Yuca With Garlic Sauce (Yuca con Mojo)

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 02/15/22
Tested by
Lauryn Bodden
headshot for associate food editor Lauryn Bodden
Tested by Lauryn Bodden
Lauryn is Food Editor for The Spruce Eats, creating recipes and cooking guides for all palates and expertise.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Yuca With Garlic Sauce (Yuca con Mojo)

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
439 Calories
14g Fat
76g Carbs
4g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 439
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 101mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 52mg 261%
Calcium 59mg 5%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 643mg 14%
*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 is a version of yuca con mojo—yuca with garlic sauce. It's a delicious vegan Cuban dish, a combination of citrus, onions, garlic, spices and—of course—yuca. It's a tasty alternative to potatoes as a side dish—in fact, yuca has been called the "better" white potato by those who are familiar with it.

A staple of the Caribbean diet and very popular in African and Asian cuisine, this tuber is usually available in large U.S. grocery stores as well, either fresh or frozen. You might have to hunt for it a bit, however—it's also sometimes called cassava, manioc or good old American tapioca, so you may want to look for it under these other names. 

"For a taste of summer all year round, this dish hits the spot. It's an easy starch side to mix things up with major flavor." —Lauryn Bodden

Yuca With Garlic Sauce Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds yuca, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

  • 1 to 2 large red onions, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about half an orange), plus zest for garnish

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 limes)

  • 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish

  • 6 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Yuca With Garlic Sauce (Yuca con Mojo) ingredients

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  2. Boil yuca in salted water until tender, about 30 minutes.

    Boil the yuca in salted water

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  3. Drain yuca and place it in a serving dish. Set aside, but keep warm by covering bowl. Don't allow it to come back to room temperature while you make garlic sauce. 

    cooked yuca on a plate

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  4. Combine onions, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic in a bowl. Pour mixture over yuca.

    Combine the onions, orange juice, lime juice, cilantro and garlic in a bowl, and pour over yuca

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

  5. Heat olive oil, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper in a heavy pan until hot, about 1 minute, being careful not to burn spices. Pour hot oil over yuca. Garnish with additional cilantro and orange zest, as desired.

    Yuca With Garlic Sauce (Yuca con Mojo)

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Tips

  • You can use fresh or frozen yuca in this recipe. Fresh yuca should be firm with no soft spots. Its flesh should be white. 
  • If you buy fresh yuca, watch out for any tough parts in the center. They'll appear like chunks of wood. Remove and discard them. 
  • You can peel the yuca ahead of time and store it in water in the refrigerator for up to four days, or you can freeze it for several months. 
  • If the yuca cools off too much while you're making the sauce, you can microwave it very briefly, up to 5 seconds or so. 

Recipe Variations

  • Mix it up with various citrus juices. Instead of orange and lime, use a combination of grapefruit, lemon, or tangerine juices.
  • If you don't have cilantro on hand, freshly chopped parsley can be used in its place.