Mbaipy
mbaipy
Paraguayan polenta of cornmeal with cheese, onion and milk; served plain, with meat or sweet.
What it is
Cornmeal, usually yellow, is cooked in broth or milk with sautéed onion and cheese, stirred until thick and creamy. In the countryside it comes with chicken or charque (dried beef); in the city, with chorizo colorado (a red paprika sausage). Variants add fresh corn or curd, and there is a sweet mbaipy with milk, dark cane molasses, orange zest and cinnamon. A simple, filling one-pot dish, ideal for cool days.
Ingredients
History
It resembles Italian polenta, but its origins are independent: corn is native to the Americas, and Indigenous peoples were already making corn porridges before the conquest. Today’s version, with dairy and meat, emerged from the blending of cultures after cattle arrived in 1556.
Did you know…?
What goes with it depends on where you are: chicken or charque in rural areas, chorizo colorado in the city.
When
Home-style lunch or dinner.
Where
Family homes and traditional eateries.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.