Horacio Cambeiro · CC BY-SA 4.0Sopa paraguaya
The “soup” you eat with a fork: a fluffy cornbread with cheese, onion and milk. An absolute must.
What it is
Despite the name, no spoon required: sopa paraguaya is a moist, savory cake of cornmeal, eggs, milk or curd, queso Paraguay (the country’s fresh farmhouse cheese) and softened onion, baked until golden. It goes alongside every asado (barbecue), is sold by the slice in copetines (casual lunch counters) and bakeries, and turns up at every family celebration. The traditional recipe calls for pork fat; many kitchens now use oil or butter. There are also filled versions, with beef (sopa so'o) or chicken (sopa ryguasu).
Ingredients
History
It is a child of the mestizo cooking born in and around Asunción, where corn and Cario-Guaraní techniques met the milk, cheese and eggs that arrived with the cattle introduced in 1556. A popular story credits a cook of President Carlos Antonio López who “ruined” a soup with too much flour, but that is oral tradition, not documented fact.
Did you know…?
The name trips up visitors: in Paraguay, “sopa” means this cornbread, while anything you eat with a spoon is called caldo (broth).
When
Every day; essential at barbecues, birthdays, Christmas and Holy Week (in its meatless version).
Where
Nationwide; sold by the slice in Asunción’s copetines and at roadside stops.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.