Which Brazilian breakfast food is a cheese-filled bread made with tapioca flour?

Pão de queijo is the Brazilian cheese bread made with tapioca flour.

The small, chewy rolls are prepared from tapioca flour, cheese, milk, eggs, and fat. Unlike wheat-based bread, pão de queijo is naturally gluten-free when made with uncontaminated tapioca flour. The dough expands in the oven, producing a crisp exterior and stretchy interior.

The food is strongly associated with Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil. Its popularity spread throughout the country, and it is now commonly eaten at breakfast or as a snack with coffee.

The Portuguese name literally means “cheese bread.” Recipes differ in the cheese used, but Minas cheese is especially traditional. The combination of cassava-derived flour and dairy reflects ingredients that became important in regional Brazilian cooking.