Colombian Bandeja Paisa

The bandeja paisa is a traditional recipe from Antioquia, Colombia. A dish with a lot of substance: it includes meat, beans, bananas, avocado, fried eggs, and a delicious Colombian sauce called hogao. If you like trying stew recipes from different countries, don't miss the Colombian bandeja paisa,  on this website we tell you step by step how to do it.

History of the bandeja paisa

This recipe is so copious that instead of being served on a plate, it requires a tray or dish (although in the image it is served on a plate but it is 'overflowing'). Its history is quite recent as it does not appear in Colombian recipe books prior to 1950. It seems to be inspired by another recipe called arriero that was prepared in the region of Antioquia as early as the 19th century.

Bandeja paisa It is a dish very rich in carbohydrates (rice, beans, banana and avocado) and also incorporates fats and proteins. The muleteers were dedicated to transporting goods on mules or donkeys and spent many hours traveling with a good portion of bandeja paisa they had the strength to withstand hours of work.

How to make the recipe Colombian Bandeja Paisa

1. The day before, let the beans rest in a container with water.
2. To prepare the white rice, as you have 400 grams of rice use twice the amount of water and a little more, 850 ml of water. When the water boils, add the white rice and the bay leaf. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes, covering the container.
3. The plantains can be found in any well-stocked supermarket, they are not sweet at all. Prepare a pan with oil, cut the plantains in half and fry until golden, then let them rest on a plate with kitchen paper.
4. In the meantime, prepare the hogao sauce that you need for the recipe.
5. It is very simple: finely chop the onion and sauté in oil for 4 minutes. Then season with salt and pepper and add the tomato cut into brunoise or small pieces. Add the chopped garlic and cumin, mix and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Drain the beans and prepare the pressure cooker (to save time), add the beans to the pot and the hogao sauce. Cover with water and set for 30 minutes.
7. In a frying pan, add olive oil and sauté the meat and bacon until golden. Then remove, in the same pan fry the four eggs.
8. Add the ground meat and bacon to the previous sauté and brown for a few minutes.
9. To assemble the bandeja paisa, place the boiled rice from the beginning, the beans, the fried plantains, the ground meat and the bacon. You are missing the fried eggs and two avocados sliced. It is accompanied with arepas or corn flour bread.

Notes and Tips

Some people also add chorizo to this recipe, however, even vegetarians (those who do eat eggs) can personalize their bandeja paisa by removing the meat and bacon, also a great dish. Rice, beans, fried egg, avocado, banana, and hogao sauce. You won't be hungry anymore! Did you like the recipe?