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    Home » Recipes » Latin Inspired

    Yuca en Escabeche

    by Stephenie Published: Dec 7, 2022 · Modified: Aug 29, 2024 . Leave a Comment. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    This Yuca en Escabeche recipe is creamy, smooth, and garlicky but more importantly, is super tender. It has a subtle pickled taste that goes perfectly with almost anything.

    a plate of yuca en escabeche.

    Yuca en Escabeche is made with cassava or yuca as is called in Spanish. It is boiled tender and then mixed with the escabeche which is made with sauteed garlic, onion, peppers, and vinegar.

    In Puerto Rican cuisine we make many escabeche recipes. We make chicken escabeche, guineos en escabeche, and escabeche de yuca. You often see it sold in places where they sell pollo asado entero.

    My favorite way of serving yuca is with rice and beans or yellow rice with ribs. I also like to make yuca fr whenever I make pork chunks.

    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • How To Make Yuca En Escabeche
    • Recipe Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More delicious sides
    • Yuca en Escabeche

    Why This Recipe Works

    • You can get yuca sold in almost any big supermarket. Check out what cassava is? to learn more.
    • This is a side dish recipe that goes well with almost anything, almost just like potatoes.

    Recipe Ingredients

    all the ingredients needed to make a yuca en escabeche in a puerto rican style.
    • Salt– the tablespoon of salt here is used to season the water. Just like you will do if you are cooking pasta.
    • Yuca– I used 1 pound of fresh yuca. You can also use frozen and save time.
    • Oil– I used ¾ cups of vegetable oil because it has a very neutral taste. But you can use olive oil if you like the taste.
    • Onion– I used ½ of a small yellow onion but you can use white or red onion. 
    • Red and Green pepper– I used ¼ of each. Substitution: use the same quantity of pimiento morron for red pepper and cubanele pepper for green pepper.
    • Bay leaves & peppercorns– I used 3 leaves and half teaspoons of peppercorns.
    • Garlic and Onion powder– 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and half of a teaspoon of onion powder are used to give a nice flavor to the dish.
    • Garlic paste– I used ½ tablespoon of freshly minced garlic paste. I like to add the garlic in a paste and not slices because it gives the dish a prominent taste of garlic.
    • Vinegar– white vinegar is a key flavor in this recipe. I added ¼ cup of vinegar because I like a smooth subtle vinegar taste. You can add ¼ cup more if you like a strong vinegar taste.

    How To Make Yuca En Escabeche


    collage on how to make yuca en escabeche on the left peeling the yuca and adding salt to the pan with water and yuca on the right.
    • Photo 1: There are two different ways to peel yuca. You can chop off the ends and cut them into 3-inch-long pieces. Then make a line going down the middle and carefully lift the skin with the knife. Or cut the ends off and remove the skin with a vegetable peeler. Peel like you would a potato.
    • Photo 2: In a large pot add the water, salt, and yuca over high heat. Cover and cook for 30 minutes and drain. Test the tenderness by inserting a fork into a piece of yuca. Sometimes it may take a little longer to make depending on thickness.
    collage of how to make yuca al mojo on the left cutting the onion and on the right removing the yuca vein.
    • Photo 3: Cut the vegetables into ¼ inch strips. In reality, you can cut the vegetables any way you like to present them. It doesn’t make much of a difference since we only sautee them not cook them all the way thru. 
    • Photo 4: Once the yuca is cooked, remove the woody root in the middle. This step you can do before cooking or after.
    collage on how to make yuca escabeche in a puerto rican style on the left sauteing the vegetables and stiring the yuca and veggies on the right.
    • Photo 5: In a medium pan add the oil, onions, peppers, bay leaves, garlic, and onion powder. You need to saute for 2 minutes. Stir to prevent the veggies from burning. Turn off the heat, add the garlic, and vinegar, and stir.
    • Photo 6: Now this step you can do it in 2 ways. You can add the yuca to the pan and mix everything like I did. Or you can pour the escabeche over your yuca.

