Horacio Cambeiro · CC BY 3.0Chipa guasu
chipa guasu («chipa grande»)
A baked pie of fresh sweet corn, cheese and egg: moister and a little sweeter than sopa paraguaya.
What it is
Unlike sopa paraguaya, which uses dried cornmeal, chipa guasu is made with fresh sweet corn (choclo), grated or blended, plus eggs, milk, fresh cheese or queso Paraguay, onion and fat. The result is a cake that is golden on top and creamy inside, sometimes faintly sweet from the corn itself. It is a classic barbecue side and a staple during Lent and Holy Week because it contains no meat, although a filled version exists.
Ingredients
History
The name joins chipa, the word for the corn or starch breads that accompany meals and drinks, with guasu, “big”: the big corn cake. It is another offspring of the colonial mestizo cooking of Asunción, which combined American corn with European dairy, and a cousin of the pastel de choclo found in other South American countries.
Did you know…?
At a Paraguayan barbecue it usually shares the table with sopa paraguaya: trying both side by side is the best way to taste the difference.
When
Barbecues, family gatherings, Lent and Holy Week.
Where
Nationwide; copetines and traditional restaurants.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.