Sopa Paraguaya – Paraguayan Soup

There are two things you should know about Sopa Paraguaya, which translates as "Paraguayan Soup" in Spanish. First and foremost, it is not a soup, but rather a spongy cake. Second, it is Paraguay's national dish and possibly one of the country's oldest culinary inventions.

The dish was apparently created by the Guaraní people, the original inhabitants of what is now Paraguay. When the Spanish colonists arrived, they brought cheese, milk, and eggs to add to the cake. Later generations enhanced the recipe by adding pork fat, onions, and cream.

Meanwhile, another origin story has it that the dish was accidentally invented by a cook for Paraguay's first president. Whatever the case may be, Paraguayans have inherited a delicious, protein-rich cake. In festivals or special occasions, it is served with (real) soup, meat stews, or Tortillas.