Corn, Squash, & (Rice ) Beans: The Indigenous Roots of Costa Rica’s Kitchen
From the high‑volcanic plateaus of Guanacaste to the lush, humid Caribbean lowlands of Talamanca, the kitchen of what is now called Costa Rica carries a deeply layered history. This is a story of the land, the people, and the plants they grew — of how the staples of maize (maíz), squash (ayote, calabaza) and beans — and later rice — formed the foundation of daily life, were transformed through encounter, and still beat at the heart of the national diet. But more than that: it is a story of identity, adaptation, and cultural memory.
The “Three Sisters” and the Pre‑Columbian Kitchen
Long before the arrival of Europeans, the indigenous peoples of Costa Rica cultivated a set of foundational crops that formed the backbone of their sustenance: maize, beans and squash. In the region of Mesoamerica, these crops are often referred to as the “three sisters” because of the way they were grown together — the maize providing a stalk for the beans to climb, the beans restoring nitrogen to the soil, and the squash spreading low and shading weeds.
According to one overview:
“Their diet was primarily based on corn, beans, and squash, often referred to as the ‘three sisters’ for their complementary growing patterns and nutritional balance.” (The Salty Cooker, n.d.)
In Costa Rica the indigenous groups — such as the Chorotega in the northwest and the Bribri and Cabécar in the Caribbean mountains — knew intimately the cycles of these staples and the ways to prepare them: maize ground on metate stones, beans stewed with tropical herbs, squash roasted or added to stews.
One official document notes:
“Maíz pujagua. Maíz de color morado muy utilizado en la elaboración de comidas y bebidas tradicionales en Guanacaste y Puntarenas.” (Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes, 2020, p. 12)
This technical detail underscores how corn in Costa Rica was not simply imported — it was part of local agricultural evolution, adapted to micro‑climates and indigenous know‑how.
Moreover, pushing beyond the staples we find rich wild and seasonal foods in indigenous cuisines:
“What captivated me most is the notion that they handle with their gastronomy of reaching for only the essentials and discovering a certain product’s taste without needs of alterations… interacting with them… their worldview and God’s relationship with nature…” (Bonilla, as cited in The Costa Rica News, 2019)
This reminds us that the story of food here isn’t just about the staples. It’s about the wild, the foraged, the seasonal, the ancestral.
From Encounter to Plate: Rice, Plantains & Beans
When the Spaniards arrived, they brought livestock, wheat, sugar‑cane — and importantly for this story, rice. The introduction of rice into the Costa Rican diet marks a profound shift. One overview explains:
“While Costa Rica’s early cuisine came from the surrounding indigenous populations — including beans, tortillas, tamales, squash, potatoes, and yuca — the Spanish conquest introduced rice to the region, which wasn’t a native food in the Americas.” (SAGE Dining Services, n.d.)
Thus the classic image of “rice and beans” in modern Costa Rican meals is not purely indigenous; rather, it is a layering: the indigenous staples were already there; rice became integrated into daily life. Add to that the widespread use of plátano maduro, yuca, chayote, pejibaye, tamal de masa de maíz, and you see how the plate expanded.
Rice and beans appear in various dishes: from the everyday breakfast of gallo pinto to the lunch plate of the casado (rice, beans, salad, plantain, protein). The Wikipedia entry for Casado describes it:
“El casado es un plato tradicional de la cocina costarricense. Se trata de una comida muy abundante que consiste en arroz, frijoles y plátano maduro, picadillo…” (Wikipedia, n.d.)
But the lineage of maize, squash and beans as foundational remains — and the indigenous legacy persists beneath the visible layer of ‘rice and beans’.
Dishes & Foods: From Gallo Pinto to Casado, Tamales to Vigorón
Gallo pinto
One of the most representative dishes: rice and beans mixed, fried, often served for breakfast with eggs, tortillas, natilla(cream). The Explore Costa Rica guide explains:
“This seemingly simple combination of rice and beans … embodies the essence of Costa Rican food philosophy, which prioritizes nutrition, accessibility, and community…” (ExploreCostaRica.org, n.d.)
What is less remarked on: its roots in the indigenous bean/corn traditions, and how once the maize portion of breakfast (tortillas of maíz) gave way in many places to rice.
Casado
A lunch plate (or cena) with rice, beans, salad/ensalada, plátano maduro, meat or pescado or pollo. The combination elevates everyday staples to a full meal. Words from Wikipedia:
“Se le añade carne de vacuno, cerdo, pescado o pollo… incluida guarnición de col, ensalada…” (Wikipedia, n.d.)
It is a plate of inclusion: indigenous staples (beans, maize tortillas) intertwined with introduced foods (meat, rice) and tropical sides (plantain) and serves as a cultural symbol of “comida tica”.
Tamales, Pisque, Vigorón
In the indigenous tradition, tamales wrapped in banana leaves are fundamental—masa de maíz, sometimes ayote, frijoles, carne. A document from the Costa Rican Ministry of Culture records:
“Pisque. Tamal de masa de maíz adobada y envuelto en una tuza.” (MCJ, 2020, p. 13)
Another example: vigorón: yuca hervida, repollo picado, chicharrones, salsa, served in a leaf cone. (MCJ, 2020)
Other ingredients: pejibaye (peach palm), chayote, yuca, camote, ayuote (squash) and maíz morado all play a role in traditional diets. TourismCostaRica says:
“The main contributions of the indigenous cuisine are tamales, potatoes, corn, maniocs and pumpkins…” (TourismCostaRica.org, n.d.)
