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Overview

Payagua Mascada

Payaguá Mascada, Paraguayan Cassava and Beef Patty, Lampreado

This payagua mascada recipe is the Paraguayan street-food favourite: soft mashed mandioca (cassava) mixed with seasoned ground beef, onion, spring onion and egg, shaped into patties and fried until crisp and golden. The name means "chewed payagua", after the Payagua people of the Paraguay River, and the patties are sold from market stalls and roadside stands across the country. One serving is about 310 g.

Payagua mascada takes its name from the Payagua people who lived along the Paraguay River and fished its waters. The patty is a meeting of two worlds: mandioca, the native cassava that has fed Paraguay for centuries, and beef, brought by Spanish settlers and raised on the country’s great grasslands. Today it is one of Paraguay’s most loved street foods, fried fresh at market stalls and eaten hot from paper.

Pairs well with: Fresh tomato salad, pickled onions and a cold tereré or limeade

Provenance

Paraguay flag Paraguay

Paraguayan Street-Food Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

45m

25m prep • 20m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

520 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 310 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Frying)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Street food, market lunch, family snack, football match food Cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Savory Fried
Four golden-brown fried payagua mascada patties on a white plate, crisp and speckled with herbs

Paraguayan Street-Food Classic

Photo: El Mono Español, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $2–3 per serving at home (USD)

A traditional Paraguayan fried patty of mashed cassava and seasoned ground beef.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 45m
P

Cook the cassava and mix the patties

25 minutes

Boil the cassava until soft, drain and mash it smooth while hot, then cool slightly and mix with the ground beef, onion, spring onion, garlic, egg, cumin, pepper and salt. Shape the mixture into 12 even patties about 8 cm across and 1.5 cm thick.

Maestro Tip: Mash the cassava while it is still hot — cold cassava turns stiff and lumpy and will not bind.

  1. 1

    Boil the cassava

    20 minutes 100°C (212°F) — a rolling boil

    Put the cassava pieces in a pot of boiling salted water and cook for 18–20 minutes until completely soft and starting to split at the edges. Drain well in a colander for 2 minutes so no water stays behind.

    Cassava must be cooked through — undercooked cassava is hard and bitter. Taste a piece before draining.

    Done when: A fork slides through the cassava with no resistance and the pieces split easily.

  2. 2

    Mash and mix

    10 minutes No heat — mix while the cassava is still warm, about 60°C (140°F)

    Mash the hot cassava in a large bowl until smooth, removing any stringy fibres. Leave for 5 minutes to cool slightly, then add the ground beef, onion, spring onions, garlic, beaten egg, cumin, pepper and salt. Mix with your hands until evenly combined, but do not overwork it.

    If the mixture feels too wet to shape, add a spoonful of cassava flour or plain flour; if too dry, add a splash of water.

    Done when: The mixture holds together when squeezed and is evenly speckled with onion and herbs.

  3. 3

    Shape the patties

    5 minutes No heat — room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)

    Wet your hands and shape the mixture into 12 patties, each about 8 cm across and 1.5 cm thick. Press the edges smooth so they do not crack in the pan.

    Make all the patties the same size so they cook in the same time.

    Done when: Twelve even, smooth-edged patties that hold their shape when lifted.

  4. 4

    Fry until golden

    12 minutes 175°C (350°F) — hot oil, medium-high heat

    Heat the oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the patties in two batches for 5–6 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp. Do not move them for the first 3 minutes, so a crust forms.

    If the oil is too hot the outside burns before the beef cooks through; if too cool, the patties soak up oil and fall apart.

    Done when: Both sides are deep golden and crisp, and the centre reaches at least 71°C (160°F) — the safe temperature for ground beef.

  5. 5

    Drain and serve

    3 minutes Serve hot — about 60°C (140°F)

    Lift the patties onto kitchen paper to drain for a minute, then serve three per person while hot and crisp, with salad and pickled onions on the side.

    Serve at once — the crisp crust softens as the patties sit.

