Traditional Colombian Dishes
Colombian Bandeja Paisa
Discover the Colombian bandeja paisa: an abundant combination of broth-like red beans, white rice, seasoned ground beef, golden fried pork rinds, chorizo, fried egg, ripe plantain, avocado, and arepa. A homemade and comforting recipe inspired by the culinary tradition of Antioquia.
The bandeja paisa brings together on one plate some of the most representative flavors of Colombian cuisine. Its preparation requires organizing each preparation separately to serve all the components hot, golden, and with their best textures.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓400 g of dried red beans
- ✓1.5 liters of water
- ✓1 teaspoon of salt for the beans
- ✓1 bay leaf
- ✓1 small carrot
- ✓1 medium white onion
- ✓2 cloves of garlic
- ✓2 cups of white rice
- ✓3 cups of water for the rice
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of salt for the rice
- ✓400 g of ground beef
- ✓250 g of pork belly with skin
- ✓4 Colombian chorizos
- ✓4 eggs
- ✓2 ripe plantains
- ✓2 white arepas
- ✓2 avocados
- ✓2 tomatoes
- ✓1/2 long onion
- ✓1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- ✓1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
- ✓Black pepper to taste
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Wash the beans and soak them for 8 to 12 hours
Wash the beans and soak them for 8 to 12 hours. Then, drain them.
- 02
Put the beans in a pot with 1.5 liters of water, the carrot, half a white onion, one clove of garlic, the bay leaf, and the teaspoon of salt.
Put the beans in a pot with 1.5 liters of water, the carrot, half a white onion, one clove of garlic, the bay leaf, and the teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium heat until they are tender; in a conventional pot, they can take between 1 hour and a half and 2 hours. In a pressure cooker, the time will be considerably shorter.
- 03
When the beans are tender, remove the carrot, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
When the beans are tender, remove the carrot, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. If the broth is too liquid, leave the pot uncovered for a few minutes to concentrate it. Reserve the hot beans.
- 04
Rinse the rice under the faucet until the water comes out almost transparent
Rinse the rice under the faucet until the water comes out almost transparent. Put it in a pot with 3 cups of water and half a teaspoon of salt. Cook over medium heat until the water is absorbed; then reduce the heat to a minimum, cover, and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Loosen the grains with a fork.
- 05
Cut the pork belly into four pieces, trying to keep each one with skin, fat, and meat.
Cut the pork belly into four pieces, trying to keep each one with skin, fat, and meat. Dry the skin well. Place the pieces in a large skillet, with the skin facing down and without adding oil. Cook over medium-low heat so that the fat melts slowly.
- 06
When the skin is golden and the meat is cooked, turn the pieces over and finish browning them on all sides.
When the skin is golden and the meat is cooked, turn the pieces over and finish browning them on all sides. Remove the fried pork rinds, let them rest for a few minutes, and cut them.
- 07
Cook the chorizos in the fat of the skillet or add the tablespoon of vegetable oil if necessary.
Cook the chorizos in the fat of the skillet or add the tablespoon of vegetable oil if necessary. Brown them over medium heat until they are fully cooked in the center. Remove them and cut them into pieces.
- 08
Finely chop the half long onion, tomato, and remaining clove of garlic.
Finely chop the half long onion, tomato, and remaining clove of garlic. In the same skillet, removing excess fat if necessary, sauté the onion, tomato, and garlic until they are soft.
- 09
Add the ground beef, cumin, and black pepper to taste
Add the ground beef, cumin, and black pepper to taste. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it changes color completely and its juices are reduced, without letting it dry out.
- 10
Peel the ripe plantains and cut them into long slices, slightly diagonal.
Peel the ripe plantains and cut them into long slices, slightly diagonal. Fry them over medium heat in the remaining fat until they are golden on both sides and tender in the center.
- 11
Heat the white arepas on a griddle or dry skillet, turning them until they are hot and slightly golden.
Heat the white arepas on a griddle or dry skillet, turning them until they are hot and slightly golden.
- 12
Cut the avocados into wedges
Cut the avocados into wedges. Chop the tomatoes and available part of the long onion to prepare the fresh accompaniment mixture.
- 13
Fry the eggs in a skillet with a little of the available fat
Fry the eggs in a skillet with a little of the available fat. Cook until the whites are set and the yolks remain creamy, or until the desired point.
- 14
Assemble each plate with a portion of white rice and beans
Assemble each plate with a portion of white rice and beans. Add the ground beef, cut chorizo, fried pork rinds, plantain slices, arepas, avocado, and tomato mixture with onion. Top with a fried egg.
- 15
Serve immediately to keep the egg hot, the fried pork rinds crispy, the rice loose, the beans broth-like, and the plantain golden and tender.
Serve immediately to keep the egg hot, the fried pork rinds crispy, the rice loose, the beans broth-like, and the plantain golden and tender.
- Soak the beans for 8 to 12 hours to reduce cooking time and help them become tender.
- Do not add acidic ingredients while cooking the beans, as they can slow down their softening.
- Cook the fried pork rinds slowly with the skin facing down and use a deep skillet to reduce splashing.
- Do not repeatedly pierce the chorizos; turn them during cooking to preserve their juices.
- Choose ripe plantains with yellow skin and dark spots to achieve the traditional sweetness.
- Assemble the bandeja paisa just before serving and keep the components separate to preserve their textures.
- If using a pressure cooker, significantly reduce the cooking time of the beans.