Jamaican Bammies (Cassava Bread)

By
Hector Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
A Puerto Rico native and former food service professional, Hector Rodriguez develops recipes inspired by the Caribbean and Latin America.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/1/22
Tested by
Kiana Rollins
Kiana Rollins
Tested by Kiana Rollins
Kiana is a recipe tester with a background in Marketing in the food media world, who strongly believes that cocktails and great conversation are essential sides for any good meal.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Jamaican Bammies (Cassava Bread)

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
639 Calories
45g Fat
60g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 639
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 45g 57%
Saturated Fat 19g 93%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 128mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 32mg 160%
Calcium 39mg 3%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 577mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Jamaican bammies is a traditional thick flat bread made from cassava flour usually eaten with fried fish or salt fish or to soak up the juices from escovitch.

Bammy or bami is very similar to casabe bread or yuca bread. The differences between the two include that bammies are thicker, while yuca bread consists of grated cassava and salt fried in a skillet.

Bammies are soaked in coconut milk and then fried, steamed, or baked. The recipe below gives directions for frying and baking them.

"Bammies are great because they can be a delicious snack or side dish! They do require some work in prep, but the end result is so good that it is worth the arm workout!" —Kiana Rollins

Jamaican Bammies (Cassava Bread)/tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ​cassava, (fresh yuca)

  • Salt, to taste

  • 1 to 2 cups coconut milk

  • Vegetable oil, if frying

  • Unsalted butter, if baking

Steps to Make It

Make the Bammies

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Jamaican Bammies (Cassava Bread) ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Wash and peel the yuca (cassava). Using a box grater, grate the yuca with the on the fine holes.

    grate the yucca with the finest section

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Using cheesecloth or a clean cotton towel, squeeze the grated cassava to remove as much moisture as possible, and discard the liquid.

    Using cheesecloth or a clean cotton towel, squeeze the grated cassava

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Add salt to the yuca mixture, and stir it in well, breaking up any lumps.

    Add salt to the yucca mixture

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Divide grated yuca into 2 equal parts, and set aside.

    Divide grated yucca into 2 equal parts

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  6. Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium-high heat. Do not add any oil.

    oil in a pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  7. When the pan is hot, place half of the grated yuca in the middle of the pan. Spread it out with a spatula, or back of a spoon, into a circular cake that is approximately 2 inches around and 1/2-inch thick.

    place half of the grated yucca in the middle of the pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  8. Cook until bottom is golden and set, then flip and cook the other side until golden and set.

    cook the yucca in the pan

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  9. Remove from the frying pan, and scrape off any scorched areas.

    yucca cake on a plate

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  10. Repeat with the other half of grated yuca.

    yucca cakes on a plate

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  11. Pour the coconut milk into a shallow bowl or casserole dish big enough to hold the 2 bammy patties.

    Pour the coconut milk into a shallow bowl or casserole dish big enough to hold the two bammy patties

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  12. Soak the bammies in the coconut milk for 10 minutes. Now either fry or bake them as directed below. When they are cooked, salt to taste and serve them with ackee, callaloo (callalu) or a vegetable run down.

    yucca cakes in the coconut milk

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Fry the Bammies

  1. While the bammies are soaking, fill a large skillet with 1/2-inch of vegetable oil. Heat on medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F.

    pan with oil

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Fry the bammies whole, cut in half, or cut into quarters until they are lightly brown on all sides, flipping over as necessary.

    bammies frying in oil

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Bake the Bammies

  1. If you choose to bake the bammies instead of frying them, position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F. Lightly butter the bammies on each side and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until golden, about 15 minutes.

    bammies on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga