If you love Cuban cuisine, then you definitely don’t want to miss out on some yuca con mojo. This side dish consists of cassava (yuca) that is boiled until tender then simmered in a garlic zest infused citrus sauce.
This Cuban dish is for those who love the taste of yuca and like a sauces that is made up of garlic with a tangy citrus flavour.
A recipe that is so easy to put together using fresh or frozen yuca/cassava.
This recipe reminds me of a trip to Cuba a few years ago, although Cuba is primarily a Spanish speaking island, it shares many cultural similarities to it’s English, French and Dutch neighboring islands.
More often than not when people think of Cuban cuisines they associate it with an assortment of pork prepared in various ways.
While I won’t deny that Cuban people are huge advocates for adding pork to their dishes, there’s another side to Cuban cuisine waiting to be explored and this recipe is testament to that.
Like many Caribbean Islands, the people of Latin America embrace yuca (aka cassava) just as much as their fellow islanders.
Jamaicans like to make what is known as Bammy which is a flatbread made from grate cassava that is mould together in a disc shape, saturated in coconut milk only to be grilled or fried.
You can also make some Crispy Oven Baked Yuca Fries too, they are the Caribbean answer to McDonald’s. I suppose the western equivalent to yuca would be white potatoes as both vegetables are packed with starch as well as fibre.
Recipe modification
This recipe is my modified approach of yuca con mojo, I’ve added more flavour by introducing a number of herbs/spices/a more citrus to boot. The mojo has a strong citrus flavour due to the use of lemon and orange (creating a sour orange replica).
Oregano and cumin are two popular herbs and spices used in Cuban cooking which form part of the mojo. Some people don’t include these spices in their recipe but I like to think this enhances the flavour.
I also boiled my yuca with ground garlic/onion and pink salt. This is used just to stop the yuca from being bland, because the actual vegetable is pretty tasteless on its own.
Garlic and sliced onions are sauteed in a very small amount of coconut oil and added as the base note to the tangy mojo.You can balance out the tangy-ness with a subtle hint of sweetness by adding a tablespoon or two of coconut nectar or equivalent.
How to make yuca con mojo
- Place the yuca in a saucepan with just enough water to cover then add the pink salt along with the onion and garlic powder.
- Prepare the mojo sauce by first melting the coconut oil in a frying pan on medium heat then saute the garlic and onions until soft (not golden).
- Quickly add the orange juice, lemon juice, oregano, cumin black pepper, coconut nectar and pink salt to the frying pan and stir until everything is combined.
- Carefully add the small pieces of yuca to the frying pan with the mojo sauce and simmer for 5 minutes before serving.
Fresh VS frozen yuca
Thankfully this recipe works with both fresh and frozen yuca, which is great for people like me how hate peeling the skin of the yuca. If you haven’t peeled yuca before I have to say it’s not the most pleasant task. I have now started to use frozen yuca to make this recipe
The exterior is a coarse brown wood texture which you’ll need a sturdy paring knife to peel away. The best way to do this to slice the yuca in halve then stand up it before slicing off the skin in a down ways motion.
The flesh should be firm and white in colour which you’ll need to cut lengthways before halving. There’s a fibrous piece of string in the centre of the yuca, you don’t want to bite into that when eating. My tip is to remove this either before or after boiling the yuca.
Serving suggestions
You can turn this would be side dish into a main meal by adding some Cuban Black Beans .
I have two versions of these beans, you can try this Slow Cooker Black Beans or even turn it into a meat based dish by adding to some Cuban Picadillo
Notes and tips
- Boil the yuca until it is tender. To determine it’s readiness you will need to prick it with a fork.
- Don’t over boil the yuca or it will start to break apart and turn to mush.
- The cumin and oregano is optional, you don’t have to add them if you don’t want to.
- This recipe calls for sour oranges, use those if you can get hold of them or substitute with orange juice along with lemon or lime.
- Use frozen or fresh yuca to make this recipe.
- You can purchase fresh or frozen yuca from any Caribbean/Latino supermarket. It’s also known as cassava too.
Try these Spanish/Cuban recipes
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Yuca Con Mojo (Cuban style)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 Ib of yuca fresh or frozen
- 2 tsp of himalayan pink salt
- 1 tbsp of onion powder
- 1 tbsp of garlic powder
To make the mojo
- 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice mixed with 1/4 of lemon this will make sour orange
- 1 large red onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp of oregano
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 1/2 tsp of black pepper
- 1 tsp himalayan pink salt or according to taste
- 1 tbsp of coconut nectar or sweetener *optional
- 2 tbsp of coconut oil
Instructions
To peel the yuca (move onto step 4 if using frozen yuca)
- Chop off both ends of the yuca so the flesh is exposed and stand the yuca upright, then use a paring knife to cut downwards to remove the bark and the pink skin underneath.
- Once peeled, cut the yuca lengthways down the middle then in half so you should be left with 4 strips of yuca before cutting into smaller chunks (about 4 inches each).
- Run the knife along the middle of each piece of yuca to pluck out the fibrous string. Don't worry if each chunk doesn't contain the string just continue until all of the yuca is checked then discard the little string if found.
- Place the yuca in a saucepan with just enough water to cover then add the pink salt along with the onion and garlic powder.
- Bring the pot to the boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until tender
- Drain off the excess water and set aside.
To make the mojo sauce
- Prepare the mojo sauce by first melting the coconut oil in a frying pan on medium heat then saute the garlic and onions until soft (not golden).
- Quickly add the orange juice, lemon juice, oregano, cumin black pepper, coconut nectar and pink salt to the frying pan and stir until everything is combined.
- Carefully add the small pieces of yuca to the frying pan with the mojo sauce and simmer for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Boil the yuca until it is tender. To determine it's readiness you will need to prick it with a fork.
- Don't over boil the yuca or it will start to break apart and turn to mush.
- The cumin and oregano is optional, you don't have to add them if you don't want to.
- This recipe calls for sour oranges, use those if you can get hold of them or substitute with orange juice along with lemon or lime.
- Use frozen or fresh yuca to make this recipe.
- You can purchase fresh or frozen yuca from any Caribbean/Latino supermarket. It's also known as cassava too.
Nutrition
Nena:
Con todo respeto… I mean with all due respect ‘me encanta’ la osadía de tus recetas. I love the challenges your recipes make to the palette. I am also happy to see your tostones done on an air cooker. I just want to invite all to your refreshing, remarkably tasteful and elegant Caribbean cuisine. Let me know when your cook-book is in print. I want to the first to try.
Blessings to you and thanks for sharing your Love in the kitchen,
Ricky A.
Gracias Ricky!
I love this sauce, Charla! Great you included the spices, it looks mouth-watering.
Thank you!