Ingredients
2 large yuca
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. chili powder
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large avocado, pitted
1/4 c. sour cream
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 c. packed cilantro
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 450°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim ends of yuca and cut each one in half, widthwise. Stand them on their ends and use a sharp knife to cut the waxy peel off. Cut each piece in half lengthwise and then cut in half lengthwise one more time to create 16 pieces total. Trim the fibrous center out of each piece. Step 2Place cut yuca into boiling water and let boil until fork tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from pot and place on a paper towel lined cutting board. Pat dry with another paper towel. Step 3Place dried yuca into a large bowl and toss with oil. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper and toss again to evenly coat. Place yuca on a large baking sheet in an even layer. Step 4Bake until golden and crispy, about 25 minutes, tossing halfway through. Step 5Meanwhile make dipping sauce: In a small food processor or blender, combine avocado, sour cream, lime juice, and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Step 6Serve fries immediately with dipping sauce.
Some cooks swear by boiling their potatoes before roasting them to guarantee the outside gets crispy while the inside stays soft and fluffy. For an easier time in the kitchen, we usually skip it for our oven-roasted potato recipes. Take our advice though, and don’t skip boiling these yuca fries! Without it, the insides will likely still be raw and hard (and no one wants that). Because yuca is a little sweet, it pairs especially well with spicy seasonings. We’ve gone relatively basic with just salt, pepper, and a little chili powder, but options like Cajun seasoning, taco seasoning, or curry powder could all be good. The options are endless, so feel free to go wild. These fries are best fresh out of the oven, so get your dipping sauce ready ahead of time. We like ours with a simple, creamy avocado version, but we bet everything from homemade ketchup to chimichurri sauce to spicy mayo would be great with these. Made these? Let us know how it went in the comments below.
