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Overview

Uruguayan Roast Potatoes

Papas al Horno, Papas Asadas Uruguayas

This uruguayan roast potatoes recipe roasts thick potato wedges in beef dripping with garlic, rosemary and red and green peppers until the edges are crisp and the middles are soft. One serving is about 302 g and carries 296 calories. It is the parrilla side dish — cooked in the fat of the grill, and served straight from the tray beside the meat.

At a Uruguayan asado the meat cooks over wood embers, and the potatoes traditionally roast alongside it — in the pan, in the coals, or in the oven in the fat that runs off the grill. Beef dripping gives them their flavour: crisp, golden edges and soft middles, with garlic, rosemary and sweet peppers. It is a side dish built from the grill itself, and it is served straight from the tray while the meat rests.

Pairs well with: Serve hot from the tray beside grilled meat, with chimichurri on the side.

Provenance

Uruguay flag Uruguay

Uruguayan Parrilla Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

55m

15m prep • 40m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

296 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 302 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (One Tray)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Asado lunches, Sunday roasts, family gatherings, barbecue sides Cost: Low — about $1.25 per serving at home
Tags: Vegetables Savory Roasted
Golden roast potato wedges with red and green peppers and herbs in a steel bowl

Uruguayan Parrilla Classic

Photo: P1898, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $1.25 per serving at home (USD)

This is a parrilla dish, not generic roast potatoes: the wedges roast in beef dripping with garlic, rosemary and peppers, and are served with asado — no other roast-potato dish is published on this site.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 55m
P

Prep Stage: Potatoes and Peppers

15 Mins • Potatoes and Peppers

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thick wedges, then soak them in cold water for 10 minutes. Cut the peppers into wide strips, slice the garlic, and strip the rosemary leaves. Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F).

Maestro Tip: Soaking the wedges in cold water washes off surface starch, so the edges crisp instead of sticking together.

  1. 1

    Cut and soak the potatoes

    10 Mins Cold water, about 15°C (59°F)

    Peel the potatoes and cut each one into 6 thick wedges. Put them in a bowl of cold water and leave them for 10 minutes, then drain and dry them well with a clean towel.

    Dry the wedges properly — wet potatoes steam instead of roasting, and the edges never crisp.

    Done when: Even, thick wedges, pale and dry to the touch.

  2. 2

    Heat the tallow

    5 Mins Oven, 220°C (425°F)

    Put the beef tallow in a large roasting tray and slide it into the oven at 220°C (425°F) for 5 minutes, until the fat is melted and shimmering hot.

    The tray must be properly hot before the potatoes go in — that first sizzle is what makes the crisp crust.

    Done when: The fat is fully melted, clear and shimmering.

  3. 3

    Roast the potatoes

    20 Mins Oven, 220°C (425°F)

    Tip the dry wedges into the hot fat, turn them once so every side is coated, then spread them in a single layer with the cut sides down. Season with salt and pepper and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 20 minutes without moving them.

    Do not crowd the tray — wedges that touch steam each other soft, so use a big tray and keep a gap between them.

    Done when: The undersides are golden and crisp, and the wedges release easily from the tray.

  4. 4

    Add peppers, garlic and rosemary

    20 Mins Oven, 220°C (425°F)

    Turn the wedges over, scatter the pepper strips, sliced garlic and rosemary over the top, and roast for 20 minutes more at 220°C (425°F), until the potatoes are deep golden and the peppers are soft at the edges.

    The peppers and garlic go in for the second half only — added at the start, the garlic burns and the peppers dry out.

    Done when: Deep golden edges, soft fluffy middles, and peppers that are tender, not burnt.

  5. 5

    Rest and serve

    5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

    Take the tray out of the oven, rest the potatoes for 5 minutes, then tip them into a warm bowl — as in the photo — and serve at once, while the edges are still crisp.

    Serve them straight away: roast potatoes lose their crunch fast once they sit.

