I feel a little guilty with these. I tried to practice self control, but they were just so gosh darn delish, I just kept eating them! These yuca bites are super easy to make and are bursting with flavor! You may use frozen or fresh yuca. For this recipe, I used the El Sembrador frozen yuca.
I usually like using fresh garlic and onion whenever possible, but for this recipe I used the powdered version as I feel like it would offer more coverage without the added moisture, which could result in the yuca falling apart.
Can’t underestimate the benefits of powered garlic and onion!
I officially told myself I cannot make this recipe anymore. I will end up eating a whole bag of yuca in one sittings, which although highly satisfying, is not ideal and probably not very healthy. Everything in moderation is what I always say! So instead, I’ve decided to put this recipe out there so others may enjoy and see why I’m raving about it so much.
Even as I’m typing this I have a little voice in my head saying “Go buy more yuca to make another batch!” I keep arguing in my head, “NO!”. I guess this is my life now, being stuck indoors during this pandemic and all. HA!
Ingredients:
6 pieces of frozen yuca
2-3 Tbs of garlic powder
1 Tbs of onion powder
1 Tbs of salt
1 whole lime
2 eggs
1/2 Tbs melted butter
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup bread crumbs of choice
Coconut oil
Fill a big pot with water and add the yuca along with one Tbs of salt. Let the yuca boil until it’s completely soft.
Once the yuca is fully cooked, you’ll notice stringy pieces in the center that are still a bit tough. Remove these pieces.
Now it’s time to mash! Add the garlic powder, onion powder, and juice of a whole lime. Mash the yuca until it’s creamy. Taste to test if it needs more of any ingredient. Let sit in the refrigerator for about 15 – 20 minutes so it can cool down.
After the yuca has cooled you’ll notice that it has hardened and dried out a bit. Add 1/2 Tbs of melted better along with one egg to add moisture back to the yuca mix and help bind together. Add 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese to the batch as well for added creaminess.
In a separate bowl, add the rest of the parmesan cheese and one cup of bread crumbs. In another bowl add one egg with a Tbs of water and mix.
Start rolling the yuca mix into the size of a golf ball. Dip in the egg wash, then in the bread crumbs and set aside making sure they are organized into one layer without letting them touch each other. Once done, place in the freezer for about 20 mins. This will help them maintain their form and not fall apart when you start frying.
Get a pot and fill with enough coconut oil to cover the yuca bites half way up. Once the oil reaches a medium/high temperature, start frying in small batches while keeping the rest in the freezer so they don’t come to room temp.
Let the yuca bites cook until you see they are getting golden brown on the bottom, then flip. Continue the process until they are all evenly golden brown.
Once done, sprinkle a little more lime juice over top. You may even want to garnish them with fresh thinly sliced onion and cilantro.
Alternatively, you may also want to do a quick stir fry using olive oil, garlic, and onion then pour over top.
Another tasty option would be to served with a side of cilantro sauce!
