Arroz kesu
arroz kesu («arroz con queso»)
Creamy rice with queso Paraguay, milk and onion: a comforting home-style side.
What it is
Rice is cooked with sautéed onion and finished with milk and plenty of queso Paraguay, which melts until the dish turns creamy; some families add beaten egg or brown it in the oven. It is a common side for steak, chicken or barbecue, and a main dish on meatless days. Kesu is the Guaraní version of queso (“cheese”), one of many Spanish words adopted into Guaraní.
Ingredients
History
It belongs to the midday cooking of Paraguayan homes, which pairs rice, grown mainly in the south of the country, with the ever-present queso Paraguay.
Did you know…?
Kesu shows up in other dish names too, such as jopara kesu or chipa kesu.
When
Everyday lunch.
Where
Copetines, eateries and family homes.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.