• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Peru logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • About The Eat Peru Team
    • Sitemap
  • Subscribe
Home / Easy Peruvian Recipes / Yuquitas Fritas – Peruvian Yuca Fries

Yuquitas Fritas – Peruvian Yuca Fries

An easy to make starter recipe, side dish, or vegetarian snack. Yucas fritas, yuquitas fritas, or fried cassava. However you call it, it's delicious.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Yuca Fried Sticks With Avocado Sauce
Yucas Fritas Peruvian Recipe With Lime Garnish

We could give this recipe one of several different titles. The main ingredient of this delicious dish has lots of different names and variations on names. Yuca, a root vegetable native to South America, is also known as cassava and manioc, among other things.

The word yuquita is a diminutive form of yuca. (“ita” in Spanish signifying little or small). The English language name for this dish would be fried cassava. But honestly, it doesn’t sound as good as the original, pronounced Yoo-kEE-tas FrEE-tas.

This tropical root vegetable is a staple source of carbohydrate in many parts of Latin America and Asia. These days, it’s easy to find yuca or cassava in good supermarkets and you’ll definitely find the vegetable in specialist or ethnic food stores. 

Yuca Fried Sticks With Avocado Sauce

The recipe is so simple that even an absolute beginner could manage it. If you can boil and fry potatoes, this recipe will seem easy to make.

Dipping Fried Yuca Stick Into Avocado Sauce

The accompaniments to this recipe are entirely optional. Of course, you’ll need some kind of condiment or sauce. Yuquitas fritas are like regular potato fries. One or two dry fries are tasty but after that, you’ll need a sauce to make them more palatable. Ketchup works fine. So does guacamole, but to make this dish more “Peruvian”, we recommend dipping with aji amarillo hot sauce or Peruvian green sauce.

This fiery and spicy sauce is very popular in Peru and goes really well with yuca fries. If it gets a bit hot for you, try dipping the fried cassava into mayonnaise, mild mustard, or creamy pink sauce (mayonnaise mixed with ketchup).

And if you enjoy sweeter hot dips, try some Peruvian rocoto pepper sauce on the side. This dish is the perfect accompaniment to Peruvian fish fritters.

Yuquitas Fritas With Lime Garnish

Oh, I nearly forgot. A nice cold bottle of Cusqueña or Pilsen beer is the perfect match for yuquitas fritas.

What you’ll need:
Cassava, oil, water, and salt. Easy!

Peruvian Yucas Fritas Ