Uruguayan Recipes

10 recipes

Uruguayan cooking is shaped by cattle country and by immigrants, above all from Italy and Spain. Beef is the center of the table, and asado, meat grilled slowly over embers, is a weekend ritual. Alongside it come milanesas, chivito sandwiches, pasta, pizza and gnocchi, a reminder of the large Italian presence. Home cooking leans on hearty stews such as carbonada and lentil guiso, and on pies and fried breads such as pascualina and torta frita, which are especially popular on rainy days. Seasoning is gentle, with garlic, oregano, parsley and sweet paprika, and chimichurri or salsa criolla served on the side. Dulce de leche appears in alfajores, flan and cakes, and mate, the herbal infusion, goes everywhere in a thermos. Chile heat is rare, and a long Sunday lunch with the extended family is the main meal of the week.