Easy Uruguayan Recipes at Home: 8 Classics to Try

Easy Uruguayan Recipes at Home: 8 Classics to Try

Uruguay is small, but its kitchen is big on flavor. This South American country sits between Argentina and Brazil, and its cooking blends Spanish and Italian roots with a deep love of beef, bread, and dulce de leche. The best part? Most dishes are simple, filling, and made with ingredients you already know.

This guide shares easy Uruguayan recipes at home, from the famous chivito sandwich to sweet alfajores. Each one uses short steps and common ingredients, so you can cook a Uruguayan feast without special tools.

What Is Uruguay Food Like?

Uruguay food is hearty comfort food. Beef is the star, since Uruguay raises more cattle than it has people. Grilling, called asado, is a weekend ritual for families and friends. Italian immigrants brought pasta, pizza, and fainá. Spanish settlers brought empanadas and fried dough. Sweet treats almost always include dulce de leche, a thick caramel made from milk and sugar.

Here’s a quick look at the dishes in this guide:

Why Try Easy Uruguayan Recipes at Home?

There are lots of reasons to start cooking easy Uruguayan recipes at home:

• Simple ingredients. Beef, eggs, flour, cheese, and vegetables.
• Budget friendly. Many dishes stretch basic pantry items.
• Great for groups. Most recipes are made to share.

If you enjoy exploring other cuisines, our guide to Easy Belgian Recipes at Home is another fun way to travel through your kitchen.

1. Chivito (Uruguay’s National Sandwich)

If you try just one of these easy Uruguayan recipes at home, make it the chivito. This towering steak sandwich is the most famous dish in Uruguay traditional food. Its name means “little goat,” but it’s made with beef.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 2 thin beef steaks (sirloin or tenderloin)
• 2 large sandwich rolls
• 4 slices ham
• 2 slices mozzarella
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 eggs
• Lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Season the steaks with salt and pepper.
2. Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Set aside.
3. Sear the steaks for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
4. Top each steak with ham and mozzarella. Cover the pan until the cheese melts.
5. Fry the eggs in the same pan.
6. Toast the rolls and spread with mayonnaise.
7. Stack lettuce, tomato, steak with ham and cheese, bacon, and a fried egg.

2. Milanesa (Breaded Steak)

Milanesa is a thin, breaded cutlet, and it shows up on almost every family table. It came to Uruguay with Italian immigrants. Uruguayans eat it on its own, in a sandwich, or as “milanesa a la napolitana,” topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese.

Ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 thin beef cutlets
• 2 eggs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• Oil for frying
• Lemon wedges

Steps:

1. Whisk the eggs with garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper.
2. Dip each cutlet in the egg, then press into the breadcrumbs.
3. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet.
4. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden.
5. Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon.

Tip: Chicken or turkey cutlets work too. Want more ideas for lean meat? Try our list of Ground Turkey Recipes for quick weeknight meals.

3. Choripán with Chimichurri

Choripán is a grilled sausage in crusty bread, topped with chimichurri. It’s the classic starter at any Uruguayan asado. This is one of the most loved Uruguay foods for a reason: it takes minutes and tastes amazing.

Chimichurri ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

Choripán ingredients (serves 4):

• 4 chorizo sausages (Spanish style fresh chorizo or any pork sausage)
• 4 crusty rolls

Steps:

1. Mix all chimichurri ingredients in a bowl. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
2. Grill or pan fry the sausages until cooked through.
3. Split the sausages lengthwise if you like (this is called “mariposa,” or butterfly style).
4. Toast the rolls on the grill.
5. Place a sausage in each roll and spoon chimichurri on top.

4. Fainá (Chickpea Flatbread)

Fainá is a thin, crispy flatbread made from chickpea flour. It came from Genoa, Italy, where it’s called farinata. In Uruguay, people often place a slice of fainá right on top of their pizza. This is called “a caballo,” or “on horseback.”

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper

Steps:

1. Whisk the flour, water, and salt until smooth. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
3. Pour the olive oil into a round baking pan and heat it in the oven for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the batter into the hot pan.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges.
6. Add black pepper and cut into wedges.

Bonus: Fainá is naturally gluten free, so it’s great for guests who avoid wheat.

5. Torta Frita (Fried Dough)

Torta frita is a round piece of fried dough. In Uruguay, it’s a rainy day tradition. When the clouds roll in, families make a batch to enjoy with mate, the country’s favorite herbal drink. Few dishes say Uruguay traditional food like torta frita on a gray afternoon.

