The balanced lunch plate: rice, beans, salad, protein

A casado is Costa Rica’s classic “complete lunch”: rice and beans plus salad, fried plantains, and a protein (chicken, fish, beef, pork), often with a simple veggie side. It’s the default meal at local sodas (small diners), and it’s where Costa Rican food shows its identity as fresh, filling, and straightforward rather than heavily sauced or ultra-spicy.