Name: Changua
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 1 L whole milk; 1 L water; 4 large eggs, refrigerated and preferably pasteurized; 80 g long scallion (cebolla larga), thinly sliced and divided; 12 g fresh cilantro, chopped and divided; 6 g fine salt; 120 g fresh farmer cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes; 4 almojábanas, about 55 g each (about 220 g total)

Region Bogotá and the Cundiboyacense highlands, Colombia

Category Milk-and-water breakfast soup with poached egg

Passive time None

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Changua

Changua: Bogotá milk-and-water breakfast soup with poached egg

Changua is a warm Bogotá breakfast soup built from a short list: milk, water, long scallion, egg and cilantro. This version follows the documented ministerial preparation, serving each bowl with torn almojábana and fresh white cheese. The bread softens in the hot broth; the cheese warms without disappearing, and a whole poached egg makes each bowl a full, gentle breakfast.

The soup is associated with Bogotá and the Cundiboyacense highlands, where a hot breakfast suits cool mornings. Recipes vary from home to home. Some use calado or bread instead of almojábana, and the balance of milk and water changes. The version here keeps equal parts milk and water and uses the almojábana-and-cheese combination recorded in a Bogotá cookbook. It is one documented preparation, not a single required formula.

Changua cooks quickly, so have the bowls and garnishes ready before the eggs go into the pot. Heat the milk gently to avoid scorching or curdling, then poach the eggs until their centers reach 71 °C. The source recipe cooks them briefly, but this adaptation follows consumer egg-safety guidance. Serve as soon as the bowls are assembled so the bread is warm and soft but still has some texture.

Ingredients

Broth and eggs

1 L whole milk
1 L water
4 large eggs, refrigerated and preferably pasteurized
80 g long scallion (cebolla larga), thinly sliced and divided
12 g fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
6 g fine salt

Bowls and garnish

120 g fresh farmer cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes
4 almojábanas, about 55 g each (about 220 g total)

Method

Prepare the bowls and garnishes Warm 4 soup bowls with hot water, then dry them. Cut the cheese into 1 cm cubes. Tear each almojábana into bite-size pieces and divide them among the bowls with most of the cheese, a little reserved scallion and a pinch of cilantro. Keep the remaining scallion and cilantro for the broth and final garnish. Set the bowls near the stove so the hot soup can be served immediately.
Season the water with scallion Pour 1 L water into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add about three-quarters of the 80 g sliced scallion and 6 g salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. The liquid should smell lightly of onion without reducing much. Lower the heat if it boils hard; a steady simmer gives the scallion time to flavor the broth.
Warm the milk gently Pour in 1 L whole milk and stir. Heat slowly until the liquid is steaming and just below a boil, about 5–7 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously or sit unstirred on the bottom of the pan. Taste the broth and adjust only if needed; the cheese and rolls also contribute salt. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer before adding the eggs.
Poach the eggs safely Crack each of the 4 eggs into a small cup, then slide them one at a time into separate areas of the gently simmering broth. Keep the heat low so the whites gather around each yolk. Poach for about 5–7 minutes, adjusting for egg size and starting temperature. Check the center of each egg with a thin food thermometer; it must reach 71 °C, and the white and yolk should be set. If an egg is below temperature, continue cooking and check again after 1 minute.
Finish the broth with cilantro Once the eggs are cooked, stir in most of the remaining cilantro and scallion. Turn off the heat and let the herbs sit in the hot liquid for about 30 seconds. Avoid prolonged boiling after the milk is hot. The broth should remain pale and smooth, with visible green herbs and a light onion fragrance.
Assemble the bowls Use a slotted spoon to lift one egg into each warmed bowl, placing it over the almojábana and cheese. Ladle the hot milk-and-water broth around the egg until the bread is partly submerged. Divide the remaining scallion, cilantro and cheese evenly over the bowls. The residual heat softens the almojábana and warms the cheese.
Serve while hot Bring the bowls to the table immediately. The bread should be tender at the edges and still hold some shape in the center. Serve with hot Colombian chocolate, coffee or aguapanela if desired. Changua is best eaten as soon as it is assembled; the bread continues to soften as it sits.

