Brazilian Tapioca Pancakes (Beiju) with Cheese

About This Recipe

Tapioca pancakes, known as beiju or tapioca in northeastern Brazil, are made from hydrated tapioca starch (granulated cassava starch) pressed into a hot dry pan, where it fuses into a thin, chewy, slightly translucent flatbread without any batter, eggs, or flour at all. They're a beloved street food and breakfast staple, especially along Brazil's northeastern coast, most commonly filled with melted coalho cheese, a firm, mild Brazilian cheese that holds its shape when grilled.\n\nThe technique that makes this work is entirely different from a Western pancake — there's no batter to pour. Instead, hydrated tapioca granules (sold as "tapioca granulada" or goma) are sprinkled evenly into a dry, hot nonstick pan and pressed down, where the heat fuses the starch granules together into a single sheet within about a minute, well before any filling goes in.\n\nOnce the sheet has set and can be lifted without falling apart, cheese is scattered over half, the tapioca is folded over like an omelette, and it's cooked just long enough for the cheese to melt — the whole thing takes only a few minutes per pancake.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupshydrated tapioca starch (goma)(also sold as tapioca granulada)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 2 cupsshredded coalho cheese or mozzarella
• 2 tbspbutter(for the pan)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the tapioca

   If your tapioca granules aren't pre-seasoned, toss them with salt and rub between your fingers to break up any large clumps.

2. 2

   Heat the pan

   Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat with a light rub of butter — no pooling oil, just enough to keep it from sticking.

3. 3

   Form the sheet

   Sprinkle a thin, even layer of tapioca granules across the pan in a circle, then press down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula to compact it into one solid sheet.

4. 4

   Cook until it sets

   Cook 2-3 minutes until the sheet turns slightly translucent at the edges and can be lifted cleanly with a spatula without falling apart.

   Don't rush this step — if you try to lift the tapioca before it's fully fused, it will crumble apart instead of coming up as one intact sheet.

5. 5

   Add cheese and fold

   Scatter cheese over one half of the sheet. Fold the other half over like an omelette and press down gently. Cook 1-2 more minutes until the cheese melts.

6. 6

   Serve

   Slide onto a plate and serve immediately while the cheese is still stretchy. Repeat with remaining tapioca and cheese.

Variations

• •

  Fill with shredded chicken and requeijão (a creamy Brazilian cheese spread) for a heartier savory version.

• •

  Make a sweet version filled with condensed milk and shredded coconut instead of cheese.

• •

  Add a thin layer of dulce de leche and banana for a popular sweet street-food variation.

Storage

Best eaten immediately while hot and the cheese is melted — tapioca pancakes turn tough and rubbery once fully cooled and are difficult to reheat successfully.

Frequently Asked Questions