Yuca con mojo is tender boiled cassava topped with a warm Cuban garlic-and-citrus sauce. The yuca is mild, soft, and starchy, while the mojo brings the sharp citrus, plenty of garlic, olive oil, and soft onions.
For my Cuban family, yuca con mojo was part of every Nochebuena table, alongside Moros y Cristianos and sweet fried plantains. It is simple food, but the hot, garlicky mojo soaking into the tender yuca makes it one of the best things on the plate. The idea of it makes my mouth water as I write this.
A heads-up for vegans ordering it out or eating at someone else's table: some cooks make the mojo with lard, and some top the yuca with crispy chicharrones (fried pork rinds). It's always worth asking.
Mine uses olive oil, which is just as traditional and is how many Cuban families make it, so this version is naturally plant-based with nothing lost.
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What Is Yuca con Mojo?
Yuca con mojo is a traditional Cuban side dish made by boiling yuca, also called cassava, until tender, then combining it with a warm garlic-and-citrus sauce. This version makes the mojo with plenty of garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, onion half-rings, and salt. Many people use naranja agria (sour oranges) instead of lemon juice when available. If you have more naranja agria, use it in my Cuban mojo criollo recipe.
The dish is especially associated with Nochebuena, but it belongs just as easily beside an everyday plate of black beans and rice or Vegan Arroz con Pollo. It is naturally vegan and gluten-free, with no substitutions.
Yuca, Cassava, and Yucca: What's the Difference?
Yuca and cassava are two names for the same starchy root. In Spanish-speaking kitchens, you'll see it called yuca.
Yucca with two c's refers to a different ornamental plant. If you are shopping in a grocery store, look for yuca or cassava in the produce section or frozen Latin foods aisle.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A true Cuban classic: Yuca con mojo is about as classic as Cuban side dishes get.
- Holiday-worthy but simple: It belongs on a Nochebuena table but requires only basic boiling and a quick sauce for everyday.
Ingredients
See the printable recipe card below for all the ingredients and exact measurements.
- Yuca: Use peeled fresh yuca or frozen yuca chunks. Frozen is obviously the more convenient option because that tough, woody skin can be a bit of a wrestling match to remove, and we'd like to keep all ten fingers and as much of the yuca as possible. Fresh yuca is absolutely doable, but frozen is well worth the convenience fee.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice supplies the bright citrus flavor in the mojo. Naranja agria (sour orange) can be substituted when available.
- Garlic: Use more or less garlic to suit your taste. If you have a mortar and pestle, use it to crush the garlic; otherwise, a garlic press or a good, fine mince works just as well.
- Onion: Cut it into rings, then halve the rings to make them easier to eat. Use red or white onions.
- Olive oil: This carries the garlic and onion flavor through the mojo, so use a high-quality one that you love.
Frozen vs. Fresh Yuca
Frozen yuca
Frozen yuca is already peeled and cut, making it the easiest and most convenient option. Since peeling fresh yuca isn't always enjoyable and you may peel away more of the flesh than necessary, frozen yuca is a great, affordable shortcut. It also substantially cuts prep time. You can usually find it at Walmart and other well-stocked grocery stores, especially in areas with larger Latin American communities.
Add it straight to the pot from frozen unless the package says otherwise, and start checking it early, since cooking times vary by brand and piece size. Most brands leave the woody core in, so plan to pull it out after cooking.
Fresh yuca
Fresh yuca has a thick brown peel with a thin pinkish layer underneath. Remove both layers before cooking. Choose roots that feel firm and heavy, with no soft or dark spots and no sour smell.
How to Peel Fresh Yuca
See the video for a demonstration, or follow the written instructions below.
Cut off both ends, then cut the root crosswise into pieces about 3 inches long.
Use a sharp knife to cut a line through the brown bark and pink layer beneath it.
Work the knife under the peel and remove it as you rotate the piece.
For an easier method, stand each piece upright on one cut end and slice the bark and the pink layer away in strips from top to bottom, rotating the piece as you go. This method may remove a little more flesh, but it's easier for beginners.
Rinse the peeled pieces and halve any especially thick sections lengthwise.
How to Make Yuca con Mojo
See the recipe card below for the full measurements and instructions.
Step 1: If using fresh yuca, cut it into sections and peel away both the brown bark and the pink layer beneath it. Frozen yuca is already peeled.
Step 2: Place the frozen or fresh, peeled yuca in a large pot, cover with cold water to about 2 inches above the yuca, and add the lime juice and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender.
Step 3: While the yuca cooks, slice the onion into half-rings, peel the garlic, and chop the parsley if using.
Step 4: Mash the garlic with ¼ teaspoon salt and a splash of olive oil.
Step 5: Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion half-rings and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly softened.
Step 6: Add the mashed garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown.
Step 7: Remove the skillet from the heat and let it stand for 1 minute. Away from the burner, slowly pour in the lemon juice.