Practical guidance

Practical

What goes into changua

The broth is deliberately simple. Long scallion seasons the water first, then milk joins it for a mild, savory base. Cilantro is divided between the pot and the bowls so its fresh aroma remains noticeable. A little salt seasons the liquid, while fresh farmer cheese adds a soft, milky bite. Almojábana, a small Colombian cheese-and-corn-starch roll, replaces plain calado in this version and soaks up the soup. The Bogotá cookbook record for changua ministerial de La Magola lists milk, water, four eggs, cilantro, long scallion, salt, almojábanas and fresh cheese. Other Bogotá descriptions commonly mention bread or calado. Keep these accompaniments distinct rather than combining every variation in one bowl: use the almojábana and cheese listed here, or choose calado and omit the roll if you prefer a lighter serving.

Timing the eggs

Poach one egg per bowl in the seasoned milk-and-water liquid. Keep the liquid below a hard boil; vigorous bubbling can break the whites and make the milk scorch on the bottom. Use fresh refrigerated eggs, preferably pasteurized shell eggs. For food safety, cook each egg until the center reaches 71 °C and both the white and yolk are set. Lift each egg carefully with a slotted spoon so it stays whole when placed over the bread and cheese.

Equipment

Medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan Four warmed soup bowls Slotted spoon Small knife and cutting board Food thermometer with a thin probe Ladle

Nutrition per serving

Approximate values for 1 bowl, including 1 egg, 1 almojábana and one-quarter of the cheese and broth. Bakery products and cheese vary in size and sodium. Estimates use the listed ingredient weights and generic composition data for whole milk, eggs, fresh cheese and almojábana. Sodium varies most with the cheese, bakery roll and salt. These rounded values are not a laboratory analysis.

Practical guidance

Choosing the bread and cheese Almojábana is a small Colombian baked roll made with cheese and starches. Its mild tang and tender crumb suit the milk broth. Fresh farmer cheese is mild, moist and slightly salty; queso campesino is a close Colombian choice. Outside Colombia, use a mild fresh cheese that holds small cubes, such as queso fresco or a young farmer cheese. If using a saltier cheese, reduce the salt in the broth slightly. Calado or plain toasted bread is a common serving variation. To use it, replace the 4 almojábanas with an equivalent amount of sturdy bread and leave the cheese in or out according to your preference. Avoid very soft sandwich bread, which can disappear quickly in the hot liquid. Add the bread to the bowls rather than simmering it in the pot so each serving keeps its texture. Avoiding scorched or curdled milk Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir as the milk warms. Once it steams, lower the heat and do not let the soup boil hard. A slow simmer is enough to cook the eggs and keep the broth cohesive. If a thin milk skin forms, lift it off gently rather than whisking it into the soup. Use fresh milk kept refrigerated until cooking. Egg safety and serving Raw or lightly cooked eggs can carry foodborne risk. Use refrigerated pasteurized eggs when available, and cook the center to 71 °C. A set white and yolk are visible doneness cues, but a thermometer gives the safety check. Serve promptly in warmed bowls. Do not leave the milk soup at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container and reheat to 74 °C. Allergens and dietary notes This recipe contains milk and egg. Almojábana commonly contains milk and may contain egg or wheat depending on the bakery and formula. Check package or bakery information, especially for allergies, and prevent cross-contact. The dish is not dairy-free or vegan. A plant-based milk and egg substitute would create a different soup and should not be presented as this recipe.

Final notes

Warm the bowls first: the broth stays hot while the bread softens. Cook eggs to 71 °C: keep the broth at a gentle simmer and check each center before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 bowl with 1 egg and 1 almojábana
Calories: 470 kcal
Carbohydrates: 49 g
Protein: 24 g
Fat: 19 g
Fibre: 1 g
Sodium: 880 mg

Changua

Ingredients

Broth and eggs

Bowls and garnish

Method

Practical

What goes into changua

Timing the eggs

Equipment

Nutrition per serving

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Caldo de costilla

Sobrebarriga en salsa criolla

Cocido boyacense