    Done when: Patties are crisp outside, hot and steaming inside, and hold together when cut.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Eat the patties hot with your hands or a fork, with a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of pickled onion — the sharp, sour toppings balance the rich, starchy patty.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

520

kcal / serving

Protein

24g

Complete AA

Carbs

62g

Complex

Fats

19g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 310 g)
Energy520 kcal
Protein24 g
Carbohydrates62 g
Fat19 g
Fibre3.6 g
Sugar3.9 g
Sodium599 mg
Per 100g
Energy168 kcal
Protein7.9 g
Carbohydrates19.9 g
Fat6.2 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugar1.3 g
Sodium194 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Provides vitamin C and folate from the cassava and onion, iron, zinc and vitamin B12 from the beef, and vitamin A from the egg. All nutrition values are estimated.

Protein and energy

Each serving gives about 24 g of protein from the beef and egg, with slow-release energy from the cassava.

Iron and B12 from the beef

Ground beef is a good source of iron and vitamin B12, which support healthy blood and energy.

Naturally gluten-free base

Cassava is naturally gluten-free, so the patties suit gluten-free eaters with no special flour needed.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Vegetables

Tomato and onion salad

Fresh tomato, onion and parsley with lime juice cuts through the fried richness and adds crunch.

Sides

Pickled onions

Sharp pickled red onion is the classic Paraguayan counterpoint to fried food — its acidity lifts the whole plate.

Chipa (cheese bread)

A warm chipa on the side makes the meal more filling and is the other great Paraguayan street snack.

Drinks

Tereré or limeade

Iced tereré (cold yerba mate) or a cold limeade refreshes the palate between rich, salty bites.

Complete menu

Serve three payagua mascada per person with tomato salad and pickled onions, with chipa on the side and fresh fruit afterwards.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Undercooked ground beef

Ground beef must reach 71°C (160°F) all the way through — a pink centre is not safe in a minced patty. This is general information, not medical advice.

Reheating in the microwave

Microwaving makes the patties soggy and unevenly hot; reheat in a hot oven or a dry pan so the crust crisps again and the centre reaches 74°C (165°F).

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA filling, flavourful lunch or snack; three patties with salad is a full portion.
  • ChildrenSoft inside and easy to eat — serve smaller patties and skip the pickled onion for young children.
  • ElderlySoft texture and easy to chew; serve warm, not piping hot, and cut into halves if needed.
  • Pregnant womenSafe when the beef is cooked right through to 71°C (160°F) and the egg is fully set.
  • Breastfeeding womenEnergy- and protein-rich; pair with salad to balance the fried patty.
  • AthletesGood post-training food, with about 24 g of protein and plenty of carbohydrate per serving.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense and easy to eat — add chipa on the side for extra calories.
  • Weight lossFilling, but fried and energy-dense, so take two patties instead of three and fill the plate with salad.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesCassava is starchy, so keep the portion to two patties and add plenty of salad. Ask your clinician about portions for your needs.
  • High blood pressureThe patties are salted and fried, so go easy on added salt and skip extra salty toppings. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Kidney diseaseBeef and egg are high in protein and phosphorus, so this dish may not suit a restricted diet. Ask your clinician before eating it regularly.
  • GoutBeef is a purine-rich meat, so people prone to gout should eat a smaller portion. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Stomach issuesFried food can be hard on a sensitive stomach — eat a small portion and avoid the pickled onion if it causes discomfort. Ask your clinician if symptoms persist.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseGround beef and frying add saturated fat — use lean beef, drain the patties well, and keep the portion modest. Ask your clinician about fat intake.
  • Fatty liverA fried, starchy dish, so keep the portion small and favour the salad. Ask your clinician for advice.
  • Food allergiesContains egg. The dish is naturally gluten-free and free of milk, nuts and soy — check the oil label for additives.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNaturally gluten-free; for a lower-fat version, bake the patties at 200°C (400°F) instead of frying. Ask a dietitian about fitting it to a prescribed diet.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool leftover patties quickly and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
In the fridge
Up to 2 days at 0–4°C (32–39°F).
In the freezer
Uncooked patties freeze well for up to 2 months, separated by baking paper; thaw in the fridge before frying.
How to reheat
Reheat cooked patties in an oven at 200°C (400°F) for 10 minutes until crisp and steaming hot, at least 74°C (165°F) inside.
Freezing recommended
Yes for uncooked patties; cooked patties are best eaten fresh.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour or off smell, grey meat, or a slimy surface — discard if any of these appear.

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