Cuban Yuca with Garlic Mojo

If you’ve never heard of it, yuca (or cassava) is a staple root vegetable in Latin American and Caribbean cuisine.

And by the way, yuca is not some boring, boiled vegetable, it has a garlicky citrus mojo with sliced onions to go with it! Ain’t nobody got time for dry yuca, am I right?

My family would always make yuca con mojo for Christmas Eve. You’d often see it on a plate on Noche Buena next to Cuban lechon asado and of course, congri (we don’t call it moros, sorry not sorry).

We’d always have leftovers (because Cubans always make WAY too much food) so that leftover yuca would turn into yuca frita for Christmas lunch. Que rico!

Ok, let me show you how to boil this tuber and toss it in a delicious garlic mojo!

“Very good and exceeds that of the local Cuban restaurants! Puerto Rican wife loved it!” —MD guy

Fresh or Frozen Yuca: That Is The Question

If buying fresh yuca, make sure it is firm without any soft spots. Fresh yuca has rough, brown skin and, you need to peel and cut it into chunks with a sharp knife. If you don’t feel like doing all that, buy the frozen kind!

The frozen kind comes peeled and cut already. No preservatives or funky ingredients. It’s just straight up frozen peeled yuca chunks. You can find it in the Hispanic frozen section of the grocery store.

Either one works! Use what you have access to.

Recommended For This Recipe

Saucepan

Perfect for quick meals or recipes. I use this 1-quart nonstick, anodized saucepan all the time and love that it has a lid to avoid any splatters. Super easy to clean and long-lasting.

Boiling The Yuca

Ok, boiling the yuca is easy peasy. All you have to do is add the yuca to a large pot of salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

Once it’s bubbling, lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until it’s fork-tender. Keep an eye on it though, you want it soft but not mushy! Overcooking can make it fall apart, so check it a little early if needed.

The Fibrous Core

Yuca always has this string in it that’s not edible. This is what it looks like. The frozen kind sometimes has it removed but to be honest, you don’t HAVE to do this step.

After you boil and drain the yuca, pat them dry with paper towels then transfer them to a large bowl with a lid. Remove the stringy, fibrous core from the center of each piece of yuca with a knife, if desired.

⭐️ Listen, like I mentioned before… you NEEED to make Yuca Frita with all the leftover boiled yuca. Trust me! I won’t steer you wrong. Crunchy, delicious yuca fries with my homemade cilantro garlic sauce are just about the best way to repurpose leftovers.

Delicious Garlic Mojo with Onions

While the yuca is boiling, you can make this tangy, citrusy mojo for the yuca. All you need is sour orange juice, olive oil, garlic, and spices. So simple and absolutely delicious!

To make it, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.

Stir in the garlic, black pepper, and a pinch of salt (start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste & adjust from there), cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Whisk in the sour orange juice, mix well, and set aside.

Pour the hot garlic mojo sauce over the warm yuca, tossing to coat. Cover and let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the flavors soak in.

Can’t wait for you to make it!