By: Franchesca Livraghi | @breakthrukitchen

Hot take: Yuca fries are better than regular french fries! Maybe you didn’t know you could make yuca into fries, or maybe you didn’t know you could do it three different ways, but you’ll learn everything you need to know about frying yuca in this recipe! 

Yuca fries are crispier than potato fries, especially when baked or air fried. Yuca, a.k.a cassava, also has a slightly sweet flavor that gets emphasized when fried, so it has a more distinguished taste than classic fries made from potatoes.

With the weather starting to warm up, right now is a great time to cook up a heaping plate of yuca fries that will complement whatever meat you have on the grill, as well as any other side dishes, like Ensalada de Coditos or Ensalada Rusa. For garnish, I recommend a generous sprinkle of sea salt and a little bit of chopped cilantro to add a bit of fresh flavor.

Tips for Cutting Yuca

Yuca can be an intimidating root vegetable to work with. It’s hard exterior can be difficult to remove if you don’t know the proper technique, and the inner core has a rough texture that can completely ruin the texture of your yuca fries if you don’t remove it.

When getting started, make sure to always use a sharp knife and be cautious to avoid any accidents. A sturdy cutting board can also prevent slipping. Wash the yuca thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris from the skin. Then, using a sharp knife, cut off both ends of the yuca to create flat surfaces for stability.

Peel the tough, outer skin of the yuca using a sharp vegetable peeler or a knife. Make sure to remove all the waxy brown skin to reveal the white flesh beneath. Yuca can be quite dense, so it's best to cut it into smaller, manageable pieces before peeling off the exterior. Cut the yuca into chunks or segments depending on your recipe.

Some yuca may have a tough, fibrous core running through the center. To remove it, cut the yuca lengthwise and then use a knife to carefully cut out the core. Once cut into desired shapes, you may want to boil or steam the yuca until tender before using it in recipes. This will soften the dense flesh and make it easier to work with. Depending what shape you want your yuca fries to be (rectangles, square chunks, etc.), this will inform how you cut up your yuca before cooking. Experiment with cutting techniques such as slicing, dicing, or cubing to achieve the desired result.

If you’re looking for a visual reference, check out this video from Loisa’s Instagram! 

Fried vs. Baked Yuca Fries

Whether you’re making yuca fries the traditional way, in the frying pan, or making them in the oven or airfryer for a healthier side dish, yuca fries will consistently have the same crispy exterior and creamy inside. To make yuca fries in the oven or airfryer, I make sure to add the seasonings, like Organic Sazón, Organic Adobo, Sea Salt, and Organic Ground Black Pepper, before it goes into the oven so all those flavors can meld into the fries while they’re baking. 

In contrast, if you’re cooking yuca fries in a traditional fryer, I typically prepare them like traditional French fries. In that case, I sprinkle on the seasonings right after the yuca fries are removed from the frying oil, while they’re still hot and fresh, so they can stick to the fries really well.

Try Making Deditos de Yuca for a Delicious Twist

The third method of yuca fries I like to make is Deditos de Yuca and, trust me, once you try these yuca fries you’re going to be hooked on this method! 

These are also known as Palitos de Yuca, where the yuca is mashed really well using Loisa’s masher, and then combined with egg, flour, Sofrito, and a variety of spices, to create a delicious cassava mixture.

I add a sprinkle of flour to the mixture and use my hands to roll the deditos de yuca and fry them in hot oil until they’re perfectly golden brown. These deditos are technically yuca fries, but this method results in the creamiest center, and the outside becomes really crispy and golden brown. Once they’re cooled down enough, that crunch when you bite into one is the most satisfying thing!

Recaito Mayoketchup is the Perfect Dip

Every fry needs a good dip! For these three recipes, I created Recaito Mayoketchup - the perfect dip that gives a nice tangy, yet herby, flavor to your crispy and salty yuca fries. All you have to do is make your typical mayoketchup, and a spoonful (or two!) of Loisa’s Recaito. Mayoketchup is a classic on its own, but the fresh sabor from the ajo in the Recaito is going to take it to the next level!

Alternatively, you can also play around with Loisa’s Classic Sofrito and Sofrito Rojo, by either adding them in with the mayoketchup instead of using Recaito, or ditching the ketchup and just using Sofrito and mayo for a creamy, herby dip! Although sofrito is typically known as a traditional cooking base, its flavor is so potent that it’s an excellent ingredient to use in dips, spreads, and dressings. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it! 

Making yuca fries takes a bit of practice to get it perfect, but once you have your technique down, it can be quite rewarding - and of course, sabroso!