How do you say grilled in Spanish?

Grilled in Spanish is a la parrilla for open-grill cooking, asado for roasted or grilled (especially in Argentina), and a la plancha for griddled on a flat surface. Each term describes a specific cooking technique.

What is the difference between a la parrilla and asado?

A la parrilla describes the technique of cooking on a grill grate and is used across all Spanish-speaking countries. Asado is both a technique and a cultural event in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, where it involves slow-cooking large cuts of meat over wood or charcoal.

When should I use a la plancha instead of a la parrilla?

Use a la plancha when the food is cooked on a flat heated surface, like a cast-iron griddle. This method is common for fish, thin cuts of meat, and sandwiches. A la parrilla is for food cooked on an open grate with visible flame or charcoal underneath.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

Grilled in Spanish: A La Parrilla

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

A La Parrilla · adjective · ah lah pah-RREE-yah

A la parrilla is the most common Spanish expression for grilled, referring to food cooked over an open grill or grate. Asado is used throughout the Southern Cone (Argentina, Uruguay, Chile) and can mean both grilled and roasted. A la plancha describes food cooked on a flat griddle, producing a different result from open-flame grilling.

Say ah lah pah-RREE-yah. The ll in parrilla is pronounced like a y in most Spanish dialects. The rr is a strong trill.

Pedí un pollo a la parrilla con ensalada.

I ordered grilled chicken with salad.

Grilled in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for grilled, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
a la parrilla	grilled	ah lah pah-RREE-yah	Default, widely understood
asado	grilled		roasted or grilled, especially in Argentina and Uruguay
a la plancha	grilled		griddled on a flat surface

How Native Speakers Use A La Parrilla

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Ordering grilled food

Las verduras a la parrilla están deliciosas con un poco de aceite de oliva.

The grilled vegetables are delicious with a little olive oil.

A la parrilla follows the noun it modifies, as is standard for prepositional adjective phrases.

Argentine asado

En Argentina, los domingos se come carne asada en familia.

In Argentina, Sundays are for eating grilled meat with family.

Asado refers to both the cooking method and the social event of grilling together.

Griddled on a flat surface

Prefiero el pescado a la plancha porque queda más suave.

I prefer griddled fish because it comes out softer.

A la plancha uses a flat metal surface rather than an open grate, yielding different textures.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using A La Parrilla

Using grillado as a direct translation

Incorrect: Quiero un sándwich grillado.

Correct: Quiero un sándwich a la parrilla.

Grillado is not standard Spanish. The correct expressions are a la parrilla, asado, or a la plancha depending on the cooking method.

Confusing a la parrilla with a la plancha

Incorrect: Cociné la carne a la plancha sobre el carbón.

Correct: Cociné la carne a la parrilla sobre el carbón.

A la plancha means on a flat griddle, while a la parrilla means on a grill grate over flame or charcoal. Cooking over charcoal requires a la parrilla.

Lock in Grilled Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See A La Parrilla used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using a la parrilla in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Pedí un pollo a la parrilla con ensalada. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

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Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About Grilled in Spanish

How do you say grilled in Spanish?: Grilled in Spanish is a la parrilla for open-grill cooking, asado for roasted or grilled (especially in Argentina), and a la plancha for griddled on a flat surface. Each term describes a specific cooking technique.
What is the difference between a la parrilla and asado?: A la parrilla describes the technique of cooking on a grill grate and is used across all Spanish-speaking countries. Asado is both a technique and a cultural event in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile, where it involves slow-cooking large cuts of meat over wood or charcoal.
When should I use a la plancha instead of a la parrilla?: Use a la plancha when the food is cooked on a flat heated surface, like a cast-iron griddle. This method is common for fish, thin cuts of meat, and sandwiches. A la parrilla is for food cooked on an open grate with visible flame or charcoal underneath.