Changua (Savory Breakfast Soup)

Recipe from Luz Angela “Nena” Sierra

Adapted by Martine Thompson

Updated March 2, 2026

Changua (Savory Breakfast Soup)
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(57)
Comments
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Changua is a nourishing Colombian breakfast soup that’s traditionally made with milk, water and eggs, plus scallions and cilantro that flavor the broth as it simmers. The dish comes from Colombia’s central Andes region — particularly Boyacá and Cundinamarca, including the capital, Bogotá — where it’s a familiar breakfast. At Palenque, a Brooklyn restaurant devoted to Colombian home cooking, changua arrives without embellishment, made either with dairy or, more unexpectedly, with oat milk. The plant-based version doesn’t try to mimic the original so much as reinterpret it: The oat milk brings a mild sweetness and roundness that works well with the scallions and cilantro. Bite-size pieces of toasted pan de bono, a popular Colombian cheese bread typically made with yuca flour, eggs, cheese, butter and sometimes salt or sugar, soften gradually in the broth. If you can’t find cheese bread, any rustic bread will work. A bowl of changua is meant to steady you in the morning, whether you’re easing into the day, recovering from the night before, or lingering somewhere in between. —Martine Thompson

Featured in: Soup, It’s What’s for Breakfast

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Ingredients

Yield:1 serving
  • 2small pan de bono (about 2 ½ ounces each; see Tip), firm cheese bread, or day-old baguette, country loaf or ciabatta, cut into bite-size pieces (1½ to 2 cups)
  • 2scallions, finely chopped
  • 2packed tablespoons cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
  • Salt and black pepper
  • ½ cup milk (or oat milk, which yields slightly sweeter and lighter results)
  • 2eggs
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

1845 calories; 27 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 7 grams polyunsaturated fat; 322 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 80 grams protein; 3792 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Toast the pan de bono pieces until golden and crisp using a toaster oven, a 350-degree oven or a waffle iron.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, pour 1 cup water into a small saucepan. Add the scallions and cilantro, and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

  3. Step 3

    Add the milk and let the liquid return to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium so it stays at a steady simmer. (You should spot small bubbles around the edges, rather than rapidly boiling bubbles at the center.) Season to taste again with salt and pepper.

  4. Step 4

    Crack each egg into a small bowl, then gently release them into the simmering liquid. Let them cook until the egg whites are completely white and firm but the yolks are still soft, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on your preference.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer the soup and eggs to a bowl and scatter the toasted pan de bono pieces on top, allowing them to soften slightly in the broth. As an optional final touch, add a bit more chopped cilantro on top. Serve immediately.

Tip
  • Firm pan de bono doesn’t fall apart in the soup. If you can’t find it, use a bread like day-old, stale baguette, country loaf or ciabatta that feels firm and dry. Avoid very soft breads, which can turn mushy in the soup.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
57 user ratings
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Comments

JL

My daughter had unusual tastes for food even as a very young child. She was still a toddler when she demanded chicken soup for breakfast. For years I would make a big pot once a week and serve her a steaming bowl with noodles and fresh dill every morning— her favorite. Her sister, who would have survived on Fruit Loops if I had let her, began to ask for the same. My soup-eating daughter would tell her friends that she had soup for breakfast and I began hearing from other parents that their kids were now asking for soup for breakfast. A mini trend. Why not? Filing, tasty, warm. A great way to start the day.

C.A. Venezuelan in Virginia

In the western Venezuela, Andes region also (close to Colombia), a variation of this breakfast soup is known as Pisca Andina. Pisca Andina is a traditional, comforting Venezuelan breakfast soup from the Andean region (Mérida), often served in clay bowls. Key ingredients include potato, chicken broth, milk, cheese, cilantro, garlic, and onions, typically finished with poached eggs on top. It is a hearty, creamy, yet light soup ideal for cold mornings.

Rhondda

Simple and delicious! I’m a fan of soup for breakfast, but this will also be a fast and comforting dinner too, with ingredients always on hand. Adding into my regular rotation. Thanks NYT Cooking!

n newhouse

I topped w a couple of dollops of crème fraiche. It added some depth and it to another level of taste.

Home-cooking Heidi

Interesting. Loved the broth when it was cooking (just scallions, cilantro, milk, water, salt, pepper). Dunked a couple croutons while waiting for the soup to finish, and it was still great. But somehow the eggs killed it for me, which is odd! Now, I think I'm just going to eat the leftover croutons. I'll make it again but without the eggs. Full disclosure: I cracked my eggs directly into pot instead of the extra bowl. Curious to hear if anyone thinks that would make a difference in flavor?

Eggs are not plants

So replace the dairy milk with oat milk, but why no suggestion for the eggs? Silken tofu could be nice. Or chickpeas…

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Credits

Adapted from Luz Angela “Nena” Sierra, Palenque, Brooklyn

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