A Delicious Yuca with Red Onions recipe
This recipe is super simple and perfect for anyone wanting to make a bulk side dish. I like to eat yucca with red onions and my Chicken in Creole Sauce. It reminds me of my homeland and is addicting! Yuca with Red Onions is the perfect side dish for any meat or poultry dish.
Yuca is also known as cassava. If you’ve seen yuca in the supermarket, you probably passed it by because of its strange appearance. You might have been tempted to ask, “How in the world do I peel the skin off these root vegetables” and then get discouraged after discovering how tough it is. Well, it is not as bad as you might think. It is true that the bark-like skin of the yucca is challenging to remove. With a steady hand and a sharp and strong knife, removing it is easy.
So, get adventurous — buy a few and try this recipe out. It consists of just a few ingredients, is easy to make, and is great for any breakfast with eggs, lunch, and dinner. Cooking time: 20 – 35 minutes, depending on size.
Here is a little bit of history about yuca
To give a little history of Yuca/Yucca/Cassava, Cassava is native to Brazil and the tropical areas of the Americas. It’s widely grown all over Latin America and the Caribbean. It was, and still is, an essential root vegetable in the Caribbean diet.
It’s been around, since before Columbus’s arrival, as a staple food of the Taino, Carib, and Arawak population, especially in the form of cassava bread. Because it was so crucial to the culture, the natives revered it. A 1554 Spanish historical account describes a ceremony in which a native priest blessed cassava bread and then divided it among the tribal people present. The recipients then preserved the bread to protect their families from danger throughout the following year. Cassava is still eaten throughout all the islands today, and you’ll find it piled high at produce markets. (http://latinfood.about.com/od/plantains-roots-tubers/p/Cassava.htm)
What to expect from this recipe
You might see this dish in different parts of South America, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This dish is typically eaten as a side to a meal. Yucca has a creamy texture similar to cooked potatoes. My favorite way to eat yuca is to boil or steam it. It and toss in some olive oil before adding salt and pepper. The olive oil adds a nice buttery flavor that goes well with the yucca.
Yuca with Red Onion is a common dish served mostly in Latin countries. The Caribbean islands also enjoy a good Yuca dish as well. Mostly served with a meat dish, it is a delicious root vegetable I like better than potatoes. Yucca with Red Onions goes perfectly with my Jerk Pork recipe. It also goes well with any vegetable stew.
The ingredients in the recipe
- Fresh yuca roots:
- Sea salt:
- Olive oil:
- Red onion:
- Garlic:
- Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce, optional
- Organic light rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar or
How to make Yuca with Red Onions
- First, cut both ends of the yucca, and with a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin. You might also want to remove a second thin layer to make, so you fully remove the skin.
- Slice the yucca into 2-inch pieces and rinse
- In a large saucepan, add yuca, cover with cold water and add 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let the pieces cook thoroughly but not mushy. About 15 to 20 minutes, and continuously check the yucca to avoid overcooking.
- Drain yucca and remove any remaining fibrous layers. Place on serving dish.
- Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce if using. Continue to cook for about 1 – 2 minutes. Add vinegar and stir to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste and let the mixture cook for about 2-3 minutes over low heat. Pour mixture over yucca and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes and Tips
- Boiled Yuca with Red Onion is an excellent side dish that is prepared in many ways. These variations include different herbs, spices, lemon juice, and vinegar.
- Be extremely careful when removing the bark-like skin. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.
- Do not let the yuca roots cook too long. When the yucca roots are overcooked, they become very mushy same as potatoes.
- Yucca roots do not require a lot of spices. By itself, it is very filled with flavors.
Have you ever thought about adding hot sauce? Well, this is your chance to be adventurous. When you cook, let’s say, Noubess hot sauces with red onions, you get an overdose of goodness that is so wonderful that you will want to eat the entire dish. My mango gourmet hot sauce and the onions add a decadence of exotic flavors to the yucca. A great dish for vegans and non-vegans
A delicious and wonderful Yucca with Red Onions dish is made with perfectly cooked yuca roots and a delicious mixture of organic light rice vinegar, Noubess Hot and Spicy sauce, and spices.
Enjoy!
Gemma
Yuca with Red Onions
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. fresh yuca roots cut lengthwise into 2 inch pieces if possible
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce
- 2 tbsp. organic light rice vinegar
Instructions
- First, cut both ends of the yucca, and with a vegetable peeler, peel off the skin. You might also want to remove a second thin layer to make so you fully remove the skin.
- Slice the yucca into 2-inch pieces and rinse
- In a large saucepan, add yucca, cover with cold water and add 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Let the pieces cook thoroughly but not mushy. About 15 to 20 minutes and continuously checking the yucca to avoid overcooking.
- Drain yucca and remove any remaining fibrous layers. Place on serving dish.
- Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry onion for 2 minutes. Add garlic and Noubess Hot and Spicy Sauce if using. Continue to cook for about 1 – 2 minutes. Add vinegar and stir to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste and let the mixture cook for about 2-3 minutes over low heat. Pour mixture over yucca and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
How long can you keep it for once it’s cooked?
Once cooked you should try to eat it within the 2 hour frame time recommended by the USDA, that is if you are planning on leaving it out. If not, if you are storing it in the refrigerator, I would advise to consume it within 48 hours. Boiled root vegetables don’t usually stay firm after 24 hours in the refrigerator. Hope I’ve answered your question. Thanks for your comment.
As a puertorican cook i must confirm this as a great recipe! Good job
Thank you! Glad you like the recipe.