Sopa so’o

Sopa so’o is a traditional Paraguayan dish made from a baked cornmeal pastry filled with seasoned ground beef, Paraguayan cheese, and sometimes hard‑boiled egg. Unlike the conventional solid Paraguayan soup, this variation features a generous filling at the center of the pastry, creating a hearty, comforting dish that beautifully reflects Guaraní–Spanish syncretism.

Beef cornmeal casserole – Sopa so’o

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Ingredients Method

Ingredientes

  

For the batter

• 2 yellow onions medium
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp salt coarse
• 1/4 cup lard butter or margerine
• 4 eggs
• 300 grams Cheese (Queso fresco) or blend shredded
• 7 cups cornmeal
• 1 to 4 cups buttermilk

For the filling

• 350 grams ground beef. 90/10
• 1 tbsp lard
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 scallions
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• salt as needed
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp cummin
• 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 liter beef stock

Method

 

Batter mix

1. Finely chop the onions and sauté them for about 5 minutes with the water and salt. Remove from the heat and let them cool before adding them to the rest of the mixture.
   
2. In a bowl, beat the lard until it turns light and creamy.Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing continuously so the mixture stays silky and well‑blended.
   
3. Add the crumbled cheese and the cooked onions along with their cooking liquid.Mix everything gently so the flavors blend and the dough starts to feel rich and fragrant.
   
4. Mix by hand, and gradually add the cornmeal, alternating with the buttermilk. Keep working the batter mixture gently so it stays soft, cohesive, and beautifully balanced.
   
5. Stir firmly until you have a soft, smooth batter. Taste and adjust the salt if needed so the flavor lands just right.
   

For the filling

1. Finely chop the green onions and garlic so they blend easily into the mixture and release their fragrance.
   
2. Boil the eggs for about 10 minutes, then peel and chop them once they’re cool enough to handle.
   
3. Sauté the ground beef in lard until it’s cooked through and lightly browned, letting the fat coat the meat and deepen its flavor.

   Add the onions and garlic, and cook them until they soften.Stir in the condiments and let them bloom for a moment before adding the stock.
   
4. The filling should be juicy—add more broth if needed, as well as a little extra salt.Let it cool completely, then mix in or top with the chopped eggs.
   

Assemble

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F), and lightly grease a baking dish so the dough releases easily as it bakes.
   
2. Spread half of the sopa batter over the bottom of the baking dish.
   
3. Add the meat filling in an even layer, then cover it with the remaining batter.
   
4. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is golden and the pie feels firm to the touch.