Examples of foods for modern reinterpretation
Pan de ayote (squash bread)
Pastel de plátano maduro con frijoles (ripe plantain & beans pie)
Tamales de pejibaye
Arroz con leche
Ayote en almíbar (sweet squash in syrup)
All of these show how the indigenous staples continue into variety.
Indigenous Agricultural & Culinary Logic: Nutrition, Land & Sustainability
From a nutritional perspective, the trio of maize, squash and beans offers balance: carbohydrate, protein, vitamins. When indigenous diets centred on these crops, the seasons and methods of cultivation shaped both flavor and health.
As Explore Costa Rica notes:
“The three sisters agricultural system – corn, beans, and squash grown together – provides the nutritional foundation linked to the Nicoya Peninsula’s Blue Zone status.” (ExploreCostaRica.org, n.d.)
In sustainability terms, the practice of poly‑cropping, local seed banks, agro‑forestry all point to an ecological wisdom. The New Worlder article highlights a seed‑bank in Bribri territory:
“…a seed bank, full of native seeds from Talamanca: seven different varieties of maize, various tubers like sagú and malanga…” (Gill, 2024)
The core idea: indigenous foodways aren’t just historical—they are ecological, sustainable, grounded.
Contemporary Revival: Chefs, Restaurants & The Ancestral Table
In recent years, there has been a conscious movement in Costa Rica to rediscover, honour and elevate indigenous food‑ways. Restaurants like Sikwa in San José lead the way. The Costa Rica News article reports:
“The indigenous Costa Rican gastronomy is characterized by being simple, honest and with strong flavors… what is eaten and what is not eaten, what is used for medicine, respect is a basic value in their culture…” (The Costa Rica News, 2019)
Quotes from Contemporary CR Chefs
Chef Carlos Alpízar (27 yrs) says:
“La cocina costarricense no es una copia, es una mezcla hermosa que todavía muchos no conocen.” (El País, 2025)
Translation: “Costa Rican cuisine is not a copy, it is a beautiful mix that many still do not know.”From the FIFCO recetario project: Chefs Sofía Rodríguez, Tía Florita, Santiago Fernández and Ricky Bartley contributed. (FIFCO, 2023)
Chef Luis Fernando Rodríguez‑López describes dishes:
“Rice and Beans con pargo rojo frito: mezcla tradicional costarricense de arroz y frijoles con coco y chile panameño…” (TakeaChef, 2025)
These voices show that chefs are looking back into the ancestral pantry and re‑interpreting it with respect and creativity.
Foods chefs highlight
Pan de ayote
Pastel de plátano maduro con frijoles
Tamal de pejibaye
Ayote en almíbar
Guiso de maíz
Elote asado
These foods show the continuum from indigenous staple to modern plate.
Identity, Memory & The Plate as Map
Food is one of the strongest carriers of identity. For Costa Ricans, whether momentarily or for generations, meals of rice and beans may feel “normal.” But a deeper look reveals the indigenous roots: the maize ground for tortillas, the squash harvested by hand, the beans grown in shade. When young chefs say their mission is “más que arroz y frijoles” (more than rice and beans), they are pointing to something deeper: a legacy of maize, squash, beans, plantains, tubers, tropical fruits.
The plate becomes a map — of environment, culture, identity, and forward motion. It speaks of fields, rains, hearths, migration, trade, colonial encounter, and contemporary culinary ambition.
Challenges and Opportunities for the Future
The journey is not without tension. Globalisation, monoculture, neglect of traditional crops, convenience foods threaten older systems. The article “Costa Rica’s Culinary Roots…” notes many native ingredients have been forgotten by younger people. (TicoTimes, 2011)
But the opportunities are rich: gastronomic tourism, sustainable agriculture, cultural resilience, nutritional health. When chefs and farmers partner, when indigenous seed varieties are revived, when squash, maize, beans become premium local produce, then tradition becomes an asset, not relic.
Conclusion: Grounded in the Earth, Growing into Tomorrow
Corn, squash and beans are not just ingredients. They are witnesses to history, survival, adaptation. In Costa Rica, what began as indigenous sustenance has crossed epochs, incorporated rice, adapted to new terrains, and now is being reclaimed with pride. The plate is humble but profound.
By recognising and preserving these food‑ways, Costa Rica honours its indigenous roots and plants seeds for a sustainable future. When we bite into a maize tortilla or pick up a fork‑ful of rice and beans, we connect. To soil. To sweat. To tradition. To innovation. There is something radical in this humble plate: the idea that a nation’s identity, health and memory can be carried in its simplest meals. By returning our gaze to the “three sisters” — maize, beans, squash — we are reminded that greatness can grow in small fields, shared kitchens, in meals served with familia and amigos.
References (APA Style)
ExploreCostaRica.org. (n.d.). Traditional Costa Rican Food: From Gallo Pinto to Blue Zone Secrets.
FIFCO. (2023, November 20). Chefs reinterpretan la comida tradicional en recetario que incluye platillos representativos de las siete provincias de Costa Rica.
Gill, N. (2024). The enormous culinary potential of Costa Rica. New Worlder.
Ministerio de Cultura, Juventud y Deportes. (2020). Cocina Tradicional Costarricense 1: Guanacaste y Región Central de Puntarenas (pp. 12‑13).
SAGE Dining Services. (n.d.). International Cuisine: Costa Rica.
TakeaChef. (2025). Chef a domicilio Luis Fernando Rodríguez López menus.
The Costa Rica News. (2019). Get to know the ancestral indigenous gastronomy of Costa Rica.
TourismCostaRica.org. (n.d.). Native Food.
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Casado (plato).