10 Most Popular Foods in Paraguay

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Paraguay is a South American country that is known for its incredible cuisine and friendly people. The culinary practice of Paraguay is influenced by the cuisines of Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

The natives of Paraguay mostly use several kinds of meats, vegetables, maize, fruits, etc., in their delicacies. Though hundreds of mouth-watering dishes are savored in Paraguay, here we will highlight on the top 10 authentic Paraguayan dishes only. So, let’s dig in.

1. Dulce de mamon

This is a flavourful and syrupy dessert pretty popular in Paraguay. The dish is made with only three key ingredients- papaya, sugar, and water. If you cook the recipe in low flame, you will get a nice texture. But, it can take you around 2 hours to cook the entire dish. The chefs in Paraguay add cloves, orange zest, etc., to add flavors to the food.

Recipe for Dulce de mammon

2. Soyo

Popular in Paraguay and other parts of Latin America, Soyo is a hearty soup prepared with crushed meat. The natives of Paraguay add rice, ground beef, green peppers, red and yellow bell peppers, onions, and so on to the dish. In the end, the dish is seasoned with oregano, salt, pepper, etc. With this recipe, you can impress your guests at home almost instantly.

Recipe for Soyo

3. Mbeju

This traditional cake is made in Paraguay with some special flour. This healthy and tasty cake is full of starch, and it is served on a plate. Believe it or not, the Mbeju is an easy-to-cook recipe. The natives of Paraguay add crumbled cheese to Mbeju. You can order Mbeju in any restaurant in Paraguay.

Recipe for Mbeju

4. Bori-Bori

This colorful recipe is prepared with chunks of chicken and beef. The bori-bori is actually an ancient Paraguan soup that goes with all types of main courses. Bori-Bori features some fluffy dumplings prepared with chopped vegetables, cornmeal, cheese, onions, tomatoes, etc. Finally, saffron, cloves, and bay leaves are added on top of the Bori-Bori dish.

Recipe for Bori-Bori

5. Terere

The Terere falls in the category of beverages. Apart from Paraguay, the drink is equally popular in other neighboring states of Latin America, such as Argentina, Brazil, etc. Ice cubes, herbs, lemongrass, and many other ingredients make the drink a refreshing one. For your information, the Terere is a non-alcoholic beverage.

Recipe for Terere

6. Chipa

This bun-type staple food has been prevalent in Paraguay for a few hundred years. Chipa is made with famous cassava flours, anise, milk, eggs, cheese, and so on. Since colonial times there have been various types of Chipa prepared in Paraguay. These are Chipa Guasu and Chipa So’o.

Recipe for Chipa

7. Kiveve

This traditional Paraguayan dish is mainly made for vegetarians of Paraguay. The most popular ingredients of Kiveve are pumpkin, cornmeal, fresh cheese, milk, onion, sugar, etc. The orange Kiveve is cooked in extra virgin olive oil.

Recipe for Kiveve

8. Bife Koygua

From the name, it is evident that the dominant ingredient of the recipe is the Bife Koygua. Other than beef, fried onion, tomato slices, chopped parsley, etc., are used in this delicacy. Here, in this dish, the beef is hidden under various layers of vegetables. Instead of beef, you can use chicken, turkey, lamb, and other meats for this recipe as well.

Recipe for Bife Koygua

9. Pira Caldo

This combination soup is made with Surubi, which is a freshwater fish. Other top ingredients of the dish are milk, white cheese, leeks, celery, bell peppers, carrots, onions, etc. Natives of Paraguay prefer their Pira Caldo thick and hot. Fish broth is added to the recipe to make it extra savory.

Recipe for Pira Caldo

10. Pastel Mandi’o

This doughy snack is made within a few minutes in a pressure cooker. People use hard-boiled eggs, cornflour, cassava, etc., to the dish. Sometimes these Pastel Mandi’o are stuffed with minced meat.

Recipe for Pastel Mandi’o

Sources:

Wikipedia

Nomad Paradise

Culture Trip

Tasteatlas