20 Yuca (Cassava) Recipes To Make The Most Of This Versatile Root (2025)

This delicious and diverse collection of yuca recipes shows how incredibly versatile it can be! Enjoy inspiration from different techniques and international flavors all in one place.

20 Yuca (Cassava) Recipes To Make The Most Of This Versatile Root (1)

There are an amazing amount of delicious recipes you can make with simple yuca root. Both traditional preparations from across the world and creative, new flavor combos can transform a simple root veggie into a tasty meal.

It’s an ingredient we love in our house. From mashes and fries to sweet desserts, I’m always excited to discover new ways to enjoy it. This amazing collection of yuca recipes is the perfect inspiration when you want to give something new a try. Check them out to find yummy dishes that use it to its full potential.

Yuca Root Tips

If you’re not practiced at cooking yuca, then these tips will help you pick and prepare them more easily and enjoy the flavors that much sooner.

  • Firm, unblemished roots – It’s important to only pick yuca that’s hard. There should be no cracks, blemishes, or signs of mold. It’s equally important that the flesh is a creamy white. No black spots or veins.
  • Always cook it – Yuca, much like potatoes, can be toxic when consumed raw. It must be cooked or processed into a flour (tapioca flour) in order to use it.
  • Peel it and remove the core – There are two outer layers that need to be removed, both the woody exterior and the pink layer underneath. The middle also has a fibrous core that should be cut away. Remove it raw or after cooking.

With these tips you’ll be prepared to tackle any of these yuca recipes with excitement. With such a fantastic, versatile ingredient as yuca, I’m sure you’ll find many to love!

1. Cuban Yuca con Mojo (Yuca with Garlic Sauce)

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This classic Cuban preparation of Yuca Con Mojo is something you’ll be thrilled to try at home. Simply boiled yuca root tossed in a flavorful citrus garlic sauce is a no-fuss side dish with huge flavor.

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

2. Yuca Mash with Garlic and Thyme (Mashed Cassava)

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A creamy, buttery yuca mash is a delicious variation of traditional mashed potatoes. You’ll love this thyme infused mashed cassava as an anytime side dish all year long.

Recipe by: Yummy Addiction

3. Pulled Pork Yuca Tots with Cilantro Garlic Sauce

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Yuca, aka cassava, turned into tots topped with juicy BBQ pulled pork and cilantro garlic sauce!

Recipe by: A Sassy Spoon

4. Cheese-Stuffed Baked Yuca Balls

A great option to dazzle your guests are this Cheese-Stuffed Baked Yuca Balls, a combination of soft, buttery cassava root and melted cheese.

Recipe by: Dominican Cooking

5. Crispy Baked Yuca Fries (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

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These crispy baked yuca fries are the perfect side dish, appetizer or snack. Cooked in the oven till crispy perfection, these yuca fries taste delicious with our favorite easy garlic aioli, our 5-minute Sriracha chili sauce, or cilantro lime crema.

Recipe by: Dish by Dish

6. Cassava Bibingka

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This version of cassava bibingka features a combination of grated cassava and fresh coconut baked in banana leaf. The snack cake is finished with a sweet coconut cream topping.

Recipe by: The Little Epicurean

7. Yuca Fritters – Carimanolas

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You will love this crunchy and creamy Latin treat! Carimanolas are a yuca dough filled with a tasty spiced meat mixture that is fried into a fitter. These are very popular in Panama and Colombia.

Recipe by: Ethnic Spoon

8. Colombian Chicken Sancocho (Sancocho de Pollo)

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Sancocho de Pollo, a hearty soup almost like a stew, is a traditional dish in the Antioquia region of Colombia that combines potatoes, yuca, corn, plantains, and chicken.

Recipe by: Skinnytaste

9. Traditional Filipino Cassava Cake

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Cassava cake is a traditional Filipino snack cake made with grated cassava, coconut milk, and a layer of molten custard on top. The cake has a soft, slightly chewy texture similar to Hawaiian mochi butter cake and is gluten-free.

Recipe by: Hummingbird High

10. Cheesy Baked Yuca Pie (Pastelon de Yuca)

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Give your weeknight dinner a Latin twist and make this delicious Baked Yuca Pie filled with shredded chicken and topped with lots of cheese.

Recipe by: Living Sweet Moments

11. Yuca en Escabeche (Cassava in Olive Oil & Vinegar)

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Boiled yuca marinades in an olive oil and vinegar sauce with onions, red peppers, and olives. The result is a light refreshing flavor that is still filling and comforting.

Recipe by: The Noshery

12. Accra Banana – African Banana Fritters

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Accra Banana is basically African Banana Fritters – Bananas combined with grated cassava (yucca root) then fried. The result is crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside balls of perfection that are to die for.

Recipe by: Precious Core

13. Nicaraguan Vigoron

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Nicaraguan Vigoron is boiled yuca (cassava root), topped with crispy pork rinds and a cabbage and tomato slaw. It’s great as an appetizer or light dinner!

Recipe by: The Candid Appetite

14. Bammy

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Bammy -A great tasting vegan, and paleo Jamaican flat bread made with grated cassava, dipped in coconut milk and fried until golden brown.

Recipe by: African Bites

15. Cassava Cake with Custard Topping

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Cassava Cake with Custard Topping made with grated cassava and coconut milk. Soft and moist with a creamy flan topping, this classic Filipino treat is the ultimate snack or dessert. And it’s naturally gluten-free, too!

