Cuñapé

Name: Cuñapé
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Bolivian
Ingredients: 2 cups yuca starch (almidón de yuca); 1.5 cups fresh queso fresco, crumbled; 1 egg; 2 tbsp butter, melted; 1/4 cup milk; 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp anise seeds (optional)

Cuñapé (koo-nyah-PEH)

Cheese Bread Balls

⏱ Prep Time 15 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 116 kcal

Small, chewy, golden cheese bread balls made from yuca starch and fresh cheese, crispy outside and gooey inside — Bolivia's beloved snack from the eastern lowlands.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 5.0g

Carbs 15.0g

Fat 4.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

gluten-free vegetarian nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy ⚠ eggs

Equipment Needed

mixing bowl baking sheet oven

Presentation Guide

Vessel: woven basket

Accompaniments: coffee, api

Ingredients

2 cups yuca starch (almidón de yuca)
1.5 cups fresh queso fresco, crumbled
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp anise seeds (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
2
Mix yuca starch with crumbled cheese, salt, and anise seeds.
3
Add egg, melted butter, and enough milk to form a soft, pliable dough.
4
Knead briefly. The dough should be smooth but slightly sticky.
5
Roll into golf-ball sized balls. Place on a greased baking sheet.
6
Bake 15-20 min until puffed, golden, and cracked on the surface. Serve warm.

💡

Did You Know?

Cuñapé dough is so sensitive to humidity that bakers in Santa Cruz adjust their recipe daily based on the weather.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

mixing bowl
baking sheet
oven

Accompaniments

coffee, api

The Story Behind Cuñapé

Cuñapé originated with the Guaraní peoples of Bolivia's eastern lowlands, who cultivated yuca as their primary starch. The addition of cheese came after Spanish colonization introduced dairy farming. Today cuñapé is synonymous with Santa Cruz identity, sold in bakeries and street corners throughout the eastern regions.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed snack, breakfast, tea time 📜 Origins: Guaraní indigenous

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