Ingredients (makes about 10):

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or lard
• About 1 cup warm water
• Oil for frying
• Sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Steps:

1. Mix flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the melted butter and warm water. Knead into a soft dough.
3. Rest the dough for 20 minutes.
4. Divide into balls and roll each into a thin circle.
5. Poke a small hole in the center of each circle so it cooks evenly.
6. Fry in hot oil for about 1 minute per side until puffed and golden.
7. Sprinkle with sugar or eat plain.

6. Empanadas

Empanadas are hand held pastries stuffed with savory fillings. In Uruguay, beef and ham and cheese are the most common choices. They’re perfect for parties and freeze well.

Ingredients (makes about 12):

• 12 empanada dough discs (store bought)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup green olives, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten (for brushing)

Steps:

1. Cook the onion and pepper in a little oil until soft.
2. Add the ground beef, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned.
3. Let the filling cool, then stir in the eggs and olives.
4. Place a spoonful of filling on each disc.
5. Fold in half and crimp the edges with a fork.
6. Brush with beaten egg.
7. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until golden.

7. Pascualina (Spinach and Egg Pie)

Pascualina is a savory pie filled with greens, cheese, and whole eggs. It has Italian roots and is traditionally served around Easter, but Uruguayans eat it all year. When you slice it, the baked eggs inside make a pretty surprise.

Ingredients (serves 6):

• 2 store bought pie crusts
• 1 pound fresh spinach or Swiss chard
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 6 eggs (2 for the filling, 4 whole)
• Salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg

Steps:

1. Cook the onion until soft. Add the greens and cook until wilted. Drain well.
2. Mix the greens with Parmesan, ricotta, 2 beaten eggs, and seasoning.
3. Line a pie dish with one crust. Add the filling.
4. Make 4 small wells in the filling and crack an egg into each.
5. Cover with the second crust, seal the edges, and cut a few slits on top.
6. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 40 to 45 minutes until golden.

8. Alfajores de Maicena (Cornstarch Cookies)

Alfajores are soft cookie sandwiches filled with dulce de leche and rolled in coconut. The cornstarch version, called alfajores de maicena, melts in your mouth. They’re the sweetest way to finish your tour of easy Uruguayan recipes at home.

Ingredients (makes about 20 sandwiches):

• 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup dulce de leche
• Shredded coconut

Steps:

1. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest.
3. Mix in the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder to form a soft dough.
4. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into small circles.
6. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. They should stay pale.
7. Cool, then sandwich two cookies with dulce de leche.
8. Roll the edges in coconut.

Gluten free swap: Replace the flour with a gluten free blend for a version almost anyone can enjoy. For more ideas, see our collection of Gluten Free Dessert Recipes.

Drinks to Serve With Uruguay Foods

No Uruguayan meal feels complete without the right drink:

• Mate: A strong herbal tea sipped from a gourd through a metal straw. Many Uruguayans carry a thermos of hot water everywhere.
• Tannat: Uruguay’s signature red wine, perfect with grilled beef.

Tips for Cooking Uruguay Traditional Food

1. Don’t skip dulce de leche. Buy it in jars or make it by slowly simmering sweetened condensed milk.
2. Use thin cuts of meat. Ask your butcher to slice steaks thin for chivito and milanesa.
3. Make chimichurri ahead. It tastes better after a few hours.
4. Buy empanada discs. Many grocery stores sell them frozen in the Latin food aisle.
5. Cook for a crowd. These dishes are meant to be shared.

Building a Uruguayan Menu

Want to host a Uruguayan night? Here’s an easy menu plan using these easy Uruguayan recipes at home:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the national dish of Uruguay? The chivito is the national sandwich, while asado, grilled beef, is the national meal.

Is Uruguay food spicy? No. Most Uruguay foods are mild. Chimichurri adds a little kick, but heat levels are low.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to fly to Montevideo to enjoy Uruguay traditional food. With a skillet, an oven, and a few pantry basics, you can make easy Uruguayan recipes at home any night of the week. Start with a chivito or a batch of fainá, then work your way up to pascualina and alfajores. Your kitchen will smell like a Uruguayan Sunday in no time.

Key Takeaways

• Easy Uruguayan recipes at home include chivito, milanesa, choripán, fainá, torta frita, empanadas, pascualina, and alfajores.
• Uruguay food is hearty and mild, with Spanish and Italian roots.
• Beef is the star ingredient, and asado is a weekend tradition.
• Dulce de leche is the key ingredient in most Uruguayan desserts.
• Fainá is naturally gluten free, and alfajores can be made gluten free with a simple swap.
• Mate is the national drink and pairs with almost every meal.