Uruguay, a South American gem nestled between Argentina and Brazil, is a country celebrated for its rich agricultural lands and, consequently, its exceptional food culture. Eighty percent of Uruguay’s terrain is dedicated to agriculture, providing a bounty of beef, lamb, poultry, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables. The coastline teems with fresh fish and seafood, ensuring that Uruguayans have access to high-quality ingredients from farm to table, often within a short distance. This abundance translates into a vibrant and flavorful cuisine that is both hearty and deeply satisfying.
While Uruguayan cuisine shares some Latin American and Spanish influences, its strongest culinary roots trace back to Italy. Waves of Italian immigrants from the 1830s to the 1920s profoundly shaped Uruguay’s food traditions. Today, over 40% of Uruguayans are of Italian descent, a legacy vividly reflected in the nation’s pasta dishes, pizzas, and the communal dining culture.
For anyone eager to explore South American flavors, Uruguay Food offers a delightful and accessible entry point. This guide will take you through 30 iconic Uruguayan dishes that you absolutely must try to truly experience the nation’s culinary heart.
1. Barbecued Beef and Chicken
The asado is the cornerstone of Uruguayan social and culinary life. This traditional barbecue, rooted in gaucho culture, is a centuries-old ritual of grilling over wood coals. More than just a cooking method, an asado is a social gathering, a celebration of family, friends, and fantastic food. The term parrilla refers to the grill itself or a restaurant specializing in grilled meats, essentially a barbecue house.
Uruguayan parrillas are typically large, designed to cater to big gatherings, and feature an angled grilling surface above the wood embers. This angle is key, allowing the asador (grill master) to precisely control the cooking temperature by moving food closer to or further from the heat source.
Beef is the undisputed king of the asado. Asado de tira, a flavorful rib strip roast, is a highly prized cut. Adventurous eaters might also enjoy grilled beef chinchulín (small intestines) and molleja (sweetbreads), adding to the variety of textures and tastes. Chicken is also a staple at most asados. Typically quartered for even cooking (two breasts and two thighs/legs), chicken often benefits from a hot brick placed on top during grilling to ensure consistent heat distribution and juicy results.
2. Barbecued Sausages
Following beef, sausages are the second most popular item on the Uruguayan parrilla. Chorizo, a pork sausage, is the most common and widely enjoyed variety. Morcilla, blood sausage, is another favorite, offering two distinct options: sweet or savory. Sweet morcilla often incorporates raisins and nuts for a unique flavor profile.
Parrilla para Dos: For those wanting to sample a bit of everything, many parrillas offer a “parrilla para dos” (grill for two). This generous platter is a carnivore’s dream, featuring an assortment of beef cuts, various sausages, and chicken. Often presented on a small brazier of hot coals at your table, the parrilla para dos keeps your meal warm and encourages leisurely dining.
3. Barbecued Vegetables
While meat dominates the asado, barbecued vegetables are also a welcome and increasingly popular addition. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers are common choices. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are typically wrapped in aluminum foil before grilling, allowing them to steam and soften while absorbing the smoky barbecue flavors.
Vegetarianism in Uruguay: Despite Uruguay’s reputation as a meat-loving nation, with the highest beef consumption per capita globally, vegetarian options are readily available. Montevideo boasts a growing number of vegetarian restaurants, and most restaurant menus now include vegetarian choices, reflecting a growing awareness and acceptance of vegetarianism in Uruguay.
4. Barbecued Provolone Cheese
Provoleta, barbecued provolone cheese, is a beloved appetizer at Uruguayan barbecues, showcasing the Italian culinary influence. It can be prepared in two main ways. The first involves grilling a thick round of mild provolone cheese, about four to five inches in diameter and half an inch thick. The cheese is grilled until it becomes hot, soft, and wonderfully gooey. It’s then divided into portions for sharing, often sprinkled with oregano and red pepper flakes for added flavor.
Another method uses a special ceramic tray resembling a miniature muffin tin. Bite-sized cubes of provolone cheese are placed in the small cups and melted over the barbecue. The ceramic tray then doubles as a serving dish, keeping the cheese warm and melty.
5. Chimichurri
Chimichurri is the quintessential Uruguayan sauce for grilled meats. This vibrant and herbaceous condiment is made from finely chopped parsley, oregano, and garlic, emulsified in olive oil with a touch of vinegar and pepper. While traditionally served with meat, chimichurri is so flavorful that Uruguayans often enjoy it with bread as well, dipping crusty slices into the piquant mixture.
