These crispy cassava fries (yuca fries) are tossed in your favorite bold spices and come out irresistibly golden on the outside and soft on the inside. They’re seriously that good. Made in the air fryer, this lighter, healthier recipe delivers perfectly addictive yuca fries in just minutes—no deep frying needed.
YOU’LL LOVE THESE AIR FRYER YUCA FRIES
Yuca is well known in Haitian recipes and as well as in the Caribbean, including parts of Latin America. With just a small amount of olive oil, you can have these ultra-crispy fries in minutes! Making them in the air fryer shaves fat and calories off, without sacrificing taste.
- They’re seriously addictive.
- The flavors are so delish. The combination of the dried herbs and paprika, with the garlic powder is out of this world.
- These fries are as good as potato fries, but taste so much better.
YUCCA VS. YUCA
We often confuse yucca with yuca. However, there are some key differences between the two.
- Yucca: This is a plant that’s most often used as an ornamental plant. It is also commonly found in the dry climate, primarily of New Mexico. It about 40-50 different shrubs.
- Yuca: more commonly known as cassava or manioc. Despite its similar name to Yucca, Yuca is a tuber native to Latin America and the Caribbean. It is very much similar to potato. It is loaded with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
YUCA BENEFITS
Yuca is great for teeth and bone structure. It is loaded with minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. These are the components to help maintain bone density and fortifying the teeth.
The manganese found in yuca is needed to fortify and help build connective tissues around the bones and teeth. In addition to restricting the bones and teeth density, it is also good to help ease inflammation and musculoskeletal health.
AIR FRY INSTRUCTIONS
I love using my air fryer when it comes to making my favorite crispy and healthy fried foods. It has permanent residence on my countertop.
For my air fryer cassava fries, I first boil the yuca root to ensure that the inside stays soft while it is fried.
Cut the cassava into even size baton then boil for 5 minutes. Put the yuca into a dry bowl, add oil, salt, and remaining seasonings (see below in the recipe card).
Preheat the air fryer (but not necessary) and “fry” those fries for no more than 15 minutes. Don’t overcrowd the fryer as you want the fries to have room to cook evenly.
Be mindful cooking time will depend and vary on the thickness of your fries. My mid- sized yuca fries take about 15 minutes. Check them a couple times to see how brown they’re getting.
BOILING OR DEEP FRY INSTRUCTIONS
If you don’t have an air fryer that’s perfectly fine. You are not limited to this method. You can still enjoy yuca fries by either baking them at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes or deep frying them.
Simply peel the cassava, cut them into your desired size, boil, season, then bake or deep until golden brown.
HOW TO MAKE THESE FRIES YOUR OWN:
The beauty about these fries is that they are very versatile. Feel free to experiment with the seasoning. Feel free to add some heat to jazz them up.
- You should always peel yuca when frying or cooking them. Just like yams, these root vegetables are not mean to be cooked unpeeled.
- If you want, these fries can be made with no oil, however, you risk them being very dry.
REHEATING AND STORAGE TIPS
Air fryer cassava fries are best eaten fresh. If you have leftovers (can’t imagine that you would), place them back in the air fryer for just a few minutes to crisp them up again when you’re ready to serve them.
MAKE IT A MEAL
After you’ve made your delicious fries. consider pairing them with one of these other dishes suggested below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Yes! The cassava fries are made with no animal products which makes them a great option for vegans.
Cassava fries are healthier if they are baked or air fried. They are also gluten free.
Cassava or yuca is very similar to potatoes. It is also very starchy. They flesh has a mild nutty taste.
Yes. Yuca contains large amount antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
PREPARATION TIPS
- Slice the ends of the yuca. Then cut in half for better handling. Using a paring knife, slice the skin and use the knife to help peel the skin. If using your fingers, be very careful as it might get stuck underneath your nails.
- Once the skin is removed, slice the yuca as uniformly as possible. This will ensure that they all cook evenly.
- Best to use fresh ingredients as much as possible. The flavors of the fresh herbs and spices are what make the dish taste so amazing!
Other Vegan Recipes You’ll Enjoy
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
We’d especially would love to know if you tried this recipe, tag us on Instagram or Facebook so we can see your beautiful dish.
Also, we would appreciate if could give it a star rating below!
Air Fryer Yuca Fries Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Lb. Yuca Peeled
- ½ Tsp. Smoked Paprika
- ½ Tsp. Kosher Salt
- ½ Tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp. Dried Oregano
- ¼ Cup Olive Oil
- ½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley Fresh parsley will work as well
- 1 Cups Water For Boiling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup of water and set aside. Peel and cut the yuca into even size batons, then place the batons in the bowl of water. Set aside. Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Next, drain the yuca batons from the water bowl, and boil for 5 minutes. Transfer the yuca into a dry bowl, add oil, salt and pepper, and the remaining seasonings.
- Preheat the air fryer (if necessary) and “fry” the yuca for no more than 15 minutes on 380°. Don’t overcrowd the fryer as you want the fries to have room to cook evenly. Be mindful cooking time will depend and vary on the thickness of your fries. My mid- sized yuca fries take about 15 minutes. Check them as necessary for desired crispiness. Serve with organic ketchup or preffered sauce. Enjoy.
Michael says
Love learning about ither culture’s dishes! Excellent flavors. Loved it! Paired nicely with beef empanadas and tostones.
Mirlene says
Thank you, Michael.
Alaria says
This recipe is the best I’ve tried for yuka frita! Lighter than deep fried, crispier than baked, and my northern raised, meat and potatoes boyfriend loved them, too!
Michelle says
LOVED these yuca fries! I made them from frozen, boiled for about 10 minutes and removed the hard middle part. The spices you suggested were perfect! My husband is Cuban and he devoured them!! So did our toddler! Thank you!
Mirlene says
Thank you very much, Michelle. I am so glad you liked the fries.
Christine says
I made these a few weeks ago and they were excellent!!!
I do have a question though… You have both kosher salt and ground salt in the ingredient list but no pepper even though you mentioned salt and pepper in the instructions. Was one of those supposed to be ground pepper? Or why two different kinds of salt?
Mirlene says
Thank you for making it, Christine. Yes, it is a typo. It should be ground black pepper. Glad you liked the recipe.
Sharon says
I did this recipe today…it was very easy and VERY GOOD! I will be making this again for sure!!!
Thank you
Mirlene says
Thank you very much, Sharon.
Emily Adams says
Tried in my air fryer. They were good. I should have cut them more uniformly but will next time. Thicker ones were better because they had a nice soft center.
Mirlene says
Thank you, Emily!
Karly Sheeley says
My family loves these fries. My husband and I are on a low carb diet for health reasons, and these a great substitute for us, but our daughters LOVE them too. Y’all, my family is so picky and this pleases all of us. Thank you!
Mirlene says
Thank you so much, Karly. I am so glad to hear that.
PSB says
they have the same amount of carbs as regular potatoes.
Nikki says
I am very excited to try these! I am wondering about the inner core, as I have just read 2 other posts where they said that you had to remove the hard inner core, after boiling them for a time. Do you ever do this? Is it really necessary? I also want to see if I can use this in my Ninja Creami recipes, trying to make them as nutritionally high as possible. Sweet potatoes work really well, but leave their “taste” so am trying to find something that is more bland. Thanks for any ideas and help.
Mirlene says
Hi Nikki,
I do remove the core from time to time. It is a preference. We also included step-by-step guide to make this recipe as well as a detailed video in the post.
Laurie says
Oh these are so good! I used frozen cassava and followed the recipe exactly as written. So good! My family loved them!!
Shannon says
These are amazing – we love cassava but I’ve never been brave enough to make it at home myself.
Mirlene says
Thank you very much, Shannon. We are glad you were able to try them at home.
Ev says
Thank you very much for this recipe! Just got an air fryer, and this was the first thing I cooked. Definitely going to try to cook things mostly in the air fryer from now on, and this recipe is definitely a keeper! Best yucca fries I’ve EVER had! Thank you!
Mirlene says
Thank you so much, Ev! We are SO incredibly happy to hear that. We love our air fryer and use it often.
Ann B says
Delicious! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.
Mirlene says
Thank you very much Ann for making it.
Robin A Roopnarine says
Awesome recipe, tried it today and turn out great ! first thing I ever prepared in an air fryer and no guilt of consuming oil or used oil to dispose of. any other recommendations for seasoning options? will consume some with apple cider vinegar instead of ketchup next time
Thank you
Vane says
We use a cilantro garlic dipping sauce it includes sour cream, cilantro, garlic, lime and salt to taste.
Mirlene says
Love how you modify the recipe. Thank you, Vane
taylar says
Hiii, what temperature do we air fry them at ??
Mirlene says
Hello Taylar,
Please cook the fries at 380 degrees.
Amy says
These are so delicious! I made them with frozen yuca—um thawed, just boiled 5 minutes. Thank you for the recipe.
Annie says
Great recipe! A Cuban friend gave me some big pieces of plain boiled yuca. It was a bit bland for me so I cut it up, seasoned it just like you said and browned the pieces in the air fryer. So good! I also added some Spice Island Za’atar seasoning at the end because that’s the way a local restaurant serves it. 🙂
Mirlene says
I am so glad the recipe worked out for you Annie. Thank you so much.
Naz Sicherman says
I LOVE yuca fries and always feel guilty about the deep frying. These turned amazing! I used frozen yuca as you can’t find fresh here…boiled it until it was tender through and followed the recipe as above. Fifteen minutes was perfect – crispy and browned and moist inside! The only other change I made was I used cayenne pepper instead of smoked paprika as I like them spicy. I like them tamarind sauce! Even my husband was impressed and is now sold on the air fryer. He was doubtful when I bought it!!
Thank you thank you! I will make these again and again!
Mirlene says
Thank you so much, Naz! Your comment made me smile this morning after reading it. Thank you so much for your comment.