Fried Yuca with Spicy Mayo Recipe

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

Note: Aji amarillo is a sweet yellow chile paste that can be found in most Latin markets with Peruvian ingredients. It can be omitted or replaced with a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce.

Recipe Details

Fried Yuca with Spicy Mayo Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 35 mins
Serves 4 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds fresh yuca (about 2 roots)

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste (see note)

  • 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime

  • 1 jalapeño pepper, stems and seeds removed, roughly chopped.

  • 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

  • 2 tablespoons grated cotija, romano, or feta cheese

  • 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Peel yuca, split in half crosswise, and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick batons. Place in a pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Season well with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender and yuca is starting to fray, about 15 minutes. Drain.

  2. While yuca is cooking, combine mayonnaise, aji amarillo, lime juice, jalapeño, cilantro, and cheese in the jar of a blender and blend on high speed until smooth. Alternatively, blend in a up with a hand blender. Season to taste with salt if necessary. Set aside.

  3. When yuca is boiled, heat oil to 350°F in a fryer, Dutch oven, or large wok over high heat. Adjust flame to maintain temperature. Add yuca and cook, agitating and flipping frequently, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and shake to drain. Season with salt. Serve immediately with sauce for dipping.

Special Equipment

Deep fryer, Dutch oven, or wok

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
638 Calories
40g Fat
67g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 638
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 52%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 854mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 67g 24%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 50mg 249%
Calcium 65mg 5%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 518mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)