Air Fryer Yuca Fries are a delicious and healthier alternative to traditional French fries, made by cooking starchy yuca root (cassava) to a perfect crisp! These fries are seasoned with spices and air-fried until golden brown. Serve as a side dish or snack, and pair with your favorite dipping sauces!
Why We Love These Air Fryer Yuca Fries
There was a point in my life where I thought that potatoes were the best thing on this Earth. Well, not anymore. Now, I am absolutely obsessed with yuca. Yuca is kind of similar to a potato, but it has a different texture and flavor that I have become a huge fan of. It is often used in Latin American, African, and Asian cuisine.
Yuca is just as versatile as a the potato, so you can slice it up and make it into fries, chips, or toss it into stews and soups!
Instead of frying my yuca fries, I usually opt to cook them in the air fryer. You get that same crispy outer layer, with a soft creamy inside that is filling and so darn delicious!
What is yuca?
Yuca, also known as cassava, is a starchy root vegetable that is similar to a potato! You can't find yuca in every grocery store, unfortunately. It can be found in international and Asian grocery stores in the produce section near the other root vegetables.
Ingredients
To make these homemade air fryer yuca fries, you will need:
- Yuca: Also known as cassava root. Yuca is similar to potato, but is harder and slightly more dense. The best option is to buy frozen yuca, which I can always find at Walmart! If you can't find frozen yuca, you can buy fresh yuca at specialty markets, like Asian markets.
- Oil: Use your preferred neutral cooking oil! I used olive oil, but you can use avocado or vegetable oil!
- Spices: To season up these yuca fries to perfection, I used salt, dried parsley, dried oregano, garlic powder, and smoked paprika!
How to Make Air Fryer Yuca Fries
- Boil: Set a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, add a bit of salt, and boil the yuca until fork tender.
- Slice: Remove the yuca from the water and slice into wedges. The larger the wedges, the longer they will take to cook in the air fryer.
- Season: Place the yuca wedges in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the oil, and then add the salt, parsley, oregano, garlic powder and paprika. Mix well to coat the yuca wedges in the spices and oil.
- Air Fry: Place the wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fryer at 380 F for 15 minutes, or until the yuca fries are slightly golden and crispy. You may need to repeat in batches until all of the yuca is cooked! Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket.
- Serve: Serve the yuca fries warm with your choice of sauce, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Don't skip boiling: Yuca takes lots of time to cook. If you put it directly into the air fryer without boiling, it will not cook all the way through! Be sure to boil until it is easy to stick a fork into the middle. Don't over boil, though, or they will be too soft to cut into wedges.
- Season generously: Just like potatoes, yuca needs lots of seasoning and salt! Be sure to season generously according to the recipe for loads of flavor.
- Avoid overcrowding: For the best, crispiest yuca fries, make sure to cook them only in an even layer in the air fryer. Don't over crowd, or they won't get crispy! If necessary, cook the yuca in batches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before purchasing yuca, I highly recommend checking the store for frozen yuca. I have always been able to find this at Walmart. It will save you a lot of time and effort since it is already peeled!
If you can't find frozen yuca, you can by fresh yuca. To peel the yuca, use a sharp knife to cut off the ends. Then, you have to peel off the brown skin. Use a sharp knife to cut an opening down the side of the yuca, and use the edge of the knife to slowly peel the hard outer layer off of the yuca.
If you see brown streaks in the yuca, the yuca is not good to eat. It is hard to know before buying yuca if it will be fresh or not on the inside, so that is another good reason to buy frozen yuca instead!
Yuca fries can be a healthier alternative to potato fries when prepared in an air fryer, as they require less oil. Yuca is also rich in vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and manganese, and provides a good source of dietary fiber.
This yuca "frita" can be served just like fries. I love to make a pink sauce by mixing together ketchup and mayonnaise! But this would be absolutely delicious with ranch, or my cilantro jalapeño sauce!
More Recipes to Try
- Fried Sweet Plantains (Maduritos)
- Menestra de Frejol (Bean Stew)
- Patacones
- Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche
- Corn and Mango Salsa
Air Fryer Yuca Fries
Ingredients
- 4-5 pieces of yuca about 500 grams frozen and packaged yuca. If using fresh yuca, you need about 2 yucas.
- 1-2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, add a bit of salt, and boil the yuca until fork tender.
- Remove the yuca from the water and slice into wedges. The larger the wedges, the longer they will take to cook in the air fryer.
- Place the yuca wedges in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the oil, and then add the salt, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, and paprika. Mix well to coat the yuca wedges in the spices and oil.
- Place the wedges in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fryer at 380 F for 15 minutes, or until the yuca fries are golden and crispy. You may need to repeat in batches until all of the yuca is cooked!
- Serve the yuca fries warm with your choice of sauce. Enjoy!
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