Did you fall in love with Lizano while visiting the beautiful country of Costa Rica? Me too! You can easily recreate the flavors of that delicious salsa in your own home!
For this version of “Lizano” Salsa, I use Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce rather than the traditional dried chilis to give it a fun, smoky twist! The smooth, smoky flavors compliment the spicy, sweet, and salty notes. If you want a more traditional “Lizano” salsa, try my recipe here!
Lizano is everywhere you go in Costa Rica; you can find it in all the stores and on the table of every restaurant. Lizano is the magic ingredient in Gallo Pinto, a Costa Rican rice and bean staple (translated as spotted rooster). There is no substitute in order to make Gallo Pinto, it has to be Lizano! In the two months that I spent in Costa Rica, I ate Gallo Pinto just about every day and absolutely fell in love with the dish!
Why do I prefer making it?
Upon returning home, I went on a mad search for Lizano sauce so I could try and recreate the Costa Rican flavor and finally found a store that carried it. Hooray! But then, halfway through the bottle, I noticed the sodium content. Yikes.
So, I decided to recreate the “Lizano” flavor for my Gallo Pinto. Just like everything, using fresh ingredients from your kitchen is always so much better than anything you buy in a bottle. Bonus: cooking this will make your house smell divine, like you’ve just stepped into a Costa Rican restaurant!
Smoky “Lizano” Salsa
Ingredients
- Avocado oil for sautéing
- ½ of an Yellow onion chopped (about 1 cup)
- 5 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup Cauliflower chopped
- 1 Celery stock thinly sliced
- 1 Carrot thinly sliced
- 1 ½ cups Vegetable broth
- 2 Tbsp Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Spices & more
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
- 1-2 tsp Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Molasses
- 2 Tbsp Lemon juice about a half of a large lemon
Instructions
- Heat large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, celery, cauliflower, and carrot in avocado oil until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add veggie broth, chipotle peppers, cumin, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, salt, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and molasses.
- Cover and gently simmer 10-15 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to your food processor and add the lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Once salsa has cooled, use immediately for Gallo Pinto or store in an air-tight container.
