Time to Read: 7 minutes
If you get the munchies while drinking yerba mate, you’re not alone. There’s something about the warm, bitter taste of a buen yerba mate that makes you want to snack. Luckily, you’ve got plenty of options for foods that go well with drinking yerba mate, and they’re all as tasty as can be.
Whether you enjoy yerba mate traditionally or are just getting started, pairing it with the right foods can make the experience feel even more connected and approachable. At Yerba Crew, we see yerba mate as more than just a drink, it’s something shared during conversations, slow mornings, road trips, and afternoons with friends.
Yerba mate is commonly paired with pastries, breads, grilled foods, and snacks across South America. Every country has its own typical foods for accompanying yerba mate, so today we’ll go through some traditional foods, as well as some sweet and savory morsels that you can try with your next yerba mate.
Quick Overview
Yerba mate pairs especially well with:
- buttery pastries
- flaky baked goods
- grilled meats
- toasted breads
- dulce de leche desserts
- citrus flavors
- salty snacks
In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and southern Brazil, yerba mate is often shared during long conversations, road trips, work breaks, and afternoon merienda.
Time of Day
Because yerba mate is typically drunk first thing in the morning or in the middle of the afternoon, the foods surrounding yerba mate are related to breakfast and snack foods. Specifically, they revolve around different breads and cakes.
Of course, there’s a ton of variety here. Some breads are sweet, some savory, but all are delicious in their own way.
Savoury Favs
Torta Frita (Fried Dough)
Torta frita is the #1 food to accompany yerba mate in Uruguay. As the name suggests, torta frita is a circle of fresh dough fried to a crisp wafer. Torta frita makers will typically set up their stalls when it rains, as it’s traditional in Uruguay to eat torta frita on rainy days.
If you’re not located in Uruguay, you can try making your own torta frita at home.
Bizcochos/Medialunas (Croissants)
Many traditional yerba mate pairings come from bakery culture across Argentina and Uruguay, where pastries and yerba mate are part of afternoon gatherings.
Bizcochos, also known as medialunas in Argentina, or more generally as croissants, are a delicious staple food for yerba mate. Bizcochos can be filled with ham or cheese, or be just plain.
On the other hand, bizcochos can be sweet, for example, filled with dulce de leche or membrillo (quince jam). For a simple flavor, they can also be dusted with powdered sugar or slathered in honey.
Basically, there’s a bizcocho, or two, out there for you. Medialunas are especially common in Argentina and are served as a side for almost all hot beverages (coffee, tea, etc.).
Galletas (Crackers)
Galletas is the Spanish word for crackers. It’s common to bust out a sleeve of crackers, whether simple soda crackers or crackers with grains (such as wheat, bran or oatmeal). Whatever your fancy, galletas are a simple yet excellent way to wash down your yerba mate.
Chipá (Cheese Roll)
In Paraguay and northern Argentina, chipá is the way to snack in style. Chipá is a cheesy roll made of cassava flour that’s shaped into a little ball. Chipá is easy to make and has a delicious cheesy flavor. Originally, chipá was a recipe from the indigenous Guaraní people.
Bonus: since it’s made with cassava flour, chipá is one of the few foods listed here that is gluten-free!
Pastelitos de Hojaldre (Puff Pastry)
To continue with delicious breads, pastelitos de hojaldre are another great option for combining with yerba mate. These puff pastries are typically made with ham and cheese (or sometimes sweet flavors). They have that one-of-a-kind flaky exterior that puff pastries are known for.
Tortilla Santiagueña (Grilled Tortilla)
Tortilla santiagueña is a type of thick flour tortilla, bathed in meat fat, traditionally grilled for a warm finish. This is a traditional Argentine recipe that’s common both at asados (barbecues) and to jazz up your yerba mate drinking.
Unlike torta frita, tortilla santiagueña isn’t fried to a crispy exterior, but rather grilled for a typical tortilla texture.
Pan Casero (Homemade Bread)
Bread, bread and more bread. Pan casero is another great option that goes well with drinking yerba mate. Any homemade bread goes here, though the most typical is made with common flour and other ingredients. Sometimes pan casero can include cheese.
Tostadas (Sandwiches)
Tostadas are another simple yet spot-on option for combining with yerba mate. Tostadas are typically ham and cheese sandwiches that are grilled or warmed in a sandwich press. They can also be as simple as buttered toast.
Whatever your favorite sandwich treat, if it’s warmed up, it’s a tostada.
Empanadas (Filled Pastries)
Empanadas are a classic and filling favorite for accompanying yerba mate. Empanadas are basically pockets of dough filled with different flavors. The most common fillings include beef, ham and cheese, chicken, Caprese, and other combinations.
Empanadas can also be sweet (dulce de leche, anyone?) but let’s be real, the savory flavors are the best.
Bruschette
Bruschette is technically an Italian food, but it’s been heavily incorporated into Argentine snack culture. Bruschette is also a typical yerba mate food. Here, slices of fresh bread are spread with a thick tomato sauce with lots of garlic and olives.
Picada (Snack Board)
Picadas are common in Brazil and all across South America. A traditional picada for many yerba mate drinkers means a variety of hams, salamis, and cheeses, plus olives, cherry tomatoes, potato chips, and nuts. A snack board can include just about anything, though. Sometimes leftover sausages, milanesas or empanadas are cut up and added to the picada as well. Anything goes, yet everything is delicious.
Popcorn
Easy Win
One of the easiest foods that go well with drinking yerba mate is popcorn. Prepared on the stovetop with a little salt, it’s simple, cheap, and just about the best combination around.
Sweet Treats
Churros (Sugar-Coated Fried Dough)
You can’t go wrong with some churros. Churros are fried strips of dough, traditionally topped with powdered sugar or drizzled with dulce de leche or chocolate sauce. Some nice hot churros can make your yerba mate drinking experience simply divine.
Alfajor (Dulce de Leche Sandwich Cookie)
An alfajor is common sandwich cookie in Argentina and Uruguay. It’s traditionally filled with dulce de leche and bathed in chocolate. There’s plenty of variety out there, but these sandwich cookies pack a sugary punch with your yerba mate.
Budines (Pound Cake)
Budin is a name for a pound cake, often made with lemon, vanilla, nuts or other fruits. It’s sweet and sometimes accompanied with a glaze. Budines are common in all South American countries, especially budines made with lemon or orange.
Pastafrola (Quince Pie)
Pastafrola is tasty pie common in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. It’s made with quince fruit (called membrillo in Spanish). It’s a sweet pie that’s often homemade. Take a slice of that pastafrola and drink your yerba mate!
Magdalenas (Madeleine Cookies)
Magdalenas are those delicious sponge-cake cookies shaped like shells. While French in origin, magdalenas are a special dessert in Latin American. Almonds and butter are often included in the dough for a cake-like texture.
Bolas de Fraile (Berliner or Filled Donut Hole)
Bolas de fraile are a mouthful. Like the German Berliner dessert, bolas de fraile look like fried donut holes but have a filling. Bolas de fraile are usually stuffed with vanilla or chocolate cream. It’s like a homemade donut hole with a sweet surprise inside.
They’re the bomb to have with your next yerba mate.
Pepas/Ojitos (Thumbprint Cookies)
These sugar cookies, called pepas or ojitos, are variations of the thumbprint cookie. These buttery cookies are topped with a dollop of quince cream, dulce de leche or chocolate cream. They look like little eyes, which is why they’re called ojitos in some Latin American countries.
A classic cookie to enjoy any afternoon of the week.
Muffins
Muffins have become increasingly popular in Latin American countries. These little cakes are typically made with blueberries, chocolate, bananas or cinnamon. Muffins are wonderfully tasty and will curb your hunger during your next yerba mate.
Chocolate
This is a simple one: chocolate. A simple dark chocolate bar is also common at the table in Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. Breaking off a piece of chocolate while enjoying yerba mate is a common sight.
Brownies
Finally, brownies are another go-to snack while you’re drinking yerba mate. There’s nothing more satisfying than a thick brownie to chew as you get powered up with a yerba mate.
From flaky pastries to savory empanadas, yerba mate has always been closely tied to everyday food traditions and shared moments. Exploring these pairings is one of the easiest ways to experience yerba mate the way millions of people already do across South America. At Yerba Crew, that sense of connection and ritual is at the center of everything we do.
At the end of the day, you decide what kind of foods you want to enjoy while drinking yerba mate. Here you have 22 delicious choices, both savory and sweet, to get you started!
Frequently Asked Questions
What foods traditionally go with yerba mate?
Yerba mate is commonly paired with baked goods, pastries, breads, grilled meats, and simple snacks across South America. In Argentina and Uruguay, it’s common to drink yerba mate with medialunas, tostadas, empanadas, alfajores, torta fritas, and other foods shared during breakfast, merienda, or social gatherings. The earthy bitterness of yerba mate pairs especially well with buttery, salty, or lightly sweet flavors.
Is yerba mate usually sweet or bitter?
Traditional yerba mate has a naturally earthy and slightly bitter flavor. Many longtime yerba mate drinkers enjoy it unsweetened, especially in Argentina and Uruguay, where the bitterness is considered part of the experience. That said, some people add sugar, honey, herbs, citrus peels, or flavored ingredients depending on personal preference and regional traditions. Beginners often start with sweeter pairings or milder blends before developing a taste for stronger yerba mate.
Do Argentinians drink yerba mate with meals?
Yerba mate is more commonly enjoyed between meals rather than during large meals themselves. In Argentina, people often drink yerba mate during breakfast, afternoon merienda, road trips, work breaks, studying, or long conversations with friends and family. It’s usually shared casually throughout the day alongside pastries, snacks, or small bites instead of being treated like a formal mealtime drink.
What pastries are commonly eaten with yerba mate?
Some of the most common pastries eaten with yerba mate include medialunas, facturas, bizcochos, churros, torta fritas, and alfajores. These bakery-style foods are especially popular during merienda, the afternoon snack tradition found throughout much of Argentina and Uruguay. Sweet pastries balance the bold flavor of mate and are often shared during relaxed social moments.
Can you drink yerba mate with savory foods?
Yes. While many people associate yerba mate with pastries and sweets, it also pairs well with savory foods like empanadas, sandwiches, grilled meats, cheese, toasted breads, and salty snacks. The herbal and earthy flavor of yerba mate works surprisingly well with rich or smoky foods, especially during gatherings, asados, and casual outdoor meals.
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