Uruguayan Barbecue Sides: A classic Uruguayan asado typically includes simple accompaniments that complement the rich grilled flavors. A common salad is a refreshing mix of lettuce and tomato, sometimes enhanced with grated carrots and/or onions. The dressing is light and simple: olive oil, vinegar, and salt, allowing the fresh ingredients to shine. Bread, such as sliced baguette or a basket of rolls, is always served, perfect for soaking up chimichurri or enjoying alongside the grilled feast.
6. Fish and Seafood
Uruguayans are avid consumers of fish and seafood, thanks to the country’s extensive coastline. Locally caught fish varieties, including corvina, merluza, pescadilla, brótola, and lenguado, are known for their mild, white meat and delicate flavor. These fish are typically prepared simply, either baked or grilled, and served with a carefully chosen garnish that enhances their natural taste without overpowering it.
7. Pizza
Pizza in Uruguay has its own distinct character, reflecting the Italian heritage. Ordering a “pizza” in Uruguay will get you a pizza crust topped with tomato sauce, but no cheese. To get a standard cheese pizza, you need to order a “muzzarella,” which is a pizza with sauce and melted mozzarella cheese.
Some pizzerias offer muzzarellas with pre-set toppings, such as a “Margherita” with cheese, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Others allow you to customize your pizza from a list of toppings. Popular choices in Uruguay include tuna, sardines, anchovies, peppers, olives, mushrooms, pepperoni, bacon, and even pineapple, demonstrating a willingness to embrace diverse flavors.
8. Fainá
Fainá is a staple in Uruguayan pizzerias, often served alongside pizza. It’s similar to a pizza crust but made with chickpea flour. Fainá is typically served plain, without sauce, cheese, or toppings, allowing its unique, slightly nutty flavor to shine. It’s often enjoyed as a side dish or a light snack.
9. Pasta Dishes
Pasta dishes are deeply ingrained in Uruguayan cuisine, a testament to the strong Italian influence. Varieties like fettuccine, tortellini, and ravioli are incredibly popular and found on menus across the country. Ravioli comes with a wide array of fillings, from classic meat and cheese to more unique options. Squash-filled ravioli is a particularly delicious and often recommended choice.
10. Ñoquis de Papa
Ñoquis de papa (potato gnocchi) hold a special place in Uruguayan culinary tradition, linked to a monthly ritual. Eating gnocchi on the 29th of each month is a cherished custom. Superstition suggests that dining on ñoquis de papa at a restaurant on the 29th and leaving a coin under your plate will ensure financial prosperity for the coming month.
A classic accompaniment for ñoquis is salsa tuco, a hearty red sauce made with meat and vegetables, providing a rich and flavorful topping for the soft potato dumplings.
11. Chivito
Chivito, meaning “little goat,” is Uruguay’s most famous and beloved sandwich, despite not containing goat meat. This hearty and indulgent sandwich consists of a slice of roast beef, Canadian bacon, mozzarella cheese, and a fried egg, all nestled within a soft bun. Optional additions often include lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, olives, onions, and mayonnaise, allowing for customization. A chivito is almost always served with a generous portion of french fries.
The chivito was born in the 1940s at El Mejillón restaurant in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Legend has it that an Argentine woman requested chivito, meaning goat meat, at the restaurant. The owner, Antonio Carbonaro, explained he didn’t have goat but promised to create something equally delicious. Improvising, he made a sandwich with a thin beef filet, ham, cheese, and various garnishes, calling it a chivito. The sandwich was an instant success, with Carbonaro reportedly selling up to 1,000 chivitos a day.
12. Chivito al Plato
For those who prefer to skip the bun, chivito al plato offers all the delicious components of the chivito sandwich served on a plate. Instead of a bun, the ingredients are presented atop a bed of ensalada rusa (Russian salad, described below). This deconstructed version allows you to enjoy the same flavors with a knife and fork, offering a slightly lighter and more refined dining experience.
13. Ensalada Rusa
Ensalada rusa (Russian salad) is a common and popular side dish in Uruguay, despite its international origins. The Uruguayan version is a simple and refreshing salad made with chopped boiled potatoes, carrots, and peas. Variations may include chopped hard-boiled eggs and olives, adding extra texture and flavor.
Ensalada rusa has a fascinating history, created in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, a Belgian chef of French origin at the Hermitage Restaurant in Moscow. The original “Olivier salad” was a luxurious dish with expensive ingredients like partridge meat and caviar. Over time, particularly after the formation of the Soviet Union, the salad evolved to use more accessible ingredients, resulting in the simpler, potato-based version popular today across Spain, Mexico, and the Southern Cone of South America, including Uruguay.
14. Empanadas
Empanadas are savory turnovers, a versatile and beloved snack or meal in Uruguay. Made from pastry dough rolled into five-inch rounds, the dough is folded over a filling, and the edges are crimped closed. Empanadas can be either baked or fried, depending on preference and regional variations.
