Yuca with garlic sauce is an amazing side dish that’s quick and easy to make. In this recipe tender boiled yuca is tossed with a simple oil sauce made with fresh garlic, olive oil, butter, salt, pepper, and parsley. Make this deliciously different side dish when you want to try something new.
Table of contents
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root vegetable that is eaten all over the world but is especially common in Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa. This starchy staple food has a rough brown skin and hard, white inside. Common preparations include boiling and frying.
Yuca is commonly served as a side dish or added to soups and stews like in this Cuban Ajiaco recipe. It can be boiled and cut into pieces like in this garlic yuca recipe. But it can also be smashed or mashed and served with olive oil or butter and a pinch of salt.
Another popular preparation method is boiling and then frying it to make yuca fries (yuca frita in Spanish). It can even be sliced super thin and made into chips. Cassava chips are delicious!
Ingredients
- Yuca – We use frozen yuca in this recipe. I have grown increasingly frustrated with fresh yuca because half of the time it’s not good. The outside will look perfectly fine, but the inside will have brown spots or mold. The cassava flesh needs to be perfectly white. Any imperfections mean it’s not good and I’ve had to toss a few. That’s why I’m recommending sticking with frozen yuca.
- Oil/Fat – The garlic oil is made with extra virgin olive oil and butter.
- Produce – Use large garlic cloves and don’t chop them too fine so they hold up to sautéing without burning. Fresh parsley adds a pop of freshness and color.
- Spices – The spices are simple, just salt and pepper.
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Instructions
Place frozen yuca in a large pot where they fit comfortably.
Cover with cold water by 2-3 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt, place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
Cook the yuca for 45-60 minutes until it is tender but not falling apart. Test one of the larger pieces. A paring knife should go through it easily without resistance and slide right out.
Drain the yuca. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pieces from the pot or use a colander. Place them on a rimmed pan or cutting board. Let the yuca cool completely.
Cut large, round pieces in half or thirds lengthwise. Find, remove, and discard the woody stems. The stems are in the center of the yuca.
Next, cut the yuca into roughly 1½ inch pieces and gently place them in a large bowl. Repeat with the rest of the yuca pieces.
Make the garlic sauce
Gently heat the olive oil and butter in a non-stick medium skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and oil is hot, but nowhere near smoking, add the garlic. Gently cook the garlic, stirring constantly for 45-60 seconds.
Immediately take the skillet off the heat (take it off the hot burner). Add salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine.
Pour the hot garlic oil over the yuca and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to toss it gently until coated.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours.
Frequently asked questions
Yuca is a wonderful side dish that will complement many meals. This preparation of the cassava with garlic sauce will go especially well with Cuban roast pork, a palomilla steak, Cuban picadillo, or our bistec en cazuela which is tender steak served in a flavorful tomato sauce.
Look for frozen yuca in the international frozen food section of large supermarkets or in Latin markets. It comes in a large bag and several brands package them. The brand will depend on what’s available in your area.
No. The yuca should be started while it is still frozen.
Storing and reheating instructions
Store leftover yuca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until hot all the way through. If reheating on the stove-top use a non-stick skillet, medium-low to low heat and cover. Take care not to burn the garlic. Heat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F.
To freeze, let it cool completely and place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
One final note
Garlic yuca is a popular in Cuban cuisine and it’s one of my favorite ways to make it. It’s a side dish served on special occasions (especially Christmas Eve) and with everyday meals. If you want to add more tropical flavors to your dinner table, try these fried green plantains, fried sweet plantains, or these fantastic malanga fritters.
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Yuca with Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Frozen Yuca
- 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 6-7 Garlic Cloves roughly chopped into small pieces (don’t mince it too fine so it holds up to cooking without burning)
- 1 teaspoon Chopped Fresh Parsley plus extra for garnish if desired
- 2 teaspoons Salt divided (1 teaspoon to boil the yuca and 1 teaspoon for the garlic sauce) plus extra if needed at the end – we use kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Do not defrost the yuca before cooking.
- Place yuca in a large pot where they fit comfortably. Cover with cold water by 2-3 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt and place the pot over high heat.
- Bring the water to a boil. Cook the yuca for 45-60 minutes until it is tender but not falling apart. If the water is boiling vigorously and splashing out, then lower heat a little bit but keep it boiling.
- Test one of the larger pieces. A paring knife should go through it easily without resistance and slide right out.
- Drain the yuca completely. The best way is to remove each piece with a slotted spoon, let it drain and then place it on a rimmed pan or cutting board. Let the yuca cool completely. It will firm up as it cools and will be easier to cut into pieces.
- Cut large, round pieces in half or thirds lengthwise. Find, remove, and discard the woody stem from all the pieces of yuca. The stems are in the center of the yuca. They resemble a thin piece of rope.
- Next, cut the yuca into roughly 1½ inch pieces and gently place them in a large bowl. Repeat with the rest of the yuca pieces.
Make the garlic sauce
- Wait until the yuca is cut to make the sauce so that the hot garlic oil heats up the yuca.
- Gently heat the olive oil and butter in a non-stick, medium skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted and oil is hot, but nowhere near smoking, add the garlic. Gently cook the garlic, stirring constantly for 45-60 seconds; the garlic should be sizzling.
- Immediately take the skillet off the heat (take it off the hot burner). Add salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine.
- Pour the hot garlic oil over the yuca and use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to toss it gently until coated.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ½ teaspoon to ours. Serve.
Notes
- The cooking time will depend on the yuca and how large the pieces are. Check on them after 30-35 minutes to see how far along they are. Then gauge the remaining time from there. If smaller pieces are ready, remove them and continue cooking the rest.
- Use a rubber spatula to toss the yuca to prevent them from tearing. A wooden spoon will work too but be gentle.
- Take care when cooking garlic. It burns quickly and will become inedible. Also, make sure that the oil is not too hot when you add it to the pan.
- Cook the yuca just enough so that they’re tender but not falling apart. We want tender yuca but if they become too soft, they will only be good for mashing.
- Yuca has a fibrous core. Be sure to remove it after boiling.
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