Puré de yuca is just like creamy mashed potatoes but with that distinct yuca taste we all love from yuca encebollada and yuca frita. It’s smooth, creamy, and just a little different in the best way.
This is exactly what you serve with something rich and saucy like carne guisada. The mashed yuca soaks up all those juices and you get a perfect bite of soft puré de yuca with tender flavorful meat. It’s basically the Spanish version of beef stew and mashed potatoes.
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How to get it perfectly smooth
Mashed yuca is best when it’s completely smooth. Unlike mashed potatoes, this isn’t the place for rustic texture. To make sure it’s super creamy I like to use a hand mixer to get rid of any lumps at the end.
Also, don’t forget to remove the tough inner core from the cassava before mashing. If you don’t remove it you’ll end up with little pieces of core in your puré de yuca, and you want this puree to be soft and silky all throughout.
How to serve puré de yuca
This is the kind of side that shines with something rich and flavorful, whether that’s pepper steak on a Sunday or turkey on Thanksgiving. It’s basically your mashed potato replacement, just creamier and with that subtle yuca taste that makes it stand out.
Puré de Yuca (Yuca Mash)
Ingredients
- 2 yuca or 1 (1 lb) bag frozen yuca
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese optional
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- If using fresh yuca, peel off the skin, cut it into chunks, and remove the tough, fibrous core from each piece before cooking.
- Place the yuca in a pot and cover completely with chicken broth and add salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 40 minutes, or until very soft and easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside.
- Remove and discard any tough core pieces from the cooked yuca, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Add the butter, heavy cream, shredded mozzarella, and chopped cilantro. Mash until smooth and well combined. For an extra creamy texture, use a hand mixer to blend it until light and smooth.
- Spoon the yuca mash onto a plate and finish with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro. ¡Buen provecho!
