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Overview

Uruguayan Pizza

Pizza Uruguaya, Pizza a la Piedra, Uruguayan Muzzarella Pizza

This uruguayan pizza recipe is the Montevideo pizzeria classic: a thick, soft, bread-like crust (pizza a la piedra, baked on stone or in a tray) covered in tomato sauce and a generous blanket of muzzarella, finished with oregano and green olives. Unlike thin Neapolitan pizza, the Uruguayan version is tall, cheesy and filling, and it is traditionally served with a slice of fainá — chickpea flatbread — on top. One serving is about 338 g.

Pizza reached Uruguay with Italian immigrants in the late 19th century, and Montevideo made it its own: the crust grew thick and soft, the cheese piled high, and the pizza became a meal in itself rather than a snack. Pizzerias in Montevideo still serve it by the slice, often with fainá — the chickpea flatbread brought from Genoa — laid on top, a combination found nowhere else.

Pairs well with: Fainá (chickpea flatbread), a simple green salad and a cold lager or red wine

Provenance

Uruguay flag Uruguay

Montevideo Pizzeria Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

1h 40m

75m prep • 25m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

914 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 338 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Yeasted Dough)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Family dinner, sharing with friends, weekend pizza night, football evenings Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Cheese Savory Vegetarian Baked
A whole round thick-crust pizza with melted muzzarella, green olives and oregano, cut into slices on a wooden board

Montevideo Pizzeria Classic

Photo: Horacio Cambeiro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A traditional thick-crust, mozzarella-heavy Uruguayan pizza with tomato sauce, oregano and green olives.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 40m
P

Make and rise the dough

75 minutes (15 active + 60 rising)

Mix the flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt and oil into a soft dough, knead until smooth and elastic, then leave it covered in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size. While it rises, grate the mozzarella, halve the olives and stir the sauce together.

Maestro Tip: A warm kitchen (about 25°C / 77°F) gives the best rise; in a cold kitchen, put the bowl in a switched-off oven with the light on.

  1. 1

    Mix and knead the dough

    15 minutes Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)

    Stir the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm water. Put the flour and 10 g salt in a large bowl, pour in the yeasted water and 30 ml olive oil, and mix to a shaggy dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic.

    The dough should be soft and slightly tacky — add a spoonful of water if it feels stiff, or a dusting of flour if it sticks badly.

    Done when: The dough springs back when poked and stretches without tearing.

  2. 2

    Let the dough rise

    60 minutes Warm place, about 25°C (77°F)

    Shape the dough into a ball, put it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or cling film, and leave for about 60 minutes until doubled in size.

    Do not rush the rise — a full hour gives the thick crust its soft, airy crumb.

    Done when: The dough has doubled in volume and holds a dent when poked gently.

  3. 3

    Shape the base and make the sauce

    10 minutes Oven preheating to 220°C (425°F)

    Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) with a baking tray or pizza stone inside. Knock the dough back, stretch it into a 30 cm round about 1.5 cm thick, and lay it on a sheet of baking paper. Stir the passata with the garlic, half the oregano, 2 g salt and 10 ml olive oil.

    Keep the edge slightly thicker than the middle so the sauce and cheese stay on the pizza.

    Done when: The base is an even round with a raised rim; the sauce is smooth and well seasoned.

  4. 4

    Top the pizza

    5 minutes No heat — room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)

    Spread the sauce over the base, leaving the rim bare. Scatter the grated mozzarella generously and evenly over the sauce, then dot the halved green olives on top and sprinkle with the remaining oregano.

    Use all the mozzarella — a thick cheese blanket is what makes this Uruguayan rather than Neapolitan.

    Done when: The sauce is fully covered by an even layer of cheese, with olives spread across the top.

  5. 5

    Bake until golden

    20–25 minutes 220°C (425°F)

    Slide the pizza (on its paper) onto the hot tray or stone and bake for 20–25 minutes until the crust is deep golden underneath, the cheese is melted and bubbling, and the edges are puffed and browned. Rest for 5 minutes, drizzle with the remaining oil, and cut into 8 slices.

    Lift a corner with a spatula to check the base — it should be golden and crisp, not pale and soft.

