How to Make Bandeja Paisa

Name: How to Make Bandeja Paisa
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight; 6 ounces pork belly, cut into chunks; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided; 1 small white onion, diced, divided; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 cup long grain white rice; 2 cups water; 8 ounces ground beef; 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste; 0.5 teaspoon black pepper; 4 ounces pork belly skin (for chicharron), cut into strips; 2 ripe plantains, sliced diagonally; 4 large eggs; 1 avocado, sliced; 4 small corn arepas, store bought or homemade; 0.25 cup chopped cilantro

Bandeja paisa is a composed plate from Colombia's Antioquia region built around red beans stewed with pork, white rice, ground beef, chicharron, a fried egg, sweet plantain, avocado, and an arepa, all served together rather than as courses. It exists because the paisa mining and farming culture needed one plate that covered a full day's calories without a second seating.

The dish took shape in the nineteenth century among laborers in the coffee and mining towns south of Medellin, and it has stayed a working person's meal even as it became the country's best known culinary export. Every component is simple on its own. The skill is in timing five or six separate cooking processes to land on the plate hot at the same moment.

Home cooks usually fail at bandeja paisa by cooking everything at once and serving it lukewarm. Sequence matters more than any single recipe here.

Bandeja paisa plate with beans, rice, ground beef, chicharron, fried egg, plantain, avocado, and arepa

What Actually Matters

The one thing that makes or breaks bandeja paisa is cooking order, not any single component's technique. Start the beans first since they need the longest simmer, prep and hold the components that reheat well (rice, plantain), and fry the chicharron, egg, and steak last, in that order, so the egg is the final thing that hits the pan before plating. If you fry the egg early, it turns rubbery by the time everything else is ready.

The Recipe

Serves: 4 | Prep: 35 minutes | Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total: 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
6 ounces pork belly, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
1 small white onion, diced, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
8 ounces ground beef
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
4 ounces pork belly skin (for chicharron), cut into strips
2 ripe plantains, sliced diagonally
4 large eggs
1 avocado, sliced
4 small corn arepas, store bought or homemade
0.25 cup chopped cilantro

Method

Drain the soaked beans and simmer them with the pork belly chunks, half the diced onion, 2 cloves of garlic, and cumin in 4 cups of water for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the beans are tender and the liquid has thickened into a light gravy. Season with salt.
While the beans cook, rinse the rice and combine it with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt in a covered pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cook 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Rest off heat, covered, for 5 minutes.
Heat half the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the remaining onion and garlic until soft. Add the ground beef, salt, and pepper, breaking it up, and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Fry the pork belly skin strips in a dry skillet over medium heat, rendering the fat slowly, until deeply golden and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
In the rendered fat, fry the plantain slices until golden on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Drain and hold warm.
Wipe the pan, add the remaining oil, and fry the eggs sunny side up last, just before plating, so the yolks are still soft.
Warm the arepas on a dry griddle for a minute per side.
Plate rice, beans, ground beef, chicharron, plantain, arepa, avocado, and the fried egg on top together on one large plate. Scatter cilantro over the beans and serve immediately.

Nutrition (Per Serving, Estimated)

These values are calculated estimates for planning purposes, not lab-verified figures.

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	780 kcal
Protein	38 g
Fat	42 g
Carbohydrates	62 g
Sodium	890 mg

Tips, Variations, and Storage

Chicharron holds its crunch better if you salt it after frying, not before. Leftover beans and rice keep well refrigerated for up to 4 days and reheat far better than the fried components, which are best made fresh. If you are cooking for a crowd, fry the plantain and chicharron in batches and hold them in a low oven rather than crowding the pan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make bandeja paisa ahead of time?

The beans and rice reheat well and can be made a day ahead. Fry the egg, chicharron, and plantain fresh right before serving since they lose their texture on reheat.

What cut of pork works best for the beans?

A fatty cut like pork belly or spare rib gives the beans body. Leaner cuts leave the broth thin.

Is bandeja paisa the same as bandeja de arroz?

No, bandeja paisa specifically comes from Antioquia and always includes chicharron and a fried egg. Similar mixed platters elsewhere in Colombia use different components.