Cassava Mofongo (Mofongo de Yuca)

Yuca root on a table
Martin Paul / Getty Images
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Traditional mofongo is made with unripe (green) plantains. However, a new trend is taking place on the islands. Yuca (cassava) is being substituted for the plantains with tasty results. This recipe calls for frying fresh yuca, which gives you the best results. If it's not available to you, then you can use the frozen kind and boil them instead.

Mashing: You can mash the yuca using either the customary mortar and pestle method or use a potato masher.

Shaping: Mofongo can be shaped two ways. Most common is a half-dome shape, which I use in this recipe. It's not unusual to find mofongo shaped into balls and consumed almost like a dumpling with stewed meats or beans.

Ingredients

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • 3 1/2 pounds raw yuca

  • Olive oil, for the mortar

  • Salt, to taste

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled

  • 6 slices bacon, crisply cooked

Steps to Make It

  1. Preheat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan or deep fryer to 350 F.

  2. While the oil is heating up, peel the yuca and cut it into 1/2-inch rounds or pieces.

  3. Fry the prepared yuca until fork-tender. This will take approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

  4. Remove cooked yuca from the fryer and allow it to drain on paper towels.

Traditional Mortar and Pestle Method

  1. Coat the inside of mortar with olive oil.

  2. Add half of a clove of garlic and a pinch of salt. Pound to make a garlic paste.

  3. Divide yuca into 6 equal portions. Add 1 portion of the fried yuca to the mortar. Pound the yuca and garlic paste into a mash by pounding down and toward the sides of the mortar. This action helps turn over and mix the ingredients.

  4. Dice 1 slice of bacon and add to the yuca mash.

  5. Keep rotating the mortar and pounding down toward the sides until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed into a smooth mash.

  6. Push all ingredients down to the bottom of the mortar. With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix. Then use the spoon to scrape around the mortar and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.

  7. Repeat these steps 6 times to create 6 portions of cassava mofongo.

Potato Masher Method

  1. With the olive oil, lubricate the inside of the bowl where you will be mashing the yuca.

  2. Make a garlic paste with the garlic cloves and salt, then add it to the bowl.

  3. Add the fried yuca to the bowl and mash it together with the garlic paste using the potato masher.

  4. Dice the bacon and add to the yuca mash.

  5. Continue to mash all ingredients together until thoroughly mixed into a smooth mash. Divide into 6 equal portions.

  6. For each portion, use a small condiment bowl as a mold. Push the mash down to the bottom of the bowl. With the back of a spoon, smooth over and level off the mix. Then, use the spoon to scrape around the bowl and remove the mash in a half-dome shape.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
333 Calories
29g Fat
14g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 333
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 37%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 296mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 8mg 38%
Calcium 10mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 156mg 3%
*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.)