The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Paraguayan Foods. If you manage to be in an Paraguayan restaurant or you are visiting Paraguay, I recommend the following:
1. Soyo
Soyo is a delicious traditional Paraguayan soup made with ground beef. It has the consistency of a thick broth, to which spices and vegetables are added to give it a mild flavour. The word “soy” is not just an apocalypse of “so’ó joopy”, but the Guarani sect is composed of “so’ó” (meat) and “josopy”, which is a derivative of “josopyré”, meaning “it is piled up. “. So, according to the literal translation, it is “sliced meat”.
2. Pastel Mandi'o
The pastel mandi’o or empanada de mandioca is a very representative dish of the typical food of Paraguay. It is filled with beef and has a dough made of manioc. It is shaped like a classic empanada and is usually eaten with hot sauce. This dish is eaten by many tourists visiting the country because it is a delicious food that highlights the Paraguayan flavour. It is also very easy to find in street food places.
3. Kivevé
This is both the main course and dessert and is made with a special type of pumpkin, found in Paraguay, known as andai. To this is added fresh Paraguayan cheese, milk and sugar and then this mixture is bound together with cornflour to create a beautiful dish. It is creamy and tasty at the same time. It literally melts in the mouth when eaten warm and also tastes a little better when hot. Kivevé is a popular breakfast choice for people here because it is full of calories.
4. Chipa
Chipá is known to have been invented in the 18th century by the Guarani natives of Paraguay. It is a dish that can be prepared in different ways. Chipá is basically a bread roll made with Brazilian arrowroot (a woody shrub), also known as yuca, eggs and cheese. It is tender and very good on the palate. Two of the different types include chipá manduvi, which is made with cornmeal and peanuts, and chipá guazú, which is made with milk, corn and cheese and then served with grilled meat.
5. Bori-Bori
Borí borí is a tasty Paraguayan chicken soup. It is made with chicken and pork fat, salty Paraguayan cheese called queso paraguayo, fresh tomatoes, carrots, celery and parsley. Cornmeal balls filled with cheese are poured into the broth and the whole thing is served with grilled meat. It is a very nutritious and tasty meal.
6. Bife Koygua
Bife Koygua is a traditional Paraguayan stew in which beef steaks are covered with onion and tomato. The steaks are usually pounded, then fried with onion and topped with tomato slices. Near the end of cooking, the meat is topped with one or two eggs, garnished with chopped parsley and then served, usually with manioc on the side.
7. Chipa Guasu
It is more or less a modification of the traditional chipá. In fact, 70 varieties of the chipá have been found. One of them is the chipá guazú. It is a kind of corn cake baked in the oven with a quite simple preparation. This is a very tasty preparation that can be made using fresh corn or canned kernels. It is eaten on special occasions and in the company of loved ones. In Paraguayan cuisine it is used as a garnish.
8. Dulce de Mamón
A very common dessert on Paraguayan tables is dulce de mamón, which, as its name suggests, is made with pieces of papaya cooked with sugar, but the papaya must be green, making it similar to candied fruit but, instead, in a syrupy broth. This dessert is also common in Argentina and Uruguay, and its preparation is very similar.
9. Sopa Paraguaya
It is not really a soup, but a kind of open pie that is made with cornmeal, cheese, milk, eggs and sometimes uses onions and pork fat to induce flavour. It is a baked dish and is often called a solid soup. Although it doesn’t justify its name, it tastes heavenly and is one of Paraguay’s delicacies. These are very soft and tasty, melting into a delicious bite when eaten.
10. Mbeju
Mbejú is like a fried cake. It is made with Brazilian arrowroot flour, milk, cheese, pork fat and eggs. This dough is kneaded well and fried in hot oil. It was a staple for the natives in the time after the War of the Triple Alliance against Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, when resources were limited. It goes well with their well-known bitter herbal tea or coffee.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional South American Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.