National Dish Dominican Republic: La Bandera (Recipe)
In this article
La Bandera means the flag, and the plate is arranged to match it: white rice, red beans, meat, with salad on the side. It is what the Dominican Republic eats at lunch, which is the main meal, on most days of the week.
About La Bandera
La bandera dominicana is less a recipe than a fixed structure. Rice, stewed beans and stewed meat, always in that combination, with a salad and often fried plantain. The beans are habichuelas guisadas, cooked in a sofrito with a little squash for body. The meat is usually pollo guisado, braised chicken.
Dominicans eat this at midday and then, traditionally, do very little for an hour.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup black beans, cooked
- 200 g chicken breast or beef
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- Olive oil
- Spices (salt, pepper, cumin)
- Fresh coriander leaves (optional)
Shopping for the ingredients
Red kidney beans are more traditional than black in the Dominican Republic, though both are eaten. Sazón and sofrito pastes are sold in Latin American shops and are what most households actually use. Chicken thighs braise better than breast.
Preparing the dish
Marinate the meat with garlic, oregano, lime and salt for at least half an hour, which is the Dominican habit and makes a real difference. Cook the three components separately: they are combined on the plate, not in the pan.
Step-by-step instructions
- Bring the rice to the boil in a pan with 2 cups of water, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until softened.
- Add the marinated meat, brown it well and cook through.
- Stir in the black beans and mix everything together thoroughly. Season to taste.
- Spoon the cooked rice onto a plate, top with the meat and beans and garnish with fresh coriander.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Rice, beans and meat contain no gluten and no dairy. Check any seasoning blend, since some contain wheat. Otherwise the plate needs no adaptation.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Habichuelas guisadas with rice is already most of the plate and is vegan when made without meat stock. Add berenjenas guisadas, the stewed aubergine, in place of the meat and the structure holds.
More tips and tricks
Aim for concón, the crisp layer of rice at the bottom of the pot. Dominicans fight over it. Get it by leaving the pot on a low heat for the last five minutes without stirring. Cook the beans with a piece of squash or pumpkin, which dissolves and thickens the sauce naturally.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Beef, pork or fish all appear in place of chicken. Fried plantain or tostones go on the side. Avocado is standard when in season.
Ingredient substitutions
Red beans and black beans are interchangeable. Any long-grain rice works. Adobo seasoning replaces the individual spices and is what most kitchens reach for.
Drink pairing ideas
Morir soñando, orange juice and milk, is the national soft drink and the classic lunch accompaniment. Presidente beer is the everyday alternative. Strong coffee afterwards.
Serving and presentation ideas
Arrange the three components in separate zones on the plate rather than mixing them, with salad to one side. That separation is the point of the name. Hot sauce on the table.
A bit of history
Rice, beans and stewed meat is the Spanish Caribbean template, and each island varies it. The Dominican version got its patriotic name in the twentieth century. It is eaten more often than any other meal in the country and defines Dominican cuisine alongside sancocho and mangú.
More recipe ideas
Summary: La Bandera
La bandera is white rice, stewed beans and stewed meat arranged in three zones on one plate. Marinate the meat, cook the components separately, and aim for a crisp layer at the bottom of the rice pot.
