Entree: Paraguay – Northern Culinary Region – Sopa Paraguaya (Dense baked corn and cheese casserole made with eggs, milk, and sautéed onions)

Serving Size: 8

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 50 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 cups (240 g) cornmeal (coarse ground or harina de maíz)
- 2 cups (200 g) grated Paraguayan cheese or queso fresco (substitute mild white cheese if unavailable)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) whole milk
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 medium onions, approx. 10 oz (280 g), thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard (for sautéing onions)
- 1 cup (160 g) fresh corn kernels (optional)
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- Butter for greasing the baking pan (no measurement required)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking pan with butter.
2. In a skillet, heat the vegetable oil or lard over medium heat and sauté the sliced onions until soft and translucent, about 12–15 minutes; set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the melted butter and milk until combined. Stir in the cornmeal to form a thick batter.
4. Fold the grated cheese, cooled sautéed onions, and fresh corn kernels (if using) into the batter. Season with salt and pepper and mix until evenly distributed.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top. Let rest 10 minutes to allow the cornmeal to hydrate.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40–50 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool 10–15 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.