This baked yucca fries recipe is a great alternative to potatoes. Yucca is chopped, drizzled with oil then baked to a crisp and served with a lime yoghurt dip.
If you like eating french fries then this recipe is the one for you. I’m talking about yucca, yes the same stuff that’s used to make tapioca flour/starch and other contemporary things, is made into the crispiest fries ever. This is a great way to introduce yourself to a vegetable that is used in African, Caribbean, Latin and some Asian cuisines. I promise you won’t miss the taste of ordinary potatoes over these and the zesty dipping sauce is to die for!!
What are yucca fries
In short yucca fries are made from the long, tuber, woody starch enriched shrub that derives from tropical countries. The interior of a yucca (aka cassava) is a creamy white flesh. While it may resemble a potato, the texture is a lot thicker and slightly more grainier too.
What do yucca fries taste of
Each person will have their own perception of yucca fries. To me, it taste like a milder version of a regular potato with a nutty taste incorporated. It doesn’t taste like french fries, the taste is different but still soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside and an overall much better version then what is sold in MC Donald’s.
In terms of their nutritional content yucca is more caloric and dense than their french fries counterpart. It contains a slightly high amount of carbohydrates making it a energy powerhouse. With that being said, it is also rich in small amounts of fibre, manganese, vitamin A and C, iron, phosphorus and calcium.
Peeling the vegetable to make baked yucca fries
This is especially important for people who aren’t used to handling yucca. Before buying the yucca, you want to inspect it by feeling it for an soft spots. Soft spots are a good indicator of a bad/rotten vegetable.
Depending on where you buy it from and the size of the vegetable, for example a marketplace you can ask them to cut into the yucca. The inside should be white or slightly off white/cream hue with no brown spots, lines and definitely not smelly.
You MUST use a knife to cut and peel the yucca. A peeler won’t work, because the skin is very thick and awkward to peel.
- Place the yucca on a chopping board (lay it down horizontally)
- Chop both ends off the yucca and discard
- Depending on the size of the yucca, cut into half or three pieces
- Stand each piece upright and cut off the skin in sections
- Once peeled, slice into half and then slice again
- Remove the thread/core by slicing the middle at an angle.
How to make yuca fries
- Preheat the oven
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and coat with oil
- Chop both the ends off the yucca root then slice in half or smaller (depending on the size)(picture 1-2)
- Stand each piece upright and proceed to slice off the skin
- Slice the yucca in half and again then at an angle to discard the core.
- Cut into small french fries (picture 3)
- Place the fries into a saucepan of water and bring to the boil for 10-15 minutes, until tender (prick with a fork, not too soft)(picture 4)
- Strain off the water and allow to cool before placing the fries onto the baking tray. Spread them out so they don’t overlap/crowd each other (picture 5)
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown (picture 5)
- Mix all of the ingredients together for the lime dip in a bowl then serve
Notes and tips on making baked yucca fries
- Make sure to coat the fries evenly with oil to ensure they crisp well
- It take around 25 minutes for the fries to bake, bake for longer if you want them more crispy
- Cut the fries to size to suite your preference. Mine are about 1/8” in thickness
- The dipping sauce is complementary or can use an alternative dip if this isn’t to your tastebuds
- Yucca is also known as cassava or manioc – do be sure of the interchangeable name(s) prior to purchasing.
- Yucca is accessible in multicultural neighborhoods where there are Caribbean/African/Latino/Asian communities
- You can make this with frozen yucca if you can’t obtain fresh or unsure of how to work with it.
Other appetizer recipes you may like
Easy roasted cayenne chickpeas
Baked yucca fries with lime yoghurt dip
Ingredients
- 1 large yucca/cassava 1-2lb
- Coconut oil melted to coat the tray and fries
To make the lime yoghurt dip
- 1/2 cup of vegan yoghurt 100g
- 2 tbsp of coconut oil melted (olive oil works too)
- 2 tbsp of lime
- 1 tbsp of cilantro coriander
- 1 tsp of garlic granules or powder
- 1 tsp of oregano
- 1/4 tsp of coconut nectar agave or maple
- 1/4 tsp of cumin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and coat with oil
- Chop both the end of the yucca root then slice in half or smaller (depending on the size)
- Stand each piece upright and proceed to slice off the skin
- Slice the yucca in half and again then at an angle to discard the core.
- Cut into small french fries
- Place the fries into a saucepan of water and bring to the boil for 10-15 minutes, until tender (prick with a fork, not too soft/0
- Strain off the water and allow to cool before placing the fries onto the baking tray. Spread them out so they don't overlap/crowd each other
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown
- Mix all of the ingredients together for the lime dip in a bowl then serve
Notes
- Make sure to coat the fries evenly with oil to ensure they crisp well
- It take around 25 minutes for the fries to bake, bake for longer if you want them more crispy
- Cut the fries to size to suite your preference. Mine are about 1/8'' in thickness
- The dipping sauce is complementary or can use an alternative dip if this isn't to your tastebuds
- Yucca is also known as cassava or manioc - do be sure of the interchangeable name(s) prior to purchasing.
- Yucca is accessible in multicultural neighborhoods where there are Caribbean/African/Latino/Asian communities
- You can make this with frozen yucca if you can't obtain fresh or unsure of how to work with it.
Nutrition
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