Creamy and buttery, Garlic Yuca Mash is the exotic cousin of mashed potatoes. It is a great side dish with almost any meal and ready in under 30 minutes! 

To complement the holiday feast, serve it with Green Beans, Cheesy Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo and/or Honey Bourbon Cranberry Sauce.

Tired of the same old mashed potatoes and ready to try something new and delicious?

It’s time you give Yuca Mash (or Purê de Mandioca, in Portuguese) a try! It’s just as good as mashed potatoes, but lighter in flavor and texture.

It has a mild, sweet and somewhat nutty taste that I can’t get enough of. But what I love the most about it is its almost chewy-like texture! So while you could definitely mash your yuca until it’s super smooth, I highly recommend you go the chunky route so you can get bits of textured yuca in every bite.

If you’re looking for a new, hearty but tropical, side dish, you found it! It goes great with meat, chicken and pork, especially saucy entrees.

What is Yuca?

Yuca, or cassava, is a starchy root, similar to potato and very popular in Latin cuisines.

The root varies in size, but the ones you will find at the grocery store are usually long and thin (about 6 to 12 inches long and 2 to 4 inches in diameter). They have a creamy white flesh and a thick brown skin, generally covered in wax to help preserve them during their long journey to America.

How to pronounce yuca

Yuca is pronounced joo-kah.

And even though you might sometimes see is spelled yucca, the correct spelling is yuca with only one “c”. Yucca is an ornamental plant and unrelated to the edible root.

Is yuca poisonous?

In short, yes. But not the kind that you find at the grocery store.

Yuca, native to South America, comes in two varieties: sweet and bitter. That is defined based on the amount of Cyanogenic Glycoside contained in the root.

The one we find at the supermarket, is the sweet variety, and safe to eat.

The bitter kind has unsafe traces of cyanide and needs to be peeled, thoroughly soaked and washed with water, cooked and dried. This is the type of cassava used to make tapioca flour and tapioca pearls.

Neither kind should be eaten raw.

Ingredients for Garlic Mashed Yuca

To make yuca mash, you will need:

• Yuca root – You can buy the whole root at the produce section or the already prepped frozen yuca chunks.
• Milk – whole milk will make the creamiest mashed yuca!
• Butter
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make Yuca Mash Recipe

The most complicated part about making this recipe is peeling the yuca root. However, once you get the technique down, it is not that difficult and quicker than peeling potatoes. Please check the tutorial here.

Which tools will I need? A sharp knife and cutting board to peel the root, a saucepan to cook the yuca and a potato masher, ricer or hand blender, depending on the desired consistency.

Stovetop instructions:

1. Combine the peeled yuca pieces with 1 gallon of water and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan, over medium-high heat. Once the water starts boiling, lower the heat to medium and continue boiling until the yuca is soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. Wipe the saucepan and set it on the stove again. Over medium heat, add the butter and garlic. Cook until the butter melts and the garlic is fragrant.
3. Add the cooked yuca and stir to combine.
4. Mash the yuca using a potato masher or immersion blender. If using a ricer, mash the yuca before adding it to the pan. Add the milk and mash more if needed.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with melted butter and chopped parsley, if desired.

Instant Pot instructions:

To make this recipe in the pressure cooker,

• Combine peeled yuca, enough water to cover it, and salt in your Instant Pot.
• Put the lid on, turn the valve to seal and set the Instant Pot for manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
• When the yuca is ready, turn the valve to vent to release the pressure. Remove the yuca and drain the water.
• Return the Instant Pot insert to the machine and select the sauté feature. Add butter and garlic and sauté until fragrant. 
• Return the cooked yuca and mix to combine. Mash the yuca using a potato masher, ricer or hand blender, depending on the desired consistency. Add the milk and stir, mashing more as needed.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker instructions:

• Combine peeled yuca, salt and 1 cup of water in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until the yuca is soft.
• On the stove, heat the butter in a skillet, over medium heat, until melted. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Reserve.
• Remove the lid and add the milk and the reserved garlic butter. Use a potato masher or hand blender to mash the yuca. Season with salt and pepper.

How to serve Garlic Yuca Mash

Mashed yuca can be served as-is, but I like to top it with some melted butter and a handful of chopped parsley.

This side dish can be served just like mashed potatoes would. Here are some main dishes to go with your yuca mash:

• Rosemary and Garlic Roast Beef
• Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef
• Roasted Turkey with Herb Butter
• Sous Vide Turkey Breast
• Coq au Riesling (Chicken braised in white wine)

Variations

Once you taste mashed yuca, you will make so often that you will eventually want to play around with it. These are some popular variations:

• Cheesy – Parmesan, Gruyere, Cheddar, Mozzarella, you name it! Cheesy yuca mash is delicious!
• Use ghee instead of butter.
• Topped with shredded chicken, chorizo, bacon, caramelized onions, crispy shallots or toasted breadcrumbs.
• Made with coconut milk instead of regular milk and olive oil instead of butter, for a dairy free variation.
• Herbed version – stir in a variety of your favorite fresh or dried herbs.

Can I make Yuca Mash ahead?

Yes, you can! Mashed yuca root can be made up to two days ahead.

When ready to serve, heat it on the stove, over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Then, add a little more butter to restore the creaminess and flavor.

Does it freeze well?

As it contains dairy, freezing and thawing can alter the texture and the mashed yuca can lose its creaminess.

To make up for that, if you plan on freezing, make sure to add extra butter and even a little heavy cream, as fat will ensure it remains creamy and flavorful.

Thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove, adding more butter and milk/cream as needed to make it look and taste fresh again!

The yuca mash will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

Got leftovers? You can use them in place of mashed potatoes in these dishes:

• Turkey and Mash Potatoes Casserole
• Escondidinho (Beef and Mashed Potatoes Casserole)
• Mashed Potatoes Pancakes