What to Eat in Paraguay

Paraguay’s cuisine reflects its subtropical climate, river-fed geography, and strong Guaraní heritage. Staples like mandioca (cassava), corn, and local cheeses anchor daily meals, while beef and river fish round out the plate. Families eat a substantial midday almuerzo and a lighter evening meal, with merienda snacks bridging the day.

Food is built for heat and practicality: baked goods from clay ovens, grilled meats, and nourishing soups that remain popular even in warm seasons. Markets in Asunción and small-town ferias sell portable items for travel, and seasonal produce dictates technique, from clay-oven baking to quick griddle cooking.

Sopa paraguaya is a savory cornbread baked from cornmeal, fresh farmer-style cheese, eggs, milk or cream, and sautéed onions, traditionally prepared in a clay oven called a tatakua. The batter is poured into a greased pan and baked until the edges brown and the interior sets, resulting in a firm yet moist crumb. Some cooks enrich it with a little pork fat for depth, while others keep it lighter for everyday meals. Served warm, it pairs naturally with grilled beef or simple salads and travels well for gatherings.

The flavor is gently sweet from caramelized onion and milky from the cheese, with a faint smokiness when baked in a tatakua. Its texture is compact and sliceable, with a crisp edge that contrasts a tender interior. The name, “Paraguayan soup,” is a linguistic holdover that locals joke about, but the dish is a serious staple at family celebrations. You will see it at Sunday asados, national holidays, and during Holy Week, eaten at lunch or as an afternoon merienda with yerba mate or cocido.

Chipa is a portable cheese bread made with manioc starch, grated Paraguayan cheese, eggs, pork fat or butter, and often a hint of anise. The dough is kneaded until smooth, shaped into rings or braids, and baked—ideally in a tatakua—for a thin crust and subtly smoky aroma. Its starch base keeps the crumb springy and slightly elastic while remaining compact, which helps chipa stay fresh when traveling. Variations abound, but the classic chipa almidón remains the benchmark sold by street vendors and markets.

The taste is savory and gently aromatic, salty from the cheese with an anise note that is noticeable but not sweet. Chipa’s crust is lightly crackly while the interior holds together without crumbling, making it easy to carry and snack on the move. It is closely tied to Semana Santa, when families stock up before traveling, and to everyday breakfasts across the country. Look for chiperas selling warm pieces in plazas and at bus stops, where people pair it with cocido or chilled tereré depending on the heat.

Mbejú is a griddled cake of mandioca starch bound with fresh cheese, lard or butter, and salt, sometimes with a touch of milk to help the mixture hold. Cooks crumble the ingredients together until they resemble coarse sand, then press the mixture into a hot, greased pan and cook it like a thick pancake. The heat fuses starch and fat, yielding a delicate cake that you flip carefully to set both sides. Some households make it richer with more cheese or stack two thin mbejús with butter while still hot.

Expect a crisp exterior and a soft, slightly crumbly interior that melts into a savory, cheesy bite. The aroma carries buttery notes and the clean flavor of cassava, making it comforting without heaviness. With roots in Guaraní cooking and household techniques designed for simple tools, mbejú remains a favorite for breakfast and merienda in both rural homes and Asunción apartments. It is best eaten immediately off the griddle, often with mate cocido on cool mornings or as an afternoon snack during the rainy season.

Vori vori is a hearty chicken soup built on a stock simmered from backyard-style chicken, onion, tomato, scallion, and a little rendered fat, enriched at the end with parsley. The signature dumplings are rolled from finely ground cornmeal and fresh cheese, often bound with egg and a touch of fat for tenderness. They are dropped into the simmering broth to firm up without dissolving, absorbing flavor while staying pleasantly dense. The broth remains clear and glossy, while the dumplings lend body and a gentle corn sweetness.

In the bowl, you get a silky, savory broth with dumplings that are soft but resilient and distinctly cheesy. It is a dish that signals care and abundance, using local corn and dairy to stretch chicken into a full meal. Families serve it with boiled mandioca on the side, especially on cooler days when a warming lunch is welcome. Vori vori appears at Sunday tables, recovery meals after hard work, and celebrations where a comforting main course is needed to feed many people.

Pira caldo, literally “fish broth” in Guaraní and Spanish, draws on river species like surubí, pacú, or mandi’y cooked with onion, tomato, sweet pepper, garlic, and herbs. Cooks often sear fish pieces to develop flavor, then simmer them with vegetables and bones to build a gelatin-rich stock. Some versions finish with beaten egg and a splash of milk for extra body, whisked in off the heat to avoid curdling. The result is a substantial soup that feels restorative yet straightforward, relying on freshness and proper simmering.

The taste is clean but robust, with river fish savor balanced by cooked tomato sweetness and gentle pepper aromas. Texturally, the broth has weight from collagen and, when used, the egg-milk enrichment, while the fish flakes tenderly without falling apart. The dish is linked to riverside life along the Paraguay and Paraná, often served early in markets and at home as a breakfast or lunch during cooler months. In towns and in Asunción alike, it is a practical way to honor local fisheries and start the day nourished.

Paraguayan cuisine stands out for its reliance on cassava, corn, local cheese, and river fish, prepared with techniques suited to heat and limited equipment. Clay-oven baking, quick griddle cooking, and hearty soups coexist in daily life from farmsteads to Asunción apartments. Explore more food stories and weather-smart trip ideas on Sunheron.com.