This page features traditional recipes of Paraguay as well as others I and fellow volunteer friends have improvised using local ingredients. More are added as I learn to make them myself or receive recipes shared by friends in Paraguay. If you are reading from outside Paraguay, I hope you’ll give some of the local dishes a try and let me know what you think! Re’utase (you’ll want to eat!)
If you are a volunteer, these offer creative meal ideas using local ingredients, many of which are also well-received by your Paraguayan counterparts in cooking classes and women’s or kids’ groups. If you’re a PCV and would like to add your favorite Paraguayan recipe, send me a note!
And for volunteers at PCPY here are some modern options:
TRADITIONAL PARAGUAYAN DISHES FROM MY NEIGHBORS
BREAKFAST
Mandio chyryry (sounds like mandio shoo-doo-doo)- my most favorite traditional Paraguayan dish, which I eat every morning for breakfast!
Usually eaten for breakfast on special days (this is not a typical Paraguayan breakfast) but it’s so good, this is one of two favorites Paraguayan kids will request for their birthday lunch too.
Mandio chyryry (sounds like shoo-doo-doo)
*I recently started adding curry, cayenne pepper and cinnamon – wow! A must-try!
Rorá (some folks compare this to grits)– a traditional Paraguayan dish
Usually eaten for breakfast or as an easy dinner.
Rorá – a cornmeal dish with onions, egg and your choice of veggie and/or chorizo; some liken it to grits. A great breakfast on a cold day.
Mbeju (pronounce mbay- JOO)– a traditional Paraguayan dish
Usually eaten for breakfast or as an easy dinner. Looks like a crumbly pancake.
Cooked Mbeju
BREADS
Sopa Paraguaya- a traditional Paraguayan cornbread, recipe courtesy Ña Eligia, the señora in one of my favorite families
Usually made for special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, or volunteer birthdays! 🙂
Sopa Paraguaya
Chipa Guazu- a traditional Paraguayan cornbread (similar to Sopa Paraguaya but made with FRESH corn), recipe courtesy Ña Eligia, the señora in one of my favorite families
Chipa guazu
Ña Ester’s Homemade Yeast Bread Recipe
Na Ester bread recipe
DESSERT
Crema – a traditional Paraguayan custard-like dessert, recipe courtesy AnaMaria Gomez Silgueira from my original host family
For additional traditional Paraguayan recipes visit –http://www.tembiuparaguay.com/ (Tembi’u is ‘food’ in Guarani). If you don’t read Spanish, Google Translate is helpful or use Google Chrome for a web browser and it will offer to translate for you. 🙂
RECIPES FROM VOLUNTEERS USING LOCAL PARAGUAYAN INGREDIENTS
BREAKFAST
Cinnamon Rolls from Jessica Wilson (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
Banana Pancakes (Flourless Gluten-Free)- by Kelsey Levering (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
Mix 1 very ripe banana with 2 eggs and sugar to taste. Cook in oiled skillet just like pancakes. So sweet and moist you won’t need butter or syrup!
Passion Fruit Flour Pancakes (Gluten-Free)- by yours truly
Passion Fruit Flour Pancake Recipe here
Passion Fruit (mburucuya) Pancakes with Jam
LUNCH
Veggie Burgers
Meat Slop – Perfect for the meat-eating PCV with inexpensive ingredients you can find anywhere in Paraguay! Only minimal cooking skills required.
Four Easy-to-make-in-Paraguay Recipes from Emily Wang (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
Quesadilla With Vegetables Recipe here
Tuna Sandwich With Vegetables Recipe here
Fried Egg Over Rice Recipe Here
Fried Rice With Egg and Vegetables Recipe here
Chunky vegetable soup with chickpeas recipe – by Dani Bulinski (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
Rice with tuna- by Kelsey Levering (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
Boil rice. When rice is done, add your preference of cheese, maybe a little salt and pepper and mix in a can of tuna.
Recipe for Rice and Veggie Mescla- a Wendy original based on a traditional Paraguayan dish
Rice and Veggie Mescla Recipe here
Rice and Veggie Mescla
Sweet Potatoes – a buffet of stuffed sweet potato ideas from Huffington Post. PCVs may not find all the ingredients here in PY but we know they are a creative bunch and will be inspired to make some alternative versions. Enjoy!
MISC/SNACKS/DRINKS
Tiffany’s Yeast Bread Recipe (fellow Peace Corps Paraguay volunteer)
My best friend and fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Tiffany Larsen, shared this recipe for yeast bread. It also makes great pizza crust (actually makes enough for 3 pizzas or any combo of bread, rolls, pizza you want!) I might have changed the measurements a tad or not. I don’t remember but this is the version I used the other day and it made a large loaf of bread (see photo) and a pizza which both came out DELICIOUS!!! If you are a fellow PCV, this recipe is very popular among local senoras and will make you a hero if you teach your neighbors to make it. Great activity for women’s or kids’ groups, while visiting families, for them to sell as fundraisers, to bring as a potluck contribution, etc.
My first loaf of bread since coming to PY.
Flatbread Pizza Crust (or flatbread for dipping with hummus)
Flatbread Wheat Pizza Crust Recipe here
Wendy’s Banana Bread Recipe
Wendy’s Original Apple-Guava Sauce (sugar-free)
This comes out like applesauce. Quick and easy to make and tasty!
Wendy’s Orange Marmalade – Super easy and wildly popular with Paraguayans! A great project for women’s clubs and cooking classes and practical, yummy way to use extra fruit during citrus season.
Wendy’s Easy Orange Marmalade Recipe here
Passion Fruit Marmalade (Mermelada de Mburucuya)- Super easy with minimum sugar! A great project for women’s clubs and cooking classes and practical, yummy way to use extra fruit.
Passion Fruit Marmalade Recipe here
Passion Fruit Marmelade and leftover fruit shells
Kombucha Tea
Paraguayans have given me a mixed reaction on this. Some love it, some don’t. It’s super refreshing for hot summer days! If you’re a PCV and would like a SCOBY to start your own, give me a shout. I have lots of extras to share!
Somewhere in Paraguay
Love this addition to the blog!
Thanks, Elizabeth!! If you try any of the recipes, let me know how you like them!
Do you have any good recipes from Paraguay that my son could bring into school? He is doing a report and would like to bake something to share with his classmates.
Try guarani fusion kitchen. They have awesome recipes 😉
Thank you! We will now make them for at home!!! Best to you.