Bolitas de Yuca
Yucca, a root coming from the Cassava plant, is a staple and starchy food I grew up eating for breakfast. If there weren’t any potatoes at home, the next best things were plantains or yucca. Unlike lighter vegetables, yuca has a firm, starchy body which makes a portion feel more satisfying and filling compared to something lighter like cauliflower. They typically have a creamy texture and earthy flavor, making them one of my favorite comforting ingredient to any dish.
Bolitas de Yucca are a recipe I had only a handful of times and have always been obsessed with it. Because who doesn’t love fried starch? To keep things healthy, I opted out the grease and decided to bake these instead; half in the air fryer at 400F and in a conventional oven at the same temperature. Both came out equally delicious.
Mashed yuca mixed with a little seasoning, rolled into small balls, and baked until golden creates a texture that’s both crisp and tender at the same time. The outside gets lightly crunchy while the inside stays smooth and comforting, with that subtle, slightly nutty flavor that makes yuca so special.
Whether served as a snack or side, bolitas de yuca are simple little bites that are warm and hard to stop eating once you start.
Ingredients
1½ pounds frozen yuca
227 g shredded mozzarella (about 8 ounces)
120ml heavy cream (about ½ cup)
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
65g all-purpose flour
120g panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven at 400F. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add yucca to boiling water and cook until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Drain yuca and transfer to a large bowl. Using a fork, remove any hard fibers at the center of each piece. Mash the yucca while it’s still hot using a large fork or potato masher until mostly smooth. Set aside and cool to room temperature for about 20 minutes.
In the same bowl, add the cheese, heavy cream, 1 beaten egg and salt, and mix until well combined. As a tip, you can mash this with your hands using a glove as the yucca consistency is very thick. Wet your hands as necessary to prevent sticking, scoop out about a small ball of yuca mixture as it will be soft and sticky. Roll between your palms into golf-ball-size rounds. You should have about 16-20 balls, depending how big you roll them.
Separate the flour, panko and the remaining 3 eggs (beaten) into three shallow containers or trays. Coat each ball in the flour, then the egg, then the panko, making sure it is well coated with each one. Transfer to a large sheet tray and prepare the rest of the balls.
Lightly spray or coat the tops of the yucca balls with olive oil to give it a golden crispy finish. Place in the oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until golden. Serve immediately once cooked and enjoy :)
***Note: You can also use fresh yucca as long as you peel thoroughly to consume safely.
