World Flavors Cookbook

Paraguay Recipes

Paraguayan cuisine is a unique fusion of Guaraní and Spanish traditions, distinguished by its extensive use of corn, cassava (mandioca), and cheese. Unlike many of its neighbors, it relies less on rice and beans and more on hearty cornmeal-based breads and starch-rich dishes.

Recipes from Paraguay

• Chipa (Cheese Bread)

  Paraguay's most iconic cheese bread, made with cassava starch and cornmeal. It is chewy, naturally gluten-free, and has a unique flavor from anise seeds.

• Sopa Paraguaya (Paraguayan Cornbread)

  The national dish of Paraguay. Despite its name (which means "Paraguayan Soup"), it is a dense, savory, and moist cornbread enriched with cheese and onions.

• Asado Paraguayo

  Paraguayan barbecue is a social ritual. Meats are seasoned simply with salt and slow-grilled over charcoal or wood fires.

• Mbejú

  A starch-based pancake that is a staple of the Guaraní-Jesuit heritage. It is crispy on the outside and soft, cheesy on the inside.

• Chipa Guasu (Corn Cake)

  Similar to Sopa Paraguaya but made with fresh corn kernels instead of cornmeal, resulting in a creamier, more soufflé-like texture.

• Vori Vori de Pollo (Chicken and Corn Dumpling Soup)

  A thick, golden soup featuring small cornmeal and cheese balls (vori vori) and tender chicken. Voted one of the best soups in the world.

• Pastel Mandi'o (Cassava Empanada)

  Unique empanadas where the dough is made from a mixture of boiled cassava and cornmeal, filled with savory minced beef.

• Pira Caldo (Fish Soup)

  A rich and creamy freshwater fish soup, usually made with surubí (catfish), enriched with vegetables, milk, and cheese.

• Soyo (Beef Soup)

  A traditional Guaraní soup made with finely ground beef and vegetables. The meat is cold-processed with water before cooking to create a unique texture.

• Bife Koygua (Beef Stew with Eggs)

  A quick and hearty beef steak stew topped with poached eggs, typically served for lunch.

• Payagua Mascada (Cassava Patties)

  Savory fried patties made from a mixture of boiled cassava and seasoned minced beef.

• Tereré (Cold Mate)

  The national drink of Paraguay. It is a cold infusion of yerba mate with "yuyos" (medicinal herbs) and plenty of ice.

• Milanesa a la Napolitana

  A breaded beef cutlet topped with tomato sauce, ham, and melted cheese. A classic of Paraguayan "minutas" (short orders).

• Kivevé (Squash Porridge)

  A semi-sweet, creamy porridge made from "andaí" (squash) and cornmeal. It can be a side dish or a dessert.

• Dulce de Mamón (Papaya in Syrup)

  A classic Paraguayan dessert consisting of chunks of green papaya slow-cooked in a thick, sweet syrup.

• Pasta Frola

  A traditional lattice-topped tart filled with sweet guava or quince paste. An essential for afternoon tea.

• Arroz Quesú (Rice with Cheese)

  A creamy, comforting rice dish heavily enriched with local Paraguayan cheese and milk.

• Mandio Chyryry

  A quick scramble of boiled cassava chunks, onions, eggs, and plenty of cheese. The name means "fried cassava" in Guaraní.

• Reviro

  A simple rural dish made of flour and water "fried" and broken into small, golden crumbs. Often called the "bread of the worker."

• Mazamorra (Corn Dessert)

  An ancient dessert made from "locro" corn (white corn), cooked until tender and served with honey, milk, or molasses.

• Cocido Quemado

  A smoky yerba mate tea prepared by caramelizing sugar and mate leaves over hot coals before adding water.

• Ka'i Ladrillo (Peanut Brittle)

  A traditional sweet brick made from black molasses (miel de caña) and toasted peanuts.

• Kosereva (Citrus Peel Preserves)

  A tart and sweet preserve made from the rinds of "apepú" (bitter oranges), cooked in molasses.

• Tortilla Paraguaya (Cheese Fritter)

  Not a Spanish or Mexican tortilla, but a savory fried dough flavored with cheese and spring onions.

• Locro (Corn and Meat Stew)

  A thick, filling stew made with white corn (locro) and various cuts of beef or pork.

• Puchero

  A monumental boiled dinner consisting of large cuts of beef, marrow bones, and every vegetable imaginable.

• Marinera de Carne

  Steak slices dipped in a thick, seasoned batter and deep-fried until puffy and golden.

• Chipa So'o

  A variation of Chipa where the dough is filled with a savory mixture of minced beef and hard-boiled eggs.

• Tallarín con Pollo

  A comforting dish of long noodles served with a rich, tomato-based chicken stew.

• Pollo al Horno con Papas

  Roasted chicken and potatoes seasoned with lemon, garlic, and local herbs.

• Sándwich de Milanesa

  The king of Paraguayan street food sandwiches. A crispy milanesa in a large baguette with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

• Empanada de Carne

  Paraguayan meat empanadas are known for being incredibly juicy and are often served inside a "pan francés" (sandwich style).

• Budín de Pan

  A rustic bread pudding made from leftover bread, milk, and eggs, topped with a thick caramel sauce.

• Alfajores de Maicena

  Crumbly cornstarch cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche and rolled in shredded coconut.

• Mbeyú Mestizo

  A version of Mbejú that uses a mix of cassava starch and cornmeal, giving it a more robust texture and flavor.

• Sopa Paraguaya con Queso

  Paraguay's most beloved bread — a dense, savory cornmeal cake loaded with fresh cheese, onion, and eggs, baked until golden.

• Bori Bori de Pollo

  Paraguayan chicken soup with corn and cheese dumplings — the floating corn balls are the signature element of this beloved soup.

• Chipa Clásico

  Paraguay's sacred cheese bread — chewy, cheesy ring-shaped bread made from manioc flour, eggs, and anise. The food of Semana Santa.

• Mbejú

  Paraguayan manioc starch flatbread — a thin, crispy, naturally gluten-free pancake with cheese, cooked on a dry griddle.

• Kivevé

  Paraguayan pumpkin porridge with cornmeal and cheese — thick, orange, and slightly sweet. A comforting everyday side dish.

• Asado Paraguayo

  Paraguayan charcoal-grilled beef short ribs with chimichurri — the weekend family tradition that mirrors Argentine and Uruguayan asado.

• Tereré

  Paraguay's national drink — ice-cold yerba mate with medicinal herbs, drunk through a bombilla from a shared guampa vessel.

• Pastel de Mandi'o

  Paraguayan manioc pastry filled with ground beef — a savory, chewy, deeply satisfying street food made with manioc dough.

• Mazamorra Paraguaya

  Paraguayan white corn porridge — kernels of locro corn slowly broken down in water until a thick, slightly sweet porridge forms.

• Chipa So'o

  Beef-stuffed chipa — the savory version of Paraguay's sacred bread, filled with a spiced ground beef filling.

• Cocido Quemado

  Paraguayan burned sugar mate — yerba mate with caramelized sugar and milk, the winter morning drink of Paraguay.

• Dulce de Mamón

  Paraguayan green papaya preserve with cinnamon and cloves — a thick, amber-colored sweet jam eaten with cheese.