A sopaipilla, sopapilla, sopaipa, or cachanga[1] is a kind of fried pastry and a type of quick bread served in several regions with Spanish heritage in the Americas.

[citation needed] In ancient times, frying cakes was a primitive substitute for baking, requiring only fire and a simple vessel.

[9] Although traditional Chilean sopaipillas made in central Chile include cooked ground pumpkin in their dough, this is typically not the case in the south.

[2] Depending if they are served as a pastry or bread Chilean sopaipillas are traditionally served with either pebre (a sauce of chili pepper, onion, garlic and coriander) or boiled in chancaca sauce (a homemade hot syrup cooked with panela, orange peel and cinnamon, and then they are called sopaipillas pasadas).

[2][3][9] In Chile sopaipillas are traditionally homemade and eaten during days of heavy rain,[2] as well as enjoying widespread popularity as street food, especially during winter.

Similar to Native American frybread,[14] they are typically served as a bread, and used to mop up sauces, scoop up tidbits, dab up flavors, or are shredded into stews.

[15][16] In New Mexico, they are often filled with savory ingredients such as ground beef or chicken, covered with chile and cheese, and served with lettuce and tomato as an entree.