Recipe by: Kawaling Pinoy

16. Hearty Plantain & Yuca Stew

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A warm and filling meal, this hearty allergy-friendly Plantain & Yuca Stew is inspired by Sancocho, a traditional stew found in multiple Latin American cuisines.

Recipe by: The Open Cookbook

17. Cassava Cake with Shredded Coconut

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This cassava cake is coated with shredded coconut. It’s a Malaysian kuih recipe. It’s sweet, dainty and delicious!

Recipe by: Rasa Malaysia

18. Easy Air fryer Cassava Chips

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This is a tasty and easy recipe of Airfryer cassava or yuca chips. It is very simple and you can have it as a tasty evening snack.

Recipe by: Rachna Cooks

19. Brazilian Chicken Soup with Yucca & Yam

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A delicious Brazilian Chicken Soup recipe with yam, yucca root, and shredded chicken. It’s hearty, gluten free, delicious and easy to make.

Recipe by: A Side of Sweet

20. Cassava Puffs with Cinnamon Sugar and Caramel (Gluten Free)

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These incredible 5 ingredient cassava (yuca) puffs with cinnamon sugar and caramel are next level good… and gluten free!

Recipe by: Chew Town

20 Yuca (Cassava) Recipes To Make The Most Of This Versatile Root (2025)

FAQs

What is the difference between yuca and cassava? ›

Cassava, which is also known as yuca, is not interchangeable with yucca. The plants belong to different plant families: cassava belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family, while yucca belongs to the Asparagaceae. Cassava is cultivated for its root, a staple food in many cultures. Yucca is primarily an ornamental plant.

What can I do with yucca? ›

Almost all parts of the yucca plant are useful and have been used historically by the people in this region, from the fibers used to weave baskets, create cordage, and make sandals, to the edible fruit and flowers.

What are the benefits of cassava yuca root? ›

Yuca root can help stabilize your digestive system. It is an excellent source of resistant starch, which works similarly to soluble dietary fiber. Yuca root starch helps feed the “good” bacteria that lives in your intestines, helping your digestive system function more smoothly.

What are the different ways to eat cassava? ›

Cassavas are very versatile. They can be fried, baked, boiled, etc.; cassava is used to make garri (i.e., grated, dried cassavas that look and taste similar to couscous) in Ghana and other West African countries.

Is yuca healthier than a potato? ›

Yucca is a healthy, fat-free & gluten-free root vegetable that has a brown outer skin and is white on the inside. Yucca is high in Vitamins C, B & A as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, and it's higher in fiber and potassium than potatoes!

Is cassava healthier than potato chips? ›

Cassava chips offer a unique flavor and texture that sets them apart from potato chips. They are a healthier alternative due to their lower fat content and are equally satisfying when it comes to crunch and taste. Are Cassava Chips Gluten-Free? Yes, cassava chips are naturally gluten-free.

Who should not eat cassava? ›

Allergies to latex: Cassava might cause an allergic reaction in people who are sensitive to latex. Iodine deficiency: Cassava might lower the amount of iodine absorbed by the body. For people who already have low levels of iodine, eating cassava might make this condition worse.

What are the side effects of yucca root? ›

The roots of the yucca plant contain a substance that can trigger the production of toxins, such as cyanide, when not processed correctly. Improper cooking can cause yucca root side effects, such as vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness and headaches.

Does yuca raise blood sugar? ›

Yucca can still boost health in people with diabetes. There is evidence that yucca helps regulate blood sugar. A 2013 study found that yucca regulated metabolic disturbances in diabetic rats. It was also found to moderately reduce glucose levels.

What must be removed from cassava to make it safe to eat? ›

Sweet cassava roots contain less than 50 mg per kilogram hydrogen cyanide on fresh weight basis, whereas that of the bitter variety may contain up to 400 mg per kilogram. Sweet cassava roots can generally be made safe to eat by peeling and thorough cooking.

What country eats the most cassava? ›

- Nigeria and Thailand are top countries for cassava consumption. - Nigeria is the largest cassava producer globally. - Cassava is a staple food in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Does boiling cassava remove cyanide? ›

Boiling/Cooking

As with soaking, the free cyanide of cassava chips is rapidly lost in boiling water. About 90% of free cyanide is removed within 15 minutes of boiling fresh cassava chips, compared to a 55% reduction in bound cyanide after 25 minutes (Cooke and Maduagwu, 1978).

Is cassava called yuca in Mexico? ›

The specific name esculenta is Latin for 'edible'. The common name "cassava" is a 16th century word from the French or Portuguese cassave, in turn from Taíno caçabi. The common name "yuca" or "yucca" is most likely also from Taíno, via Spanish yuca or juca.

What is cassava called in America? ›

Known as yuca, manioc, arrowroot, and tapioca, cassava has quite a few names — and uses.

What is yuca called in Africa? ›

Cassava is known by many names including yuca, manioc, mandioca, yucca root, casabe, and tapioca.

Are there 2 types of cassava? ›

Also, there are two types of cassava: sweet and bitter. Bitter cassava is hardier but has a much higher cyanide content. Most of the cassava used in the United States is sweet. In the U.S., people grind cassava down to make tapioca, which they eat as a pudding or use as a thickening agent.

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