bit of sugar. Naturally vegan and loaded with vitamins and minerals, this refreshing mango…

Nothing says “summer” quite like a fresh popsicle! With its famously sunny climate and abundant tropical fruits, Costa Rica is a veritable popsicle paradise. Popsicles, or Paletas as they are known…

For this recipe, I wanted to create a breakfast-friendly rendition of a Costa Rican paleta de mora, or blackberry popsicle. It can be hard to fit time in for eating a…

I am obsessed with batido de mora en leche. Every single time I go to a restaurant in Costa Rica- even if it's not on the menu, I ask for this…

Nothing says “summer” quite like a fresh popsicle, and sunny Costa Rica is officially a popsicle paradise! Popsicles, or Paletas as they are known in Costa Rica, are a year-round favorite…

In an earlier post, I talked about my deep and abiding love for homemade blackberry juice, so you can probably guess as to my feelings about blackberry paletas! I’m a little…

Ask any Costa Rican what food they most love to eat and most will rank ceviche in their top 5. There are many kinds of ceviche, and Costa Rica is definitely…

Sometimes I just want a quick treat for the kids on a hot summer day - and that's how my Guava Ginger Paleta recipe was born. When I came across guava juice-and…

One of our favorite recipes here at Casa Pura Vida is Sopa Azteca - it tastes like home for my husband, I LOVE anything with melted cheese, and the girls have…

This traditional Costa Rican black bean soup recipe is a delicious, healthy, and simple vegetarian/vegan meal that everyone loves!  Just black beans, veggies and water- too easy and too delicious! Table…