Bandeja Paisa

Name: Bandeja Paisa
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4
Ingredients: For frijoles antioqueños: 400 g dried red kidney or cargamanto beans, soaked overnight; 1 medium carrot (~100 g) grated + 2 medium tomatoes (~250 g) grated + 1 onion (~150 g) finely diced + 4 garlic cloves for the hogao; 2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp tomato paste + 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp salt for the beans; 1 ripe plantain (~150 g) diced for the beans; For arroz blanco: 360 g (2 cups) medium-grain white rice + 540 ml water + 0.5 tsp salt; For carne molida: 500 g ground beef + 1 onion finely diced + 4 garlic cloves + 2 grated tomatoes + 2 tbsp oil + 1 tsp cumin + 1 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp pepper + 50 ml beef stock; For chicharrón: 800 g pork belly skin-on cut into 8 strips of ~10 cm + 1 tsp salt; 4 raw Colombian chorizos (~80 g each); 4 morcillas (blood sausages, ~80 g each); For 4 small arepas: 200 g precooked white corn flour (Harina P.A.N.) + 240 ml warm water + 0.5 tsp salt + 1 tbsp oil for the griddle; For maduro: 2 very ripe plantains (deep black skin) + 2 tbsp oil; 4 large eggs for sunny-side up + 1 tbsp oil + salt and pepper; 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted; 4 slices of crusty white bread + 4 lime wedges + salt to serve

Bandeja paisa is Colombia's national dish and Latin America's most generous plate — a massive platter with 9-11 components: frijoles (red beans), white rice, carne molida (ground beef), chicharrón (fried pork rind), chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), fried egg, arepa (corn tortilla), fried plantain, avocado, and bread. Everything is served on one single plate. It originates from the Antioquia region (Andes mountains), where farm workers needed energy for a full day of physical labor. Restaurants in Medellín popularized it as a culinary symbol of Antiochean identity. Today, bandeja paisa is served as a challenge: whoever finishes it all gets a bonus banana.

Total time2h

Active time30m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

🕐

Slow simmered

Low and slow cooking

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

For frijoles antioqueños: 400 g dried red kidney or cargamanto beans, soaked overnight
1 medium carrot (~100 g) grated + 2 medium tomatoes (~250 g) grated + 1 onion (~150 g) finely diced + 4 garlic cloves for the hogao
2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp tomato paste + 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp salt for the beans
1 ripe plantain (~150 g) diced for the beans
For arroz blanco: 360 g (2 cups) medium-grain white rice + 540 ml water + 0.5 tsp salt
For carne molida: 500 g ground beef + 1 onion finely diced + 4 garlic cloves + 2 grated tomatoes + 2 tbsp oil + 1 tsp cumin + 1 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp pepper + 50 ml beef stock
For chicharrón: 800 g pork belly skin-on cut into 8 strips of ~10 cm + 1 tsp salt
4 raw Colombian chorizos (~80 g each)
4 morcillas (blood sausages, ~80 g each)
For 4 small arepas: 200 g precooked white corn flour (Harina P.A.N.) + 240 ml warm water + 0.5 tsp salt + 1 tbsp oil for the griddle
For maduro: 2 very ripe plantains (deep black skin) + 2 tbsp oil
4 large eggs for sunny-side up + 1 tbsp oil + salt and pepper
2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted
4 slices of crusty white bread + 4 lime wedges + salt to serve

How to make it

1SOAK & PLAN: soak 400 g red beans overnight; bandeja paisa runs 6 parallel components — gather all ingredients and tools before starting, plus 3 pots and 2 skillets.
2THE BEANS: drain the beans, simmer in 1.5 L water with grated carrot + 1 grated tomato + onion + 2 garlic cloves + 1 tsp cumin + 1 tsp salt 60–90 minutes until tender; in the final 15 minutes make the hogao: sauté in 2 tbsp oil the remaining onion + 2 garlic + 1 grated tomato + 1 tbsp tomato paste 5 minutes; stir into the beans with the diced plantain and cook 10 more minutes.
3THE RICE: rinse 360 g rice in cold water 3 times; place with 540 ml water and 0.5 tsp salt; bring to a boil, cover, reduce to lowest heat 12 minutes, rest covered 10 minutes.
4CARNE MOLIDA: heat 2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high; sauté onion and garlic 5 minutes until soft; add 500 g ground beef, break up with the spoon and brown 8 minutes; add 2 grated tomatoes, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper, cook 5 minutes; deglaze with 50 ml stock.
5CHICHARRÓN: place 8 strips of pork belly skin-on in a pot with 200 ml cold water and 1 tsp salt; bring to a boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes; drain completely; in the same pot, fry the pork in its own fat over medium-high heat 8–10 minutes turning often until the skin is golden and crackling; (Alternative: 200 °C oven 40 minutes on a rack.).
6AREPAS: mix 200 g corn flour with 240 ml warm water and 0.5 tsp salt in a bowl until a damp dough forms; rest 5 minutes; shape into 4 patties of 10 cm diameter and 1 cm thick; griddle in a hot pan with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat 4–5 minutes per side until golden with dark spots.
7MADURO + EGGS + SAUSAGES: slice 2 black plantains into 1 cm rounds; fry in 2 tbsp oil over medium heat 2 minutes per side until caramelized; in another skillet, fry 4 raw chorizos 5 minutes per side and 4 morcillas 3 minutes per side; then fry 4 eggs in 1 tsp oil 2 minutes until whites set but yolks runny.
8ASSEMBLY: on 4 large platters arrange in this order: a mound of rice, a generous ladle of beans, a portion of carne molida, 2 chicharrón pieces, 1 chorizo, 1 morcilla, 1 fried egg on top of the meat, 2 maduro slices, 1/2 avocado, 1 arepa, 1 bread slice, 1 lime wedge; serve immediately — bandeja paisa is eaten with knife and fork, each bite in combination with others.