A root vegetable similar to the potato, yuca (pronounced “yoo-cuh”) is common in Central and South America—usually eaten as a side dish or made into chips or fries.
Latin cuisine featured in new, exciting ways is trending right now: Datassential marks yuca as being in its inception phase on the menu cycle, with 22 percent of consumers having tried it. That being said, yuca certainly isn’t new. Some say farmers cultivated it as early as 2,500 B.C.
Yuca is different than the yucca plant, which is a spiky, flowered plant without edible roots. You may see it listed as either on menus across the country, but you’re in the know: “yuca” is the correct term. What would you do with this tasty tuber?
Latin Cuisine Movement and Mash Up
Latin foods are expanding quickly in popularity across menus, regardless of restaurant type. Latin cuisine is known for being colorful, robust, flavorful—and always inventive. “More and more chefs are playing the mash up game,” Gump says. “It’s so fun… so out of the box. With increasing product availability, the Latin food craze is growing.”
Versatile Vegetable
Mashed, baked, fried, or sautéed—yuca is just as versatile as a potato. A black bean, yuca, and plantain stew could be a great addition to any menu. Or throwing in some garlic and mashing, like with traditional potatoes, could round out a Latin comfort food feast.
Crispy Cassava
Yuca can also be known as cassava, first cultivated in South America, but imported to Africa in the 16th century. Frying it is one of the most common ways to prepare a delicious side dish. Cheesy yuca bites—crispy bites of yuca filled with creamy, melted cheese, dipped in some ancho ranch sauce? A crowd pleaser. “A chimichurri steak with yuca fries is excellent,” Dot Foods Corporate Chef Tim Gump says.
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