Step 8: Test the thickest pieces of yuca with a fork. They are ready when the fork slides in easily and the pieces begin to split. Here you can see where the stiff core is found.
Step 9: Drain the yuca. When it is cool enough to handle, remove the tough woody core from each piece.
Step 10: Add the warm yuca to the skillet and toss it gently with the mojo, or transfer it to a bowl and pour the mojo over it.
Step 11: Let the yuca stand for 5 minutes to soak up the mojo. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Step 12: Serve the yuca con mojo warm with your favorite Cuban main dish and sides.
Regi's Tips
- Salt the cooking water: Yuca is very mild and needs seasoning while it boils.
- Fresh or frozen yuca: Frozen yuca eliminates peeling and works beautifully, but once you get the hang of it, peeling fresh yuca is not too bad. Either works well, and you'll get a delicious result.
- Cook until truly tender: A knife or fork should slide into the center easily. Undercooked yuca is firm and unpleasantly fibrous.
- Remove the center cord: After boiling, pull out the firm, woody core when it is easiest to see and remove.
- Dress the yuca while warm: The hot, cracked surface catches the garlic and onion better than cold yuca.
What to Serve With Yuca con Mojo
- Moros y Cristianos
- Vegan ropa vieja
- Vegan arroz con pollo
- Quick Cuban black beans and white rice
- Cuban avocado salad
- Platanitos maduros
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can boil the yuca ahead and refrigerate it separately from the mojo. Reheat the yuca until hot, warm the mojo gently without browning the garlic, and combine them shortly before serving.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or lemon juice if the yuca seems dry.
Yuca con Mojo FAQs
Occasionally, garlic can turn blue-green when it reacts with acidic ingredients like lime juice or sour orange. It's a harmless chemical reaction and doesn't mean the garlic has gone bad.
To help prevent this for a nicer presentation, use fresh garlic, add it after the onions have softened as directed, and cook it gently on low just for a minute or two without browning. Adding the citrus toward the end of cooking and right before serving, rather than letting the garlic sit in the acid for a long time, can also help. If your garlic takes on a little color anyway, don't worry, it's still perfectly safe to eat. Sometimes nothing you do keeps it from turning green!
It needs more simmering time. Continue cooking until a fork or knife slides easily into the thickest piece. Some roots take longer than others.
It is the fibrous core that runs through the center of the root. Pull it out after boiling, when the yuca has softened, opens up, and the core separates easily.
Drop a comment and tell me how this yuca con mojo turned out! Was it love at first bite, surprisingly edible, or a full-on yuck? And if my directions helped (or didn't), please let me know so I can keep improving these recipes for you. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Recipe Card
Yuca con Mojo
Equipment
- Mortar and Pestle or garlic press; optional
Ingredients
Yuca
- 1 ½ pounds yuca fresh or frozen
- 1 lime juice for the yuca cooking water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mojo
- 8-10 cloves garlic mashed with the salt
- ¼ teaspoon salt for mashing with the garlic
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice 2-3 lemons
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ onion red or white onion; cut into rings then halved
- parsley chopped, for topping
- fresh black pepper if desired
Instructions
Prepare the yuca
- If using fresh yuca instead of frozen, trim off both ends and cut the root into 2- to 3-inch sections. Make a shallow slit lengthwise down the side, just deep enough to cut through the skin. Slide the tip of your knife under the skin and pry it up, then peel it away while you work around the piece. Make sure you remove both the brown bark and the pinkish layer beneath it, leaving only the white flesh. Rinse under cold water.
- Place the fresh or frozen yuca in a large pot and cover it with cold water by about 2 inches. Add the juice of one lime and the salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes, or until a fork slides easily into the thickest pieces and the pieces begin to split.
- Drain the yuca and, once it's cool enough to handle, remove the tough, woody core from each piece. The yuca will often split open as it cooks, making the core easy to spot and pull out. If a piece hasn't split, simply cut it in half lengthwise-the yuca should be tender enough to do this easily. Remove the woody stem from the center, then transfer the warm yuca to a serving bowl.
Make the mojo
- While the yuca cooks, mash the garlic with ¼ teaspoon of salt and a splash of oil. This helps to keep the garlic from jumping out of the mortar when you start mashing.
- Warm the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion half-rings and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook about a minute or two until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let it stand for 1 minute. Away from the burner, slowly stir in the lemon juice.
Serve
- Pour the warm mojo and onions evenly over the warm yuca. If your pan is large enough, add the yuca directly to the pan and gently toss everything together. Let it sit for 5 minutes to let the mojo soak into the yuca. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve warm.
Regi Pearce says
If you’ve never tried yuca con mojo, this is your sign! It’s simple, comforting, and packed with Cuban flavor. And if peeling fresh yuca feels like an Olympic sport, grab the frozen kind and save yourself the wrestling match for just a little convenience fee.