Yuca hervida encebollada is one of our simplest and most popular side dishes. It's also easy to make and can be served as part of every meal.
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If you are searching for how to cook yuca, you couldn't have found an easier way to do it. Yuca encebollada is one of the simplest, easiest-to-make yuca dishes you can find.
It is also a very versatile side dish, and depending on what you serve with it, it can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and cookouts.
Before we get to the recipe, let's answer some questions you might have if you are new to cooking yuca (cassava).
How to cook yuca
If you are new to this root vegetable, check our tutorial to learn how to peel yuca.
We have an extensive collection of recipes with yuca, but the simplest way to cook it is to boil it in salted water. You can check this recipe with yuca with mojo de ajo (garlic sauce) which is also very popular.
If you are feeling a little more adventurous, try yuca frita, the popular yuca fries that we love as a side dish, or as an appetizer served with your favorite dip.
How to pick good yuca
Yuca should have a brown rind and a uniform white color inside. If you notice discoloration, dry rind, or the wax is falling off, pick another one.
How long the yuca will take to boil will depend on its quality and — most importantly — its freshness.
Cooking frozen yuca
Yuca, where it's popular, can be found fresh, or fresh and covered with a coating of wax to prevent it from dehydrating and going stale. The wax vastly improves its shelf life.
If you are not lucky enough to find fresh yuca, then frozen yuca might be your only choice.
Keep in mind that frozen yuca will have a slightly different texture from fresh. Boiling frozen yuca takes about the same time as fresh yuca in my —albeit limited — experience with frozen yuca.
About our recipe
There aren't many variations for this dish that I have ever found. Yuca salcochada (boiled) can be served without the sauteed onions too, so there's that. If you make this in a different way or add anything else, I'd love to hear it. Let me know in the comments.
Buen provecho!
[Recipe + Video] Yuca Encebollada (Boiled Cassava with Onion)
Ingredients
- 2.5 lb of fresh yuca (cassava), [1.1kg] peeled, chopped, washed
- 1.5 tsp of salt, [9g]
Ingredients for onions
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large red onions, sliced thinly
- 3 tbsp apple vinegar
- 1½ tsp salt, (or more, to taste)
- 1 tsp of freshly cracked pepper, (or to taste)
Instructions
Boiling yuca: Place yuca into a medium-sized pot. Pour in 6 cups [1.5l] of water and add salt. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until tender (test by poking with a fork). Remove the yuca from the water.-
Making onions: Heat oil in a skillet over low heat. Add onions and cook and stir until they become translucent (2-3 minutes).Add vinegar and stir until the onions turn a bright color (2 mins).Season with pepper, and salt to taste.
Serving: Top yuca with onions and serve with eggs, for breakfast. For dinner or lunch serve with fried longaniza or chicharron.
Hola Clara, I was born in DR but came to the US very young. thanks to your website I can now make dishes typical of my country other then the few things i learned from my mother. My husband loves dominican food and you have gave me the guide that… Read more »
Yuca is so much better this way, that's in a league of its own. 🙂
Love your new recipe. Mine is very similar. I love yuca. Thanks for sharing!