Casado

Name: Casado
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup white rice (200 g); 2 cups cooked black beans with 1 cup of their broth (420 g); 4 boneless chicken thighs (or fish fillets, pork chops, or beef steak); 2 ripe plantains, peeled; 1/4 small head cabbage, finely shredded; 1 tomato, diced; 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons lizano-style sauce; 1 lime, juiced; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; Salt and black pepper, to taste

A traditional Costa Rican dish — the Casado, or ‘married man,’ is the classic soda lunch: a plate that marries rice, black beans, a protein, fried ripe plantains, and a fresh cabbage salad.

⏱ 25 minPrep time

🔥 40 minCook time

🍽 4Servings

🏷 Costa Rican KitchenCategory

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A traditional Costa Rican dish — the Casado, or ‘married man,’ is the classic soda lunch: a plate that marries rice, black beans, a protein, fried ripe plantains, and a fresh cabbage salad. Every Tico cook assembles theirs a little differently, but the harmony of savory, sweet, and tangy never changes. It is hearty, generous, and the most honest snapshot of everyday Costa Rican cooking.

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Step by stepInstructions

Cook the rice in salted water until tender, about eighteen minutes, and keep warm.
Warm the beans with their broth in a small pot, seasoning with a little salt.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and a spoonful of lizano-style sauce, then pan-fry in oil over medium-high heat until golden and cooked through, about seven minutes per side.
Slice the plantains on the diagonal into half-inch pieces and fry in the same pan until caramelized and deep golden, about three minutes per side.
Toss the shredded cabbage, tomato, and onion with the lime juice, a drizzle of oil, and salt for the salad.
Plate the rice and beans side by side, add the chicken, plantains, and salad, and serve with warm corn tortillas.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The plantains must be very ripe with black-speckled skin so they turn sweet and jammy. Most sodas serve casado with a cabbage salad dressed only in lime and salt — keep it simple.

Recipe details

Prep25 min

Cook40 min

Servings4

CategoryCosta Rican Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Casado

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Casado

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