Paraguay's iconic cheese bread — chewy, golden rings made with cassava flour, cheese, and eggs, baked until puffed and fragrant.
Chipa is Paraguay's most beloved bread, sold at every street corner, bus station, and market throughout the country and neighbouring Argentina. These small ring-shaped breads are made from cassava flour (not wheat), cheese, eggs, anise seeds, and lard or butter, which gives them a chewy, satisfying texture quite unlike conventional bread. The cassava flour creates a naturally gluten-free product with a slight tang, while the cheese — traditionally Paraguay's fresh, salty queso paraguayo — adds richness and depth. Chipas are baked in wood-fired ovens traditionally, which gives them a slight char and smoke, though modern ovens produce excellent results. They are at their best eaten warm, within minutes of coming from the oven, and are the quintessential companion to maté or tereré (cold maté).
Serves 16
Beat butter until soft. Mix in eggs one at a time. Add both cheeses, anise seeds, and salt. Gradually add cassava flour alternating with milk until a smooth, firm dough forms. It should not stick to your hands.
Divide dough into 16 balls. Roll each into a rope about 15 cm long, then form a ring by joining the ends. Or shape into rolls or crescents.
The classic ring shape allows the chipa to cook through evenly and gives that characteristic chewy exterior.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place chipas on a lined baking tray. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and puffed. They should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Chipas are at their absolute best within 15 minutes of baking, while still warm and slightly chewy inside. Serve with coffee, maté, or tereré.
Use the coarser cassava flour, not fine tapioca starch — the texture will be completely different.
The dough should be firm enough to shape without cracking — add more milk if too dry.
Chipas are gluten-free by nature — an unexpected bonus.
Add finely chopped jalapeño for a spicy version.
Sprinkle sesame seeds on top before baking.
Make smaller bite-sized chipas for snacking.
Best eaten fresh and warm. Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days; reheat in a 180°C oven for 5–8 minutes to restore texture.
Chipa has been made in Paraguay for centuries, with pre-Columbian roots in the Guaraní people's tradition of cooking with cassava. After Spanish colonisation introduced cheese-making to the region, the combination of cassava and cheese became the defining chipa formula. Today chipa is so deeply embedded in Paraguayan culture that sellers (chiperas) walking through streets and trains calling 'chipa, chipa' is one of the most iconic sounds of the country.
They come from the same plant but are processed differently. Cassava flour is made from the whole root and is coarser. Tapioca flour/starch is extracted from the root's starch only and is much finer. For chipa, use the coarser cassava flour.
Yes — freeze shaped chipas on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 28–30 minutes. They taste freshly made.
Per serving · 16 servings total
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