Cassava Oven Fries

By Yewande Komolafe

Cassava Oven Fries
Kerri Brewer for The New York Times
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
3(173)
Notes
Read community notes

Cassava (also known as yuca) is a terrific vessel for a variety of dips like ata din din and guasacaca, or doused with a cilantro-garlic sauce. The root vegetable is ideal for roasting, and these fries can be a quick snack or a wonderful side. Don’t skip the first step that calls for blanching them in hot water, otherwise, the oven’s dry heat will dehydrate the starchy root, and the goal here is a tender soft interior in a crisp, golden brown shell. These fries are best finished with salt and served hot. You can reheat any leftovers in a hot oven the next day, but they are way too delicious to save, and will likely disappear rather fast.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 Servings
  • 2medium fresh cassava (2½ to 3 pounds)
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 6tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

605 calories; 22 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 100 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 774 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

  2. Step 2

    Fill a large bowl with water. Trim and discard the ends of the cassava. Peel off the brown skin on the cassava with a sharp peeler or paring knife. Cut the cassava crosswise into thirds and slice each piece lengthwise into ½-inch-wide pieces. Cut each slice into ½-inch sticks and transfer to the bowl of water as you go to avoid discoloration.

  3. Step 3

    Once the water in the pot is boiling, season it with 2 tablespoons of salt. Drop the cassava sticks carefully into the pot. Cook until the cassava is just beginning to soften and the surface becomes translucent, 45 to 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon or sieve, transfer the cassava to a baking sheet. Pat the pieces dry with a clean towel and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Gently toss the cassava sticks with 4 tablespoons oil on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown on the bottoms. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to toss the cassava with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Spread the sticks out again, flipping the pieces so the browned sides are up. Sprinkle lightly with salt and return to the oven. Roast until the cassava is golden and crisp, 10 to15 minutes. Serve the fries immediately while still hot.

Ratings

3 out of 5
173 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

EH

did you read the recipe?!

CV

Cassava is often called yuca (yucca) in NY. It is widely available in Brooklyn supermarkets - not just in hispanic neighborhoods. I also found it at Fresh Direct, but not Whole Foods. Hope this helps.

bbb

Highly recommend using frozen yuca; but after the parboiling, you must remove the fibrous core from middle of each piece. Then cut into sticks, then deep fry until golden and crispy. Sprinkle immediately with salt. Maybe roasting instead of frying, as this recipe does, works well and saves calories. Or maybe not.

rashby136

I do the same in doing JO JO'S. CUT POTATOES into wedges length. Follow how to cook them. Oh! Leave the skin on. Mayo and kitchup mixed together then add you favored hot flavor. And the best pizza crust mixing water with the yeast put in the water and yeast brown sauger

Real Cook

Need to remove tough, fiberous center strip Need to boil till translucent throughout, not just on surface.

Botany Boy

Don't skip cutting off the off and boiling. Cassava contains water-soluble cyanide. The ends are thought to concentrate the poison so remove and then boil. Discard the water. Do not use as stock. Some people handle cassava with gloves. Do as bbb suggests and remove the woody core which is not particularly edible.

Ian

Loved it. I did it with frozen Yucca, started cooking it frozen until it started to become translucent. Followed the rest of the recipe and it turned out delicious and crunchy. BUT I had to leave it in the oven for around 15 more minutes, 25 minutes total wasn't enough. I would say total time was around 40 minutes.

ThomH

LOVED THIS! I halved the recipe to fit into our toaster oven (Breville) and followed the recipe exactly. They couldn't have been more perfect. My husband is not keen on rice, so I served Korean short rib stew on top of the fries and it worked wonderfully. I'd consider any stewy dish -- but partial toward Asian.

MAC

Failure caused by user error. Do not use convect setting. It dries it out.

Will

Could this work with frozen Yuca? Peeling fresh Yuca is a huge pain.

Real Cook

Need to remove tough, fiberous center strip Need to boil till translucent throughout, not just on surface.

PD

Frozen cassava chunks already peeled is available in many supermarkets.

Botany Boy

Don't skip cutting off the off and boiling. Cassava contains water-soluble cyanide. The ends are thought to concentrate the poison so remove and then boil. Discard the water. Do not use as stock. Some people handle cassava with gloves. Do as bbb suggests and remove the woody core which is not particularly edible.

bbb

Highly recommend using frozen yuca; but after the parboiling, you must remove the fibrous core from middle of each piece. Then cut into sticks, then deep fry until golden and crispy. Sprinkle immediately with salt. Maybe roasting instead of frying, as this recipe does, works well and saves calories. Or maybe not.

PD

I wonder if you could make oven fries with russet potato's this way . I have made them in the past and they have been good, but boiling them for a minute or two may make them better

gerry

not crazy about the oil. Would this work roasting them at 425?

EH

did you read the recipe?!

Sad Brazilian In NY

I opened this recipe with hopes it had some magic trick to make frozen cassava taste good. Cassava fries are a huge tradicion in my home country and I miss this delicious treat. No mention in the NYT recipe of the fact that you absolutely cannot find fresh cassava in the northeast US. Just left me craving.

CV

Cassava is often called yuca (yucca) in NY. It is widely available in Brooklyn supermarkets - not just in hispanic neighborhoods. I also found it at Fresh Direct, but not Whole Foods. Hope this helps.

KDurg

Cassava (mandioca in much of Brazil) is often called yuca in the US. It is often found in Asian and Latin grocery stores. It's even called Brazilian arrowroot in some places (vai entender!). In Brazil, it is usually deep fried and served like french fries.

Happy Brazilian in LA

Have you tried the frozen Yuca Fries? Super yummy! Highly recommend it and usually easy to find at mass grocers.

rashby136

I do the same in doing JO JO'S. CUT POTATOES into wedges length. Follow how to cook them. Oh! Leave the skin on. Mayo and kitchup mixed together then add you favored hot flavor. And the best pizza crust mixing water with the yeast put in the water and yeast brown sauger

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