Pajagua Mascada Recipe: Hearty Cassava Patties from Paraguay

Pajagua Mascada is one of the typical dishes (comidas típicas) in Paraguay that many people connect with the Fiestas de San Juan. This hearty and filling snack is very popular across the country: Cooked cassava (Mandioca) is mixed with meat, onions and spices, shaped into small patties and then fried until golden brown.

For many German-speaking immigrants, these small cassava patties with ground beef may remind them a little of German-style meatballs at first glance, just made the Paraguayan way with cassava instead of soaked bread. Warm, the cassava patties taste especially good. But they are also practical cold: as a merienda, a quick dinner or finger food for a relaxed evening with friends.

If you want to make Pajagua Mascada at home, you will find a practical Paraguayan recipe here. Friends here in Paraguay shared their family recipe with us. I also include tips so the mixture holds together and the patties turn golden brown on the outside.

📝 Pajagua Mascada Recipe - Step by Step

#

🛒 Ingredients

#

For these hearty cassava patties, you only need a few basic ingredients. You can also add a few optional extras to give the recipe more flavor.

Main ingredients

#

• 1 kg cassava weighed unpeeled (mandioca / yuca)
• 400 g ground beef (carne molida)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 green onions
• 1 small bunch of parsley
• 1 tsp salt, more to taste
• 1/2 tsp cumin (important for the typical flavor!)
• a little black pepper
• 2 to 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, cornmeal or cassava starch for coating
• oil for frying

Optional ingredients

#

• 1 egg (if the mixture needs more binding)
• a little finely chopped cilantro
• paprika powder or ají (for a slightly spicy note)
• a little butter or pork lard for more flavor
• a splash of lemon juice for serving

Which ingredients can you replace?

#

Kitchen tools

#

• large pot
• frying pan
• potato masher or meat grinder
• knife and cutting board
• large bowl
• slotted spoon or tongs
• paper towels

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step preparation

#

Preparation

#

• Peel the mandioca, wash it well and cut it into large pieces.
• Finely chop the onion, garlic, green onions and parsley.
• Prepare a large bowl for the finished mixture.
• Prepare a flat plate with cornmeal, cassava starch or all-purpose flour for coating.

Cooking process

#

1. Prepare and cook the cassava: Cook the prepared pieces in salted water for 20 to 30 minutes, until they start to split slightly and can be pierced easily with a fork.

   Important: The mandioca must be very soft. Otherwise the mixture will become crumbly. But if you cook it too long, it can become watery and hard to shape.

2. Mash the cassava: Drain the water, let the mandioca steam off briefly and remove the woody center strand. Mash it while still warm into a fine purée, so the patties hold together later.

3. Prepare the meat base: Heat oil in a pan, sauté the onion and garlic until soft and then add the ground beef. Fry it until finely crumbly. Season with salt, pepper and cumin, then stir in the green onions and parsley.

4. Mix the dough: Add the warm meat mixture to the cassava purée and knead everything well, almost like a dough.

   Texture check: If the mixture is too dry, add a few drops of water or a small piece of butter. If it is too sticky or too soft, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornmeal or starch.

5. Shape the patties: Shape the cooled mixture into evenly thick patties, about the size of your palm.

   Practical tip: Wet your hands with a little water or oil before shaping. This keeps the starchy dough from sticking to your fingers.

6. Coat and fry: Lightly coat the patties in flour or starch, shake off the extra flour and fry them in plenty of hot oil, in batches, until golden brown on both sides. Then let them drain on paper towels.

   Temperature trick: If small bubbles rise around a wooden spoon in the oil, the oil is hot enough. If the oil is too cold, the patties soak up too much oil. If it is too hot, they burn on the outside.

💡 Practical tips for Pajagua Mascada

#

Nutrition overview

#

The values refer to one serving of about 3 pieces, including estimated oil absorption during frying.