    Done when: Crisp outside, fluffy inside, hot all the way through.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the uruguayan roast potatoes hot from the tray, golden and crisp, beside the meat — the parrilla side that disappears first.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

296

kcal / serving

Protein

5g

Complete AA

Carbs

44g

Complex

Fats

12g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 302 g)
Energy296 kcal
Protein5 g
Carbohydrates44 g
Fat12 g
Fibre6.2 g
Sugar3.9 g
Sodium598 mg
Per 100g
Energy98 kcal
Protein1.8 g
Carbohydrates14.6 g
Fat3.9 g
Fibre2.1 g
Sugar1.3 g
Sodium198 mg

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

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C (peppers), vitamin B6 and potassium (potato), vitamin A (red pepper), vitamin K (rosemary).

Potassium and Vitamin B6

Each serving carries potassium and vitamin B6 from the potatoes, with vitamin C from the peppers.

Fibre That Fills You Up

About 6.2 g of fibre per serving from potatoes and peppers, so a modest portion is genuinely satisfying.

One Tray, No Fuss

Everything roasts in a single tray in the oven while the meat cooks on the grill — no extra pans, no watching.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

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

Sides

Uruguayan Asado

The potatoes are made for the grill — they soak up the meat juices and the beef-dripping flavour matches the asado exactly.

Vegetables

Tomato and Onion Salad

A sharp tomato salad cuts the richness of the roast potatoes and keeps the plate fresh.

Sauces

Chimichurri

A spoonful of chimichurri over the hot wedges adds garlic, parsley and vinegar brightness to the rich, crisp potatoes.

Drinks

Red Wine or Sparkling Water

A light red wine suits the asado table, and sparkling water keeps the meal fresh.

Complete menu

Serve the roast potatoes hot beside Uruguayan asado with a tomato and onion salad and crusty bread, then a slice of torta de manzana to finish, for a full Uruguayan lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

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

Crowding the Tray

Wedges packed together steam instead of roasting, so they come out soft and pale — use a big tray and leave gaps. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Adding the Garlic Too Early

Garlic burns at roasting heat and turns bitter, so it goes in for the second half of the cooking only. This is general food information, not medical advice.

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

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA golden, filling side — one serving with grilled meat is a full lunch for most adults.
  • ChildrenSoft inside and easy to eat; let them cool a little first.
  • ElderlySoft, easy to chew and gentle on the stomach; serve hot with a tomato salad.
  • Pregnant womenEat hot and fresh; the potatoes are cooked right through.
  • Breastfeeding womenA nourishing, energy-rich side that is ready when the meat comes off the grill.
  • AthletesGood after training: about 296 calories with 44.1 g of carbohydrate per serving.
  • Weight gainA generous serving with grilled meat is an easy way to add energy.
  • Weight lossAt 296 calories a serving it is filling for its energy — keep the portion as written and skip second helpings.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesAbout 44.1 g of carbohydrate per serving, mostly slow-digesting potato starch — a modest portion is gentler; ask a clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureAbout 598 mg of sodium per serving — keep the salt as written and skip extra salty sides; ask a clinician if you watch sodium.
  • Kidney diseasePotato is high in potassium, so portions matter — ask a clinician before making it a regular meal.
  • GoutPotatoes and peppers are low in purines, so this dish is usually fine for gout — ask a clinician if gout is a concern.
  • Stomach issuesRoast potatoes are gentle for most stomachs; the peppers can be a trigger for some people.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseCooked in beef tallow, which is high in saturated fat — a modest portion fits better; ask a clinician about frequency.
  • Fatty liverThe beef dripping adds saturated fat — keep portions modest; ask a clinician about portion size.
  • Food allergiesContains no common allergen, but the beef tallow is an animal fat — check with guests who avoid beef; ask a clinician if you have allergies.
  • Special therapeutic dietsAsk a clinician or dietitian before using this dish in a therapeutic diet — it is cooked in beef tallow and is high in potassium.

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

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool completely, then keep in a sealed container in the fridge.
In the fridge
3 days in the fridge at 4°C (39°F) or below.
In the freezer
Up to 1 month, but they lose their crispness — freeze only if you must.
How to reheat
Reheat in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes until crisp and steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F) inside; never reheat in the microwave if you want them crisp.
Freezing recommended
No — roast potatoes are best fresh; freezing makes them soft.
Signs it has spoiled
A sour smell, a slimy surface, or any mould — discard them.

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