    📓 Note: I add the garlic once the heat is off to avoid burning it.

    Recipe Tips

    • When buying fresh yuca you have to keep in mind the weight of the skin. Always buy ¼ of a pound more of what you need to account for the skin.
    • Even though the yuca may not be tender all the way, you don’t want to cook it for too long. This is because it will be very mushy and it won’t hold its shape.
    • Store no more than 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Best stored in a glass container or ceramic bowl because the escabeche leaves a strong smell that you won’t be able to remove from plastic easily.
    a plate with a yuca en escabeche made in a puerto rican style.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is escabeche?

    Escabeche is a zesty marinade made with a base of oil and vinegar. It has been used as a method of food preservation but also used as a marinade for vegetables and meats. A Spanish-style escabeche is made with the same quantity of vinegar as white wine and carrots. In the Caribbean is made without wine.

    Where can I buy yuca or cassava?

    You’ll be happy to know that Yuca is fairly easy to get in many supermarkets. Sometimes it is also called cassava but it means the same thing. Sometimes they’ll have it frozen or fresh. You can also find it in Latin or Asian stores.

    Should I use fresh or frozen yuca?

    You can use whichever type you can get in the grocery store. I have used both and found that there is no difference in taste between the two when making yuca en escabeche. Not like if you were making yuca root chips or fried yuca, then you’ll need fresh vegetables.

    How to know if my yuca is cooked?

    You will know is cooked because it turns translucent when cooked and it will be fork tender.

    More delicious sides

    • Amarillos (Fried Plantains)
    • Arañitas
    • Puerto Rican Habichuelas Guisadas
    • a plate with carne frita y mofongo.
      Mofongo

    💬 If you enjoyed this Yuca En Escabeche recipe, give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment, or question below. 

    If you rather watch how to make a recipe you can follow us on YouTube and our Facebook Page. Or keep up with us on Instagram and Pinterest.

    a plate of pickled cassava in a puerto rican style.

    Yuca en Escabeche

    Yuca en escabeche is a delicious way to cook cassava. It is easy to make and very delicious.
    By: Stephenie
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep :5 minutes mins
    Cook :30 minutes mins
    Time :35 minutes mins
    servings :4

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 cups water
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1 ¼ pound yuca/cassava
    • ½ small onion
    • ¼ green pepper
    • ¼ red pepper
    • ¾ cup oil
    • ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorn
    • 3 bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoons garlic paste
    • ¼ cup vinegar
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    Instructions
     

    The Yuca

    • Peel and rinse the yuca. Cut it to about 3 to 4 inches long. If you are using frozen yuca then you can skip this step.
    • Add water and salt to a large pan over high heat. Add the yuca, and cook covered for 30 minutes. Check for tenderness with a fork. Drain and set aside.

    The Escabeche

    • While the yuca cooks cut the red and green peppers into ¼-inch thick long strips. Cut the onion in the same way. In a medium size pan, add oil, black pepper, bay leaves, peppers, onion , garlic and onion powder. Cook for 2 minutes and stir a couple of times. Turn off the heat and mix in the garlic and the vinegar.
    • Add the yuca to the pan with the escabeche. Mix it until all the yuca is covered in the mix. Serve and enjoy.

    Recipe Notes

    Yuca- When using fresh yuca, always buy ¼ more of a pound. This is approximately the weight of the skin plus the ends you chop off. If using the frozen version use only 1 pound.
    Water- I indicate how much water and how much salt because I think is important to boil the cassava in salted water. If you use more or less water you just make sure you taste it to make sure is not salty.
    Time-saving- I prepare the escabeche while the yuca is boiling to save time. You can also prepare the escabeche ahead of time and then add the yuca.
    Peppercorns and bay leaves- These are used to infuse flavor into the oil. You can remove them before adding the yuca. I don’t eat them I just push them to the side of my plate.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 563kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 24g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 1786mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course :Side Dish
    Cuisine :Caribbean | Latin | Puerto Rican
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    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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