    Done when: The base is golden and firm enough to hold a slice, the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve hot, two slices per person, with a slice of fainá on top of each serving if you have it — the way it is eaten in Montevideo pizzerias.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

914

kcal / serving

Protein

37g

Complete AA

Carbs

104g

Complex

Fats

39g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 338 g)
Energy914 kcal
Protein37 g
Carbohydrates104 g
Fat39 g
Fibre5.3 g
Sugar4.5 g
Sodium2047 mg
Per 100g
Energy271 kcal
Protein10.9 g
Carbohydrates30.8 g
Fat11.5 g
Fibre1.6 g
Sugar1.3 g
Sodium607 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Provides calcium and phosphorus from the mozzarella, lycopene and vitamin C from the tomato sauce, and small amounts of B vitamins from the wheat crust. All nutrition values are estimated.

Energy for sharing

A quarter of the pizza gives about 914 kcal and 37 g of protein — a proper dinner, not a snack.

Calcium from the mozzarella

The generous cheese topping is a good source of calcium and phosphorus for bones and teeth.

Lycopene from the tomato sauce

Cooked tomato sauce is rich in lycopene, the red pigment linked with a healthy diet.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Fainá (chickpea flatbread)

The classic Montevideo pairing — a thin, soft chickpea flatbread laid over the pizza slice adds a nutty, savoury layer that completes the meal.

Vegetables

Simple green salad

Crisp lettuce, tomato and onion with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness of all that melted cheese.

Drinks

Cold lager or Tannat red wine

A cold lager refreshes the palate between bites; Uruguay’s Tannat red stands up well to the cheese.

Sparkling water with lemon

For a lighter option, sparkling water with lemon cleanses the palate without adding sweetness.

Complete menu

Serve the pizza as the main dinner with fainá on top, a green salad on the side, and fresh fruit or a light dessert afterwards.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Too much pizza in one sitting

This is a rich, salty, energy-dense pizza, so one quarter per person is a sensible portion — a second helping is easy to overdo. This is general information, not medical advice.

Storing leftover pizza in the box

Leftover slices go soggy in a closed box; cool them uncovered, then refrigerate in a sealed container and reheat in a hot oven, not the microwave.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty sharing dinner; one quarter of the pizza is a full portion for most adults.
  • ChildrenChildren love the thick cheesy crust — cut their slices smaller and skip the olives if they dislike them.
  • ElderlySoft crust and melted cheese are easy to chew; serve smaller slices and add salad for balance.
  • Pregnant womenSafe when made with pasteurised mozzarella and baked until the cheese is bubbling hot throughout.
  • Breastfeeding womenEnergy-rich and satisfying; pair with salad and water to balance the salt.
  • AthletesA strong carbohydrate and protein meal after training, with about 37 g of protein per serving.
  • Weight gainAn easy way to add energy — a quarter pizza plus fainá is a very filling meal.
  • Weight lossVery energy-dense, so take one slice instead of two and fill the plate with salad.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe thick crust is high in refined carbohydrate, so keep to one slice and add salad. Ask your clinician about portions for your needs.
  • High blood pressureCheese, olives and salt make this a high-sodium meal — use low-salt mozzarella and fewer olives if sodium is a concern. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Kidney diseaseCheese and wheat crust are high in phosphorus and potassium, so this pizza may not suit a restricted diet. Ask your clinician before eating it.
  • GoutCheese and yeast-based dough are moderate in purines; a single slice is usually the safer portion. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Stomach issuesThe rich cheese and tomato sauce can trigger reflux in some people — a smaller portion with salad is gentler. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseWhole-milk mozzarella adds saturated fat, so use part-skim mozzarella and keep the portion to one or two slices. Ask your clinician about fat intake.
  • Fatty liverA refined-carb, high-fat meal, so keep the portion small and load the side salad. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Food allergiesContains gluten (wheat) and milk (mozzarella). The dish is free of egg, nuts and soy — check the flour and cheese labels for additives.
  • Special therapeutic dietsVegetarian but not gluten-free or vegan; a gluten-free flour blend and dairy-free cheese can be substituted, with a softer crust. Ask a dietitian about fitting it to a prescribed diet.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool leftover slices uncovered, then store in a sealed container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Up to 3 days at 0–4°C (32–39°F).
In the freezer
Slices freeze well, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months.
How to reheat
Reheat in an oven at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 minutes until the cheese bubbles again and the base is crisp; heat to at least 74°C (165°F) inside.
Freezing recommended
Yes — freeze slices flat, separated by baking paper.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy cheese, or mould on the crust or toppings — discard if any of these appear.

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