8 Worst Rated Costa Rican Foods

Olla de carne is a rich and hearty Costa Rican stew made from beef cuts such as flank and short ribs, becoming especially tender when simmered in a broth together with cassava, carrots, potatoes, corn, plantains, and taro roots. This stew is traditionally prepared on weekends, both in home kitchens and restaurants, where it is accompanied by rice, beans, or deep-fried plantains.Expand

Ceviche Tico is a Costa Rican version of the famous ceviche, available in many versions throughout the country, consisting of white fish or shrimps marinated in lime juice, chilis, coriander, garlic, and onions. When all of the ingredients have been combined, the concoction is chilled for at least three hours before consumption. It is said that the secret to making a ceviche Tico lies in in using a small variety of inexpensive ingredients. This light appetizer is usually served with crackers, tortilla chips, or boiled green plantains on the side.Expand

Sopa negra is a traditional soup with variations throughout Latin America. It's made with a combination of black beans, onions, bell peppers, hot peppers, cilantro, garlic, and chicken broth. The soup is cooked until the beans become tender, and it's then garnished with chopped hard-boiled eggs and a dollop of sour cream or avocado slices. The eggs are cooked in the soup and then removed and peeled before being used as garnishes. This hearty bean soup is usually served with warm corn tortillas on the side and white rice that's mixed into the soup.Expand

Cajeta de coco is a traditional and Nicaraguan dessert consisting of condensed milk, grated coconut, butter, sugar, and graham crackers. All of the ingredients are cooked together and then formed into small balls and rolled in either coconut or crumbs. The balls are traditionally placed in special paper cups and served chilled, either for breakfast or during the day, when it is recommended to pair them with a cup of tea or coffee.Expand

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.Expand

Rosquillas are traditional Spanish deep-fried donuts, characterized by their fluffy texture and a hole in the middle. They are typically prepared during the Holy Week festivities. Although there are many varieties of rosquillas, the classic ones are prepared with a combination of eggs, sugar, milk, oil, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and anisette, which imparts a unique flavor to these tasty donuts. Another classic variety of rosquillas is made with sweet muscat wine (moscatel), and those donuts are known as rosquillas de vino. After they have been deep-fried, rosquillas are typically served as a sweet snack, topped with cinnamon sugar. Interestingly, in Honduras, the rosquillas are made with corn masa and curd cheese, and they are not deep-fried but baked in the oven.Expand

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. Arroz con camarones y pollo is then ready to be enjoyed. If desired, the dish can be garnished with bell pepper strips on top.Expand

Chifrijo is a unique Costa Rican dish made by layering the following components in a bowl: white rice, beans cooked in spices, chicharrón pork pieces, pico de gallo, and tortilla chips, which can also be served on the side. The name of the dish is a composite of chicharrón and frijo (from frijol, meaning beans). Chifrijo was invented in the 1990s by a San José bar owner named Miguel Ángel Cordero Araya, and the dish is still a staple of bar food in Costa Rica.Expand