Argentine Fried Dough Cakes (Tortas Fritas)

Name: Argentine Fried Dough Cakes (Tortas Fritas)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: Argentina
Ingredients: 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder; 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt; 1/4 cup (60 g) lard or beef fat, melted and slightly cooled; 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water; 4 cups (1 L) vegetable oil, for frying; 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Tortas fritas Say it: TOR-tas FREE-tas

By the Passport Plate editors. Published November 8, 2026.

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Tortas fritas are Argentina’s beloved fried dough cakes, made from a simple flour-and-fat dough that puffs and crisps in hot oil. They are a classic homemade snack, especially on cool or rainy afternoons, and are often shared with mate. The outside is golden and lightly crunchy, while the inside stays tender and faintly chewy. Sprinkled with sugar or eaten plain, they are quick to make with pantry staples and taste best warm, straight from the frying pan.

Argentine Fried Dough Cakes (Tortas Fritas)

Tortas fritas

Pronounced TOR-tas FREE-tas

Serves: 4
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 40 min
Level: Easy

Dairy-free

Also nut-free and egg-free.

Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.

Ingredients

4 servings

Dough

3 cups (360 g)360 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons (8 g)8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
1 teaspoon (6 g)6 g (1 teaspoon) fine salt
1/4 cup (60 g)60 g (1/4 cup) lard or beef fat, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup (180 ml)180 ml (3/4 cup) warm water

Frying and serving

4 cups (1 L)1 L (4 cups) vegetable oil, for frying
2 tablespoons (25 g)25 g (2 tablespoons) granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Method

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the lard or beef fat and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand.
Pour in the warm water gradually, stirring with a spoon, then knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add flour by the tablespoon; if dry, add water by the teaspoon.
Cover the dough and let it rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes so it relaxes and rolls out more easily.
Divide the dough in half. Roll each half on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Cut 3-inch (8 cm) rounds with a cookie cutter or glass, re-rolling scraps once. Prick each round twice with a fork or make a small slit in the center.
Heat about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F (175°C). A small piece of dough should sizzle and rise to the surface when dropped in.
Fry the rounds in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden and puffed and the edges are crisp. Do not overcrowd the pan, and adjust the heat if they brown too quickly.
Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle the warm tortas fritas with sugar if desired and serve immediately.

Regional variants

Some home cooks add a spoonful of sugar to the dough or use milk instead of water for a softer crumb; others fry the cakes in beef fat for a deeper flavor.

Cook's notes

Keep the frying oil at 350°F (175°C): too hot and the cakes brown before they cook through, too cool and they turn greasy.
Pricking or slitting each round stops large steam bubbles from forming and helps the cakes fry evenly.
Re-roll scraps gently; overworking the dough can make the fried cakes tough.

Serve with

Warm with mate, coffee or hot chocolate; sprinkle with sugar or eat plain.

Make ahead and storage

Best eaten fresh; keep leftovers covered at room temperature for 1 day and reheat in a dry skillet or a 300°F (150°C) oven until warm.

Argentine Fried Dough Cakes (Tortas Fritas)