ExploFood · South America
What to eat in Paraguay
Five dishes to try in Paraguay, the most typical first. Four are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Paraguay
Sopa paraguaya
Dense, savoury cornbread made with cheese, onion and milk.
How to have it: Despite the name it is not a soup; served with asado at Sunday barbecues.
Chipa
Small, chewy ring-shaped rolls of cassava starch and cheese.
How to have it: Sold warm by vendors on buses and street corners; a breakfast with cocido or coffee.
Vori vori
Chicken soup with little balls of cornmeal and cheese.
How to have it: A winter comfort food served in home-style restaurants.
Mbeju Mbeyú
Pan-fried cassava starch and cheese flatbread.
How to have it: Eaten at breakfast or afternoon tea with cocido (burnt yerba mate with milk).
Tereré
Yerba mate infused in ice-cold water with herbs, sipped through a metal straw.
How to have it: Shared in a circle from one cup; when offered, drink, hand it back, and say gracias to stop.
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Questions
What food is Paraguay famous for?
Sopa paraguaya (dense, savoury cornbread made with cheese, onion and milk) comes first on our list, followed by Chipa, Vori vori, Mbeju and Tereré.
What is the national dish of Paraguay?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Paraguay is Sopa paraguaya: dense, savoury cornbread made with cheese, onion and milk. Despite the name it is not a soup; served with asado at Sunday barbecues.
Which dishes in Paraguay are vegetarian?
Four of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Sopa paraguaya, Chipa, Mbeju and Tereré. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What do people drink in Paraguay?
Tereré: yerba mate infused in ice-cold water with herbs, sipped through a metal straw.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Paraguay
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.