Pão de Queijo

Little tapioca cheese breads with crisp shells and springy centers, best eaten warm.

Brazil · Appetizers · 45 min

Dish-specific AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of a tested preparation.
Dish-specific AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of a tested preparation.

DeSabor Kitchen · Published · Updated · 20 / 25 / 45 min · 6 · Brazil

Jump to Recipe

Scalding tapioca starch with hot milk and oil begins the characteristic chewy structure. Let the mixture cool before adding egg so it does not scramble. Sticky dough is normal; lightly oil your hands to shape it.

The Story Behind the Dish

Pão de queijo is especially associated with Minas Gerais and is enjoyed across Brazil. Cheese and starch choices vary among bakers.

Ingredients

  • 250 g tapioca starch, not tapioca pearls
  • 150 ml milk; 60 ml oil, plus 1 tsp for hands; 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 150 g grated cheese, half Parmesan and half mozzarella

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 200°C. Bring milk, oil and salt just to a boil in a small pan.
  2. Put starch in a heatproof bowl and pour in hot liquid. Stir firmly, then cool 5 minutes.
  3. Work in egg, then cheeses, until a sticky dough forms. With lightly oiled hands shape 18 small balls.
  4. Arrange spaced apart on a lined tray and bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Serve warm.

Cook's Tips

  • The center should be stretchy, not dry like ordinary bread. Tapioca starch is essential to the texture.

Home-style recipe; not independently kitchen-tested. Check all ingredients and substitutions for allergens. Times are estimates; use the texture and temperature checks in the method. Serving accompaniments are separate unless listed. In temperatures above 32°C, refrigerate perishables within 1 hour rather than 2.

How to Serve It

Serve warm, three small breads per portion, with coffee or as an appetizer. The center should be springy and cheesy rather than dry like wheat bread.

Variations & Substitutions

Sweet and sour cassava starch blends give different textures. This recipe uses the listed tapioca starch and mixed cheeses, not every Brazilian baker's formula.

Tapioca starch is essential; pearls, wheat flour and ordinary cornmeal are not direct substitutes. Different cheeses affect salt and moisture; keep the total cheese weight at 150 g.

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate cooled breads within 2 hours at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Freeze cooked breads individually for up to 1 month.

Warm at 170°C until the center is hot, aiming for 74°C for refrigerated leftovers. Serve promptly; repeated heating makes the cheese-starch center rubbery.

The DeSabor Table

  • Pão de Queijo — Snack

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