How to Make Cassava Fries

The cassava root (also referred to as yuca) is a long tuberous vegetable that is grown in Brazil, the Caribbean and the tropical areas of the Americas. It’s a staple as a starch in these areas, often prepared similarly to how a potato is prepared in North America.

There are two varieties of cassava- bitter and sweet. The sweet variety is what you will find in stores, the bitter variety is what is milled and used for flours and starches.

It’s important to note that cassava must always be peeled and cooked before consuming as raw cassava is poisonous.

Why We Love Cassava

The first time I had a cassava fry, I instantly broke up with the potato. Cassava is the starch of choice in our home, we love these baked fries and so do the kids.

Although we haven’t ventured in to other ways of preparing it just yet, we’re quite content with this recipe. You can prepare it boiled, grilled, steamed or fried. There are many traditional recipes I look forward to experimenting with in the future- I’m most excited about making bammies.

Cassava is a great carbohydrate option for people on an autoimmune paleo protocol or for individuals who are avoiding nightshades. It’s high in resistant starch, a type of starch that bypasses digestion and feeds your beneficial gut bacteria.

Here's the Recipe:

Preheat your oven to 400.

Prepare the cassava.

It’s easy to work with cassava when you work with it in 3-4 inch pieces.

Remove the ends, discarding any pieces that smell off (acetone-like) and contain black speckles.

See the video for a tutorial on preparing cassava here.

Place the cassava face down on your cutting board and remove the skin with a sharp knife. The skin has a protective wax coating so using a vegetable peeler is not recommended.

Once the skin has been removed, cut the cassava root in half and remove the core (similar to a pineapple core). The core is tough and fibrous and not edible.

Cut your cassava into fries- you don’t want them too thin, about 1/2 an inch thick and 2 inches long works well.

Add your cassava to a pot of warm salted water and then bring the water to a boil. Cook for about 5 minutes to soften them.

Drain well.

On a parchment lined baking tray, add the cassava, spreading it out well and using a liberal amount of olive oil on the fries. Season with sea salt.

Bake for 15-20 minutes and then flip.

Return the tray to the oven and bake for another 15 or so minutes, or until golden and lightly crispy. For crispier fries, simply cook for a longer period of time or increase you oven temperature to 425.

Once your fries are cooked, they’re best served immediately.

If you like you can also prepare a little aioli for dipping *note this is not AIP*

Here’s the recipe:

In a bowl combine:

1 cup of good quality or homemade mayonnaise

1 tsp garlic granules

1/2 tsp smoked paprike

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: add hot sauce of choice

Mix well and serve.