In a hot, unoiled pan, the disc of dough begins to bubble within seconds. The cook presses gently with a spatula, flipping after less than a minute. What emerges is a tortilla, flexible and slightly blistered – the base for tacos or burritos, made entirely on the stovetop. That image, from a recipe published by the Argentine newspaper Los Andes, captures a broader trend: a series of Latin American media outlets have recently promoted dishes that require no oven.

The offerings span the region. Los Andes itself published three oven-free recipes: a chia bread cooked in a covered pan, a creamy gelatin dessert that sets in the fridge after a short stove-top heating, and the tortilla recipe that uses wheat flour. TN, also in Argentina, presented a version of stuffed squash (zapallitos rellenos) that gratinates cheese under a lid rather than in the oven. In Mexico, Infobae offered an oatmeal-and-walnut cake (panqué de avena con nuez) that can be prepared in a pan or microwave. Brazil's Band taught a quick stir-fry called picadinho oriental, while Radio Mitre in Argentina shared a crunchy chickpea snack for the airfryer.

The recipes emphasise practicality and common ingredients. The tortilla dough rests for thirty minutes; the chia seeds form a gel that replaces gluten. The squash are boiled first to soften, then stuffed and steamed under a lid. The gelatin dessert requires only milk, cream, sugar and unflavoured gelatin, with a warning not to boil after adding the thickener. The picadinho calls for beef strips and an instant sauce of shoyu, vinegar and cornflour, cooked over high heat to keep the vegetables crisp.

These dishes are pitched squarely at home cooks seeking speed or lacking an oven. The pan de chía is described as “ideal para desayunos livianos”. The chickpea snack is offered as a replacement for potato chips. The picadinho is called “perfeito para variar o cardápio”. The stuffed squash are said to be “una de las comidas más versátiles y rendidoras”. The gelatin dessert finishes with a simple image: the mould is turned out after a few seconds in warm water, releasing a wobbly, creamy cylinder onto the plate, ready to be served with fruit, chocolate or dulce de leche.