Colombian pan de sagú is a traditional baked snack made with sagú (arrowroot) starch, fresh curd cheese, egg, and butter. It has a firm outside, a soft center, and a gentle dairy flavor that sets it apart from other Colombian cheese breads. It’s traditional in Cundinamarca towns such as Fosca and Anapoima, where it’s still baked in wood-fired ovens, and in Huila.
People usually enjoy it fresh from the oven for breakfast, afternoon coffee, or a snack with Colombian coffee, hot chocolate, panela tea, or masato.
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Colombian Pan de Sagú (Arrowroot Starch Cheese Bread)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 breads
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients
- 500 g of sagú (arrowroot) starch
- 500 g of cuajada (fresh curd cheese)
- 1 egg
- 120 g of butter, at room temperature
- 10 g of baking powder
- 10 g of salt
- Milk, a little only if the dough is dry
Preparation
- Preheat the oven, heat it to 180 °C (350 °F) and have a baking sheet ready.
- Make the base, grate the cuajada. Make a well with the sagú starch, sprinkle the salt and baking powder over it, and place the cuajada and the egg in the center.
- Knead, add the butter in small cubes and knead until everything comes together into an even dough; if it’s too dry, add a little milk.
- Shape the breads, form small rings or any shape you like, all the same size so they bake evenly, and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake, bake for about 20 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F), until golden.
Chef’s tips
- Use fresh, well-drained curd cheese so the dough does not become too wet.
- Add milk only if the dough is dry, because curd cheese moisture can vary.
- Do not replace sagú starch with wheat flour when you want the traditional texture.
- Avoid overbaking, or the breads may become dry.
Traditional variations
Some versions include grated fresh cheese along with curd cheese for a more pronounced dairy flavor. You may also find pan de sagú shaped as round rolls, small rings, or short pieces. Sagú starch, curd cheese, and butter remain the most recognizable base ingredients.
How to serve
Serve pan de sagú warm, plain, or with fresh Colombian farmer’s cheese. It is ideal for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or coffee breaks with hot drinks.
Recommended accompaniments
- Colombian black coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Hot panela drink
- Colombian masato
- Fresh farmer’s cheese
A culinary curiosity
Sago starch gives this bread its distinctive texture: lighter and more delicate than a yeast-raised wheat bread. That is why it is closer to other Colombian starch-and-cheese baked snacks than to conventional bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It's made with sagú (arrowroot) starch, cuajada, egg, butter, salt, and baking powder.
In Cundinamarca towns such as Fosca and Anapoima, where it's baked in wood-fired ovens, and in Huila.
If the dough is dry, add a little milk and knead until it's even.
They're shaped into small rings or any shape you like, all the same size so they bake evenly.
