Chivito Uruguayo Recipe: Uruguay's Ultimate Steak Sandwich 2026

Isabel Gaines
Chivito Uruguayo Recipe: Uruguay's Ultimate Steak Sandwich
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The chivito uruguayo is Uruguay's most beloved sandwich, a towering, satisfying stack that works as a full meal for lunch or dinner. Thin beef steaks, melted cheese, crispy bacon, a fried egg, ham, lettuce, tomato and mayo all pile into soft bread for a bite that is pure indulgence.

The name is a little misleading, because there is no goat involved at all. What you get instead is a generous combination of ingredients that can shift slightly depending on who is making it, and this version adds green olives and strips of roasted red pepper, both very common extras.


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Everything comes together in about 15 minutes, so it is ideal when you want something hearty without spending hours in the kitchen. Cook the fillings in separate pans so each one stays hot, then stack and serve right away.

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Chivito uruguayo sandwich ready to serve on a plate

Close-up of a stacked chivito uruguayo sandwich with all its fillings

Ingredients for Chivito Uruguayo

Makes 1 generous sandwich

  • 2 small beef loin steaks (about 200 g)
  • Ground black pepper
  • Oil for frying
  • 1 egg
  • Salt
  • 2 thick slices of cheese (mozzarella or similar)
  • 2 slices of bacon
  • 1 soft bread roll (elongated or round)
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 10 pitted green olives (sliced into rings)
  • 2 lettuce leaves (previously washed and dried)
  • 1 tomato (washed, dried and sliced)
  • 1 slice of cooked ham
  • 30 g roasted red pepper (in strips)

Ingredients for chivito uruguayo laid out on a table

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How to Make Chivito Uruguayo Step by Step

1. Flatten and Season the Steaks

First, set out all the ingredients on the table as listed so everything is ready to use and you can assemble this tasty sandwich quickly and while it is still hot. Next, flatten the 2 small beef loin steaks to make them a little thinner and larger. Then season both sides with ground black pepper to taste.

Flattening beef loin steaks for chivito uruguayo

2. Fry the Egg

Now cook the filling ingredients, and to serve them all hot it is best to prepare them in several pans. To make the fried egg, place a pan over high heat with plenty of frying oil, crack in the egg, add a pinch of salt and, once the oil is very hot, slide it into the pan and fry it to your liking. Remove the fried egg from the pan, draining off the oil well, and set it aside.

Frying an egg in hot oil for chivito uruguayo

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3. Sear the Beef Steaks

To cook the beef steaks on the griddle, place a lightly greased pan over medium-high heat and cook the steaks for about half a minute per side. Once cooked, season them with salt.

Searing beef steaks in a pan for chivito uruguayo

4. Melt the Cheese on Top

Remove the pan with the meat from the heat and place 2 thick slices of cheese, one on top of each steak, so they melt from the residual heat. Once the cheese has melted, take the steaks out of the pan and set them aside.

Melted cheese on top of the beef steaks

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5. Cook the Bacon

In a pan with no oil at all, griddle the 2 slices of bacon over medium-high heat until they turn golden on both sides.

Cooking bacon slices in a dry pan

6. Spread the Base with Mayo and Add Olives

At this point all the hot components will be ready, so you can start assembling the chivito uruguayo. To do this, split a soft bread roll in half and spread the base with 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Then distribute the 10 pitted green olives, which you will have sliced into rings beforehand, over the top.

Spreading mayonnaise on the bread base and adding sliced green olives

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7. Add the Lettuce and Tomato

Next, place the 2 lettuce leaves and 1 tomato sliced into rounds on top.

Lettuce leaves and tomato slices added to the sandwich

8. Layer the Bacon and Cheesy Steaks

Then add the bacon slices and the steaks with the melted cheese.

Bacon and cheese-topped steaks layered on the sandwich

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9. Top with Ham and Fried Egg

Now place 1 slice of cooked ham and the fried egg on top.

Cooked ham and fried egg placed on the chivito

10. Finish with Roasted Red Pepper

Finish by adding 30 g of roasted red pepper in strips over the top.

Strips of roasted red pepper added to the sandwich

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11. Close the Sandwich and Serve

Cover the sandwich with the other half of the bread, and your legendary chivito uruguayo is ready to serve freshly made and piping hot.

Chivito uruguayo closed with the top bun and ready to serve

Tips for the Best Chivito Uruguayo

Choose the Right Bread

A soft roll with a tender crust is the traditional choice, either round or elongated, because it is much easier to eat. In Uruguay the same recipe without bread, served with fries, is known as chivito al plato, which is why the sandwich version is often called chivito al pan to tell them apart.

Keep Everything Hot

Because the sandwich has so many cooked components, working in several pans at once means the beef, bacon, egg and melted cheese all reach the bread hot. Have the lettuce, tomato, olives and pepper sliced and ready before you start cooking so the assembly goes quickly.

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Make It Your Own

The filling can vary slightly depending on who prepares it, and the egg can be fried or hard-boiled. Olives and roasted red pepper strips are common extras, and you can adjust the pepper, salt and mayo to taste without changing the character of the sandwich.

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 5 minutes
Total time 15 minutes
Servings 1
Category Main course
Cuisine Uruguayan
Calories 989 calories

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Isabel Gaines

Author

Isabel Gaines

As a former restaurant owner turned reporter, Isabel brings a unique perspective to Grand Goldman. With decades of experience, her articles on cooking and homemaking are both informative and engaging, reflecting her deep knowledge and love for all things culinary.


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