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    Home / Dinner / Torta Frita Uruguaya

    Torta Frita Uruguaya

    Pillowy fried dough rounds with a signature hole in the middle, golden and crisp on the outside — the classic companion to mate on rainy days.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 15 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Torta Frita Uruguaya

    Tortas fritas are the taste of rainy afternoons in Uruguay: when the sky opens, the pan of hot fat comes out and the dough gets stretched, holed, and fried. They are eaten by hand with a hot cup of mate, often with no sugar at all — just the honest flavor of fried dough and salt.

    The hole is the whole point

    Each torta frita puffs up in the hot fat until it is crisp and blistered on the outside while staying soft and almost pillowy within. The hole in the center isn’t decoration — it keeps the dough from ballooning and helps it cook through evenly.

    Uruguayan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl, then rub in the butter with your fingertips until crumbly.
    2. Add the warm water gradually and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough, then knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
    3. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.
    4. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, roll each into a ball, then stretch or roll each ball into a thin 5-inch round.
    5. Cut a 1-inch hole in the center of each round with a small cookie cutter or the tip of a knife.
    6. Heat the oil in a deep skillet to 350°F and fry the tortas fritas one or two at a time for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until puffed and golden brown.
    7. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately, still warm, with a thermos of hot mate.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    The dough should be softer than pasta dough but firm enough to handle; if it sticks, flour your board lightly. Tortas fritas are best eaten within the hour — reheat leftovers briefly in a hot oven to bring back the crisp.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook15 min
    Servings6
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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