Popular empanada fillings in Uruguay include:
- Beef: A classic filling with ground beef, chopped boiled egg, onion, bell pepper, raisins, and herbs, creating a complex and flavorful mixture.
- Chicken with curry: A more modern and internationally influenced filling, offering a spicier and aromatic option.
- Four cheeses: A rich and cheesy filling combining mozzarella, Colonia (a local Uruguayan cheese), ricotta, and Parmesan with a hint of garlic.
Beyond these, you can find vegetarian empanadas, seafood empanadas, and even dessert empanadas. Dessert versions are typically filled with dulce de leche or a spiced apple and raisin mixture with cinnamon.
15. Choripán
Choripán is a simple yet satisfying street food classic. It consists of a grilled chorizo sausage served in a sliced roll, often accompanied by a generous drizzle of chimichurri sauce. Choripán is a popular and flavorful snack, perfect for a quick bite on the go.
Uruguayan Fine Cheeses: Uruguay has a notable cheese-making tradition, dating back to the 1860s with the arrival of Swiss immigrants who brought their cheese-making expertise. While large commercial dairies now produce most of the cheese in Uruguay, artisanal, hand-crafted cheeses are still available. Seek out street markets and specialty cheese shops to discover these small-batch, flavorful cheeses, often made using traditional methods.
16. Panchos
Pancho is the Uruguayan term for a beef and pork frankfurter, similar to a hot dog. Served in a bun with mustard and other condiments, panchos are a popular and affordable street food. They come in two sizes: regular and extra-long, with the latter comically extending beyond both ends of the bun. Panchos are frequently sold from street carts, making them an easily accessible and quick meal option.
17. Sándwiches de Miga
Sándwiches de miga are delicate crustless sandwiches made with a special, thinly sliced bread. Descended from the Italian tramezzino sandwich, sándwiches de miga are a popular choice for lunches, bar snacks, and party catering in Uruguay.
Many sándwiches de miga have specific names in Uruguay. A “Grace” is a simple combination of ham, cheese, and mayonnaise. An “Olimpico” is more elaborate, featuring ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, hard-boiled egg slices, olives, and mayonnaise.
Other popular sándwiches de miga fillings include:
- Tomato and sliced hard-boiled egg
- Sliced hard-boiled egg and tuna
- Chicken with sliced avocado, tomato, and lettuce
Sándwiches triangulares are cut diagonally into triangles, while sándwiches copetín are cut into small squares for bite-sized portions. Sándwiches de miga triples are made with three slices of bread and two layers of filling for a more substantial sandwich.
18. Pamplona
Pamplona is a flavorful stuffed meat dish. It consists of a thick slice of chicken or pork that is rolled up with bacon, ham, and cooked bell pepper around a mozzarella stick. The meat roll is then wrapped in aluminum foil and baked until tender and flavorful. After cooking, pamplona is sliced and often served with chimichurri sauce, adding a zesty counterpoint to the rich meat.
19. Milanesa
Milanesas are breaded cutlets of beef or chicken, another dish reflecting Italian influence, similar to the Italian cotoletta. They can be baked or fried, offering versatility in preparation. Popular milanesa variations in Uruguay include:
- Milanesa a la napolitana: A baked milanesa topped with ham, mozzarella cheese, tomato, and oregano, mimicking the flavors of a Neapolitan pizza.
- Milanesa rellena: Typically a thick chicken cutlet stuffed with ham and cheese before breading and cooking, creating a richer and more decadent milanesa.
- Milanesa al pan: A milanesa served on bread, essentially a milanesa sandwich, often with additions like ham, tomato, lettuce, and mayonnaise.
20. Revuelto Gramajo
Revuelto gramajo (scrambled gramajo) is a unique and flavorful scrambled egg dish. It’s made with fried julienned potatoes (French-cut), fried bacon, sautéed onions, and chopped ham, all scrambled together with an egg mixture. Seasoned with pepper and parsley, revuelto gramajo is a hearty and satisfying dish, often enjoyed for brunch or a light meal.
Simple Whole Foods in Uruguay: While Uruguayan cuisine is rich in flavorful dishes, it’s important to note that Uruguayans also embrace simple, whole foods in their daily diets. Staples like beans, lentils, rice, and oatmeal are common, along with baked or steamed vegetables. Popular whole food snacks include a variety of nuts and cheeses, fresh fruit, and olives, showcasing a balanced approach to eating.
