Description
Yuca con Mojo is a traditional Cuban side dish featuring tender boiled yuca root dressed in a vibrant garlic, citrus, and onion sauce. The yuca’s mild flavor pairs beautifully with the bright orange and lime juices, aromatic garlic, and spiced olive oil infusion, creating a mouthwatering accompaniment perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Yuca
- 1 ½ pounds yuca, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Garlic Sauce
- 1 to 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, plus zest for garnish, from half an orange
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, from 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped, plus leaves for garnish
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather all the ingredients including the peeled and cut yuca, thinly sliced onions, citrus juices, minced garlic, chopped cilantro, and spices.
- Boil Yuca: Place the 1 ½ pounds of peeled and cut yuca chunks into salted boiling water and cook until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Test tenderness by piercing with a fork.
- Drain and Keep Warm: Drain the cooked yuca and transfer it to a serving dish. Cover the dish to keep the yuca warm and prevent it from returning to room temperature while preparing the sauce.
- Make the Citrus-Onion Sauce: In a bowl, combine thinly sliced red onions, fresh orange juice, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and minced garlic. Mix well and pour this mixture over the warm yuca in the serving dish.
- Heat Spiced Oil: In a heavy pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat along with dried oregano, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper for about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Combine and Garnish: Pour the hot spiced olive oil over the yuca and sauce mixture. Garnish with additional cilantro leaves and orange zest if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
- Yuca con mojo is a classic Cuban side that combines the earthy flavor of yuca with bright, acidic notes and aromatic garlic for a perfect balance.
- If yuca is difficult to find, cassava or manioc can be used as substitutes with similar texture and flavor.
- The hot spiced oil poured over the cold sauce helps to slightly cook the onions and garlic, mellowing their sharpness.
- Make sure not to overcook yuca as it can become mushy; it should be just tender to hold its shape.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 439 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 101 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 76 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
