Bandeja Paisa

About This Recipe

Bandeja paisa is a meal of epic proportions, rooted in the agricultural traditions of Colombia's Antioquia region — the 'paisas'. Historically, it provided the caloric sustenance needed by fieldworkers, miners and muleteers to fuel a hard day's labour. Today it is considered Colombia's national dish — both a source of intense regional pride among Antioquians and a somewhat overwhelmed reaction from the uninitiated who encounter it for the first time. Eating a full bandeja paisa is a rite of passage. The dish is less a recipe than an assembly of carefully prepared components, each one delicious in its own right.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gdried red kidney beans(soaked overnight)
• 400 glong-grain white rice
• 400 glean ground beef
• 400 gpork belly(skin-on, cut into 4cm cubes)
• 4Colombian chorizo links(or spiced pork sausages)
• 4eggs
• 2 largeripe plantains(sliced diagonally, fried)
• 2ripe avocados(sliced)
• 4 largeripe tomatoes(finely diced, for hogao)
• 1 largeonion(finely diced, for hogao)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 teaspoonground cumin
• 3 tablespoonsvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the red beans

   Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with fresh cold water to cover by 5 cm. Add half the diced onion and 2 cloves of smashed garlic. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer for 60–75 minutes until beans are completely tender. Season generously with salt and cumin. Keep warm.

2. 2

   Make the hogao (creole sauce)

   In a frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Cook the remaining diced onion for 8 minutes until soft. Add the minced garlic and diced tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until the tomatoes have completely broken down into a thick, fragrant sauce. Season with cumin and salt. This is the hogao — set aside.

3. 3

   Make the chicharrón

   Score the skin of the pork belly cubes in a crosshatch pattern. Season with salt. Place in a heavy pan with 2 tablespoons of water over medium-high heat. Cook, turning regularly, for 30–40 minutes until the skin is crackled, golden and very crispy and the fat has rendered. Drain on kitchen paper.

   Patience is key — chicharrón requires time and steady heat. Do not rush or the skin will not crackle.

4. 4

   Cook the ground beef

   In a separate frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and any liquid has evaporated. Season with salt, cumin and a spoonful of hogao stirred in. Keep warm.

5. 5

   Cook the chorizo and fry the plantains

   Grill or pan-fry the chorizo links until cooked through and charred at the edges. In a separate pan with oil, fry the diagonal plantain slices for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and caramelised. Cook the eggs sunny-side up to order.

6. 6

   Assemble

   On each large plate, arrange a mound of rice, a generous portion of red beans (with some of their liquid), a piece of chicharrón, a mound of seasoned ground beef, a chorizo link, a fried egg, slices of fried plantain, half an avocado and a spoonful of hogao. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Some versions add morcilla (blood sausage) and a corn arepa alongside the other components.

• •

  A lighter bandeja ejecutiva (executive tray) omits the chicharrón and reduces the number of components for a weekday version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store each component separately in the fridge. Beans and beef keep for 3 days; chicharrón is best fresh but can be re-crisped in the oven. Assemble and reheat components individually.

Frequently Asked Questions