On the Fridays of Lent, when Nicaraguan Catholic households give up meat, the pot that comes out is sopa de queso. It is a light broth colored with tomato and a little achiote, scented with fresh mint, and filled with two kinds of cheese: soft cubes of queso fresco that warm through in the soup, and crisp fried dumplings of corn masa kneaded with salty aged cheese that soak up the broth without falling apart.
It is one of the most distinctive soups in Central America, and almost unknown outside Nicaragua. Here is how it is made, and why the dumplings are the part to get right.
A Lenten Soup
Cuaresma, the forty days before Easter, reshapes the Nicaraguan menu. Beef and pork disappear from Friday tables and cheese, eggs, fish and corn take over. Sopa de queso is the centerpiece of that season, alongside sopa de mondongo on the non-fasting days and the sweet buñuelos and almíbar of Holy Week. Families make it on Good Friday in particular, often for a crowd, and it is common to see it sold from big pots at markets throughout March and April.
Outside Lent it is less common but not rare; any cool, rainy evening is reason enough.
The Two Cheeses
Queso seco is a hard, salty, aged cheese that Nicaraguans grate the way Italians grate Parmesan. It goes into the dumpling dough, where its salt seasons the masa and its dryness helps the dumplings hold together in hot oil. In the United States, cotija is the right substitute.
Queso fresco is the soft, mild fresh cheese cut into cubes for the soup itself. It should soften and take on the broth without melting into strings. Any Central American or Mexican queso fresco works; avoid anything labeled queso blanco para freír, which is meant to hold its shape in a pan and stays rubbery in soup.
The Dumplings
The fried dumplings, sometimes called rosquillas de masa or simply tortitas, are masa harina worked with grated queso seco, an egg and a little water into a soft dough, shaped into small rings or thick coins, and fried in an inch of oil until deep golden. Fry them harder than looks necessary. A dumpling that is only lightly browned will dissolve in the broth; a well-fried one stays whole, goes tender on the outside and keeps a chewy center. They can be fried hours ahead and added at the end.
The Broth
Onion and green pepper softened in oil, then garlic, tomatoes and a spoon of achiote paste cooked down until the tomatoes collapse. Water goes in, then a bunch of fresh mint, which is the flavor most people remember about this soup. After fifteen minutes the broth is thinned slightly with milk, and the cheese cubes and dumplings go in for a final gentle simmer. Serve it in deep bowls with more mint, tortillas on the side and, in many homes, a mound of white rice to spoon in.
Variations
Cooks on the Pacific coast sometimes add small dried shrimp to the broth. Others stir in a beaten egg at the end so it sets in ribbons. Some families leave out the milk for a clearer soup, and some add a diced potato or a handful of sliced green beans to stretch it. The mint and the two cheeses are the constants.
Sopa de Queso Nicaragüense
Nicaragua's Lenten cheese soup: a tomato, onion and mint broth with fried corn-and-cheese dumplings (rosquillas de masa) and cubes of fresh cheese.
Ingredients
- For the dumplings: 2 cups masa harina, 1 1/2 cups warm water, 1 1/2 cups grated queso seco or cotija, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, oil for frying
- For the broth: 2 tablespoons oil, 1 onion diced, 1 green bell pepper diced, 3 cloves garlic minced, 3 ripe tomatoes chopped (or 1 cup canned crushed tomato), 1 teaspoon achiote paste or ground annatto
- 8 cups water or light vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pound queso fresco, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 small bunch fresh mint (hierbabuena), plus more to garnish
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dumpling dough: mix the masa harina with the warm water until it comes together, then knead in the grated cheese, egg and salt. The dough should be soft and not sticky; add a spoon of water or masa as needed. Shape into small rings or patties about 2 inches across.
- Heat an inch of oil in a skillet to 350°F and fry the dumplings in batches until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. They can be made a few hours ahead.
- For the broth, heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and soften the onion and bell pepper, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes and achiote and cook until the tomatoes break down, about 8 minutes.
- Add the water or broth and the mint, bring to a boil, then simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lower the heat, stir in the milk, then add the queso fresco cubes and the fried dumplings. Simmer gently 5 minutes so the dumplings soak up broth and the cheese softens without melting away.
- Serve in deep bowls with extra mint on top, tortillas or white rice on the side, and a slice of lime if you like.
Notes
The soup is traditionally meatless because it belongs to Lent (Cuaresma), when Nicaraguan Catholics give up meat on Fridays. Some cooks add small dried shrimp; that is a coastal variation.
Fry the dumplings hard so they hold their shape in the broth. Soft dumplings fall apart.
Queso seco is the salty aged cheese that goes into the dumplings; if you cannot find it, cotija is the right substitute. Do not use it for the cubes, which should be soft queso fresco.
Keep Cooking Nicaraguan
Sopa de queso pairs naturally with a glass of cold pinolillo and a plate of gallo pinto the next morning made from the leftover rice. Find the rest of the country’s table in our guide to 13 traditional Nicaraguan dishes and on the Nicaraguan food hub.
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Jorge Garcia is the founder of AmigoFoods, where he has spent over 20 years helping readers discover authentic Latin American and Spanish cuisine. Raised in a Cuban-American household, Jorge learned to cook at the hands of his mother and grandmother, carrying forward generations of family recipes. That heritage, backed by his family’s four-generation history in the Latin food industry, inspired him to launch AmigoFoods in 2003. With more than 1,000 published articles on recipes, ingredients, and food culture, Jorge’s mission is simple: make authentic Latin cooking approachable for home cooks everywhere while honoring the traditions behind every dish.