Boiled yuca al mojo de ajo (cassava w. garlic sauce) is a simple, humble dish that you can easily find on any roadside stand in the Dominican Republic.
Why we ❤️ it
I know for a fact that Yuca al Mojo de Ajo (Cassava with Garlic Sauce) is as popular a dish in Puerto Rico and Cuba as it is in the Dominican Republic.
Garlic is the ingredient that takes this dish from pleasant to somebody-hold-me-or-I'll-eat-all-this. Garlic is one of those things that define our cuisine. There's a good reason why our trusty pilón (pestle and mortar) has become a symbol of our traditional cuisine.
Serving suggestions
Yuca hervida is very versatile, and we serve it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, you can go as easy as a fried egg, and maybe if you are feeling extra generous, some avocado and a few slices of salami frito.
For lunch or dinner, you can serve it with fried longaniza, chuleta frita (Dominican pork chops), or chicharron. I also love it with arenque con huevos (smoked herring and eggs).
About our recipe
All three of the Spanish islands in the Caribbean have their own version of boiled yuca con salsa de ajo (also see our recipe for wasakaka), but there isn't a whole lot of difference between them. This is the nicest, tastiest, simplest yuca con salsa de ajo recipe I've found.
Recipe
[Recipe + Video] Yuca al Mojo de Ajo (Cassava with Garlic Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound yuca (cassava), [1.1kg] peeled, chopped, washed
- 1.5 teaspoon salt, [9g]
Ingredients for the Mojo de Ajo
- 6 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 head garlic, [50g] minced
- 6 tablespoon minced parsley, [12g]
- 6 tablespoon of bitter orange juice, (or lime juice)
- ½ teaspoon salt, [3g] (or more, to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), [1.1g] (or more, 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 Mojo de Ajo: While the yuca is boiling, heat the oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Stir in the garlic. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.Mix in parsley, bitter orange juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if you find it necessary.
Serving: Serve yuca warm with mojo de ajo on the side.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutritional information.
