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Tortas Fritas con Mate

Name: Tortas Fritas con Mate
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp butter, softened; 3/4 cup warm water; 2 cups vegetable oil or beef fat, for frying; 1/4 cup sugar, for dusting (optional); 1 cup yerba mate, for brewing

Golden fried dough and a gourd of hot mate — the beloved rainy-day pairing that turns a gray afternoon into a party.

⏱ 25 minPrep time

🔥 15 minCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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In Uruguay, the smell of tortas fritas frying means rain is on the way — or already here. It is a family ritual: someone rolls the dough, someone tends the pan, and someone keeps the mate gourd filled while everyone gathers around the table, tearing warm tortas fritas and dunking them in sugar if they like.

Rainy days were made for this

These tortas fritas are slightly sweet, soft in the middle and crackly at the edges, and the hot, earthy bitterness of the mate is the perfect counterpoint. A dusting of sugar is optional but traditional in many homes — either way, they disappear fast.

Uruguayan recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, rub in the butter, then add the warm water and knead for 5 minutes into a soft, smooth dough.
Cover and rest the dough for 15 minutes.
Divide into 10 balls and stretch each into a thin 5-inch round with a hole cut in the center.
Heat the oil in a deep skillet to 350°F and fry the rounds in batches for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, until puffed and golden.
Drain on paper towels and dust with sugar while still warm, if you like.
Brew the mate (or serve hot tea or coffee) and pass the tortas fritas around while they're still warm.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The dough should be soft but not sticky — adjust with a spoonful of flour or water. These are best eaten within the hour, straight from the pan to the table.

Recipe details

Prep25 min

Cook15 min

Servings6

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

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 →

Tortas Fritas con Mate

Rainy days were made for this

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

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Tortas Fritas con Mate

Rainy days were made for this

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

Rate this recipe

Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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