21. Polenta
Polenta, made from boiled cornmeal, is another Italian-inspired dish that has become a part of Uruguayan cuisine. Polenta can be prepared as a creamy porridge or baked into a firmer consistency. In Uruguay, polenta porridge is often topped with tuco sauce, the same rich meat and vegetable sauce served with ñoquis. Baked polenta is sometimes layered with ham and cheese in the middle, creating a savory and comforting casserole.
22. Tortas Fritas
Tortas fritas (fried cakes) are a simple and inexpensive treat, especially popular on cooler days. These round, flat fried biscuits are sprinkled with sugar while still warm. Often sold from street carts on winter evenings, tortas fritas are a comforting and filling snack, perfect for warming up on a chilly day.
23. Medialunas
Medialunas are Uruguayan crescent-shaped pastries, similar to croissants. They are available glazed or plain. Glazed medialunas paired with coffee are a quintessential Uruguayan breakfast. Plain medialunas can be sliced and enjoyed with butter and jam or used to make ham and cheese sandwiches for an afternoon snack, showcasing their versatility.
24. Flan
Flan, a baked custard dessert, is a classic sweet ending in Uruguay. Often served with a dollop of dulce de leche, flan offers a creamy and sweet finish to a meal. The combination of smooth flan and rich dulce de leche is a quintessential Uruguayan dessert pairing.
25. Dulce de Leche
Dulce de leche is undoubtedly Uruguay’s favorite sweet flavor. This thick, sweet sauce is made from caramelized milk, resulting in a rich, toffee-like flavor. Dulce de leche is incredibly versatile, used as a spread for toast and pastries, a filling for sweet empanadas and alfajores, and a flavoring for ice cream, cakes, and countless other desserts. It is a true staple of Uruguayan sweets.
26. Churros
Churros are a popular dessert pastry enjoyed in Uruguay and throughout Latin America. Made by extruding dough through a churro dispenser, creating long star-shaped pastries, churros are fried until golden and crispy. They can be dusted with sugar or, for an extra indulgence, spread with dulce de leche.
27. Martín Fierro
Martín Fierro is a simple yet iconic Uruguayan dessert, named after the protagonist of a famous gaucho poem from 1872. It consists of a slice of cheese paired with an equal-sized slice of quince paste (dulce de membrillo) placed on top. The sweet and slightly tangy quince paste complements the mild cheese, creating a balanced and traditional dessert.
28. Pastafrola Uruguaya
Pastafrola Uruguaya is a quince paste-filled pie, another dessert featuring dulce de membrillo. The pie is filled with quince paste and topped with a lattice of crisscrossed dough strips before baking. Pastafrola Uruguaya is a comforting and traditional pie, showcasing the popularity of quince paste in Uruguayan desserts.
29. Alfajores
Alfajores are a beloved cookie sandwich in Uruguay. They consist of two large, flaky cookies with a generous filling of either chocolate or dulce de leche. In Uruguay, you’ll find both dark and white alfajores. Dark alfajores are dipped in rich dark chocolate, while white alfajores are dusted with delicate meringue powder, offering a lighter sweetness.
30. Chajá
Chajá is a unique Uruguayan dessert with an interesting backstory. Named after the chajá bird, a large duck native to the region, Chajá is a frozen dessert invented in 1927 by Orlando Castellano, a confectioner in Paysandú, Uruguay. This layered dessert features peaches, cream, cake, and meringue, creating a delightful combination of textures and flavors. While originating in Paysandú, Chajá is now popular throughout Uruguay.
Popular Beverages in Uruguay
Yerba Mate: Yerba mate is more than just a beverage in Uruguay; it’s a cultural icon. This tea-like infusion is made from the yerba mate herb and drunk from a hollow gourd (called a mate) using a metal straw (called a bombilla). While yerba mate is enjoyed across South America, Uruguayans consume more per capita than any other nation, highlighting its central role in Uruguayan daily life.
Agua con Gas: Agua con gas (sparkling water) is a widely popular and refreshing alternative to soft drinks in Uruguay. Its crispness and clean taste make it a favorite beverage throughout the day.
Wine: Uruguay boasts a thriving wine industry, a legacy of Italian immigrants who planted vineyards and established wineries. Uruguayan wines are gaining international recognition for their quality and unique character. Uruguay’s signature grape is Tannat, producing a full-bodied red wine that pairs perfectly with steak and asado. Other wine varieties grown in Uruguay include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Albariño, offering a diverse range of Uruguayan wines to explore.
Uruguayan food is a delightful blend of South American heartiness and Italian sophistication. From the smoky flavors of asado to the sweet indulgence of dulce de leche, Uruguay offers a culinary experience that is both comforting and exciting. Exploring these 30 dishes is just the beginning of a delicious journey through Uruguay’s rich food culture.
