Baked Yuca Fries with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

These baked yuca fries are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The creamy cilantro dipping sauce is tangy, herbaceous, and ridiculously addictive.

I first discovered yuca fries – and yuca in general – at one of my favorite restaurants here in NYC, aptly named Cuba. They serve all the greatest hits of Cuban cuisine, make a mean mojito, and sometimes have a live salsa band, too. In a nutshell, this place is just the freakin’ greatest. I fell in love with their yuca frita at first bite and have been making a baked version at home since.

What is Yuca

Yuca (a.k.a. cassava and manioc) – pronounced “YOU-kah” – is a mild-tasting, starchy root vegetable native to South America as well as parts of Asia and Africa. It presents as a large, somewhat irregularly-shaped brown stalk with bark-line skin.

Underneath, yuca has a hard white flesh that’s not unlike a potato’s. When cooked, yuca becomes creamy and absolutely delicious – again, like a potato. (“Yucca,” on the other hand, is a shrub and is unrelated to this root vegetable.)

Yuca happens to make the most delicious fries (sometimes called “cassava fries”), which are commonly served in Cuban restaurants as a side dish or appetizer, alongside a garlicky cilantro dipping sauce. This is my homestyle, slightly healthier version of the dish, where I bake the fries instead of deep-frying.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Yuca: Look for firm, evenly-colored yuca without black spots or mold on the ends. Yuca is available at many supermarkets, as well as in Asian or South American markets. You may also find peeled and chopped yuca in the frozen vegetables aisle, which would work just as well here.
• Cooking Oil: Use any neutral-flavored cooking oil you have. My favorites are avocado, organic canola, and refined coconut.
• Mayonnaise: You can use conventional or vegan mayo for the cilantro dip.
• Cilantro: Cilantro gives this sauce an unmistakably vibrant, green, grassy flavor that I can’t get enough of. If you’re a cilantro-hater, substitute with basil, dill, and/or parsley.
• Lime Juice: Feel free to sub with lemon.

How to Peel Yuca for Fries

Yuca is much firmer than a potato. You’ll definitely need a sharp chef’s knife – plus patience and plenty of elbow grease – to get the job done…

• Using a sharp knife, cut the yuca stalk into 2 or 3 pieces. (When you cut into it, the flesh should be white; if you see brown spots or detect an unpleasant acidic aroma, the yuca has gone bad and should be thrown away.)
• Working with 1 piece at a time, stand the piece upright on a flat side, and carefully slice off the skin, turning the piece as you go. Repeat with each piece.
• Cut the peeled pieces lengthwise into 4 batons to reveal a woody core (you may not see it, but it is there). Slice away a thin piece of the core and discard it.
• Cut each resulting baton into French fry shapes.

How to Make Baked Yuca Fries

• Step 1: Boil the Yuca. Put the chopped yuca in a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes, until the yuca is cooked about halfway through.
• Step 2: Drain and Dry. Drain the yuca in a colander, then transfer back to the dry pot. Let it sit for a few minutes to dry out. When it no longer looks wet, drizzle with oil and salt. Toss to coat evenly.

• Step 3: Bake the Fries. Arrange the yuca in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake until the fries are golden brown and crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. It’s super important to bake these in a single layer so each fry has a chance to crisp up; if they’re too crowded, the fries will steam and become mushy instead.

Cilantro Dipping Sauce for Yuca Fries

While the yuca is in the oven, make the sauce. This tangy cilantro-lime dip is super simple to make: just combine mayo, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice in a blender and blend until smooth.

More Latin-Inspired Recipes…

• Mexican Rice and Beans Casserole
• Enoki Mushroom “Carnitas” Tacos
• Vegan Black Bean Dip
• Plantain Nachos

Let me know if you try my baked yuca fries! Give them a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.