• Calories: about 430 to 520 kcal
• Protein: about 18 to 24 g
• Carbohydrates: about 45 to 55 g
• Fat: about 18 to 28 g
• Fiber: about 3 to 5 g

These values are average estimates. If you prepare the patties in the oven or air fryer, the fat content is usually lower.

🍽️ What goes well with Pajagua Mascada?

#

Because the cassava patties are quite filling, light side dishes and classic Paraguayan drinks go especially well with them.

🔄 Recipe variations

#

Like many traditional recipes from Paraguay, this dish is based on simple basic foods that many households regularly keep at home. That is why these cassava patties can be changed in different ways:

Known variations

#

Pajagua Mascada with beef: In classic recipes, cooked beef is also used. It is finely shredded or passed through a meat grinder. This gives the mixture good binding and is ideal if you have leftover meat from the day before.

Vegetarian Pajagua Mascada: Soy granules, lentils or finely mashed red beans are popular alternatives. It is important to press out the plant-based base well after soaking and to season it strongly, so the mixture stays firm and keeps its typical character.

Modern variations

#

Pajagua Mascada in the oven: For a lower-fat version, place the cassava patties on baking paper, brush them with a thin layer of oil and bake them at high heat until they get some color. They will be less crispy than from the pan, but usually lower in calories.

Quick version in the air fryer: For smaller portions, the air fryer works well. Brush the patties thinly with oil, cook them at about 200 °C and turn them once.

Mini Pajagua as finger food: For guests or a Paraguayan evening, you can shape smaller patties. They look good on a buffet and fry quickly.

🇵🇾 Background information about the recipe

#

Name and spellings

#

The name is often written as Pajagua Mascada, but there are also versions like Payaguá Mascada, Payagua Mascada or Pajagua Maskada. These different spellings are normal with Paraguayan dishes, especially when words from Guaraní or from oral tradition are written in Spanish.

The name is connected with the Payaguá or Pajaguá, an Indigenous group on the Paraguay River. Mascada is linked to the Spanish verb mascar, meaning “to chew”. In a food context, the name is often connected with the soft, compact texture of the mashed mandioca.

What makes Pajagua Mascada special?

#

This dish stands for simple Paraguayan home cooking. Its charm comes from simple ingredients that create a strong flavor and a very filling texture with little effort.

The base is mandioca, one of the most important ingredients in Paraguayan cooking. In everyday life in Paraguay, this root is not just a simple side dish. It has a role similar to potatoes in Europe. For Pajagua Mascada, it is essential because it gives the patties body, binding and fullness.

Then comes the meat, usually beef, which gives the dish its hearty base. It is traditionally seasoned with cumin (comino), which plays an important role in many hearty Paraguayan dishes. Onion, garlic, green onions and parsley add freshness to the heavy cassava mixture. People from Germany may feel a little reminded of meatballs or potato pancakes, even though the bite is more compact because of the mandioca.

What role does Pajagua Mascada play in Paraguay?

#

As a traditional comida típica, Pajagua Mascada has its main season in June, when San Juan Ára is celebrated in many places. At local festivals and food stands, the patties are often offered together with Mbejú, Pastel Mandi’o and Sopa Paraguaya as classic street food.

Outside the Fiestas, Pajagua Mascada is also a traditional recipe that fits well into everyday cooking. Since mandioca is regularly on the table in Paraguay, this dish is also a practical way to use leftovers from the day before. Another cassava recipe that is also good for using leftovers is Maniok Chyruru: fried cassava with egg and cheese. Especially in the cooler season, many families enjoy both dishes as warming winter dishes.

❓ Frequently asked questions

#

Conclusion

#

A look at traditional food in Paraguay shows why Pajagua Mascada fits so well into Paraguayan cooking: simple ingredients, strong flavor, mandioca as the base and a dish that really fills you up.

Whether as a traditional food for San Juan or as a hearty snack in the cooler season, this down-to-earth Pajagua Mascada recipe comes without much fuss and tastes good warm or cold.

For anyone who is new in Paraguay or wants to try a hearty recipe from Paraguay, this cassava classic is a good place to start.

Have fun cooking and buen provecho!