Prego no prato is Portugal’s beloved café classic: a thin, garlicky beef steak crowned with a fried egg and served “on the plate” with fries and rice — as opposed to its sandwich cousin, the prego no pão, which famously ends a seafood feast. Simple, hearty and deeply satisfying.
Every tasca in Lisbon has its version, and so does every Portuguese home cook — including me. The essentials never change: beef pounded thin, plenty of garlic, a hot pan, and an egg with a runny yolk to sauce everything.
This is my go-to recipe for busy evenings when I want dinner on the table in 20 minutes without sacrificing flavor. Grab your apron and let’s get cooking!
Prego no Prato Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: 10 minutes · Total: 20 minutes · Servings: 4 · Calories: ~165 per serving
Ingredients
- 4 thin beef steaks
- 4 large eggs
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- Butter or margarine
- Olive oil, for the eggs
Instructions
- Place the steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until thin and tender.
- Season with salt, pepper and the minced garlic, and let them rest a few minutes so the flavors settle in.
- Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat with the bay leaf, add the steaks and cook until browned on both sides.
- In another skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil and fry the eggs until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
- Serve each steak topped with a fried egg, alongside french fries and fluffy white rice.
Recipe Notes
- Sliced onions or mushrooms in the steak pan, or fresh parsley on top, are easy upgrades.
- Roasted vegetables or a salad lighten the plate if fries and rice feel like too much (though that combo is the authentic experience).
- Ribeye and tenderloin are the most tender cuts; sirloin is leaner and still works well when pounded thin.
- Look for bright red meat with moderate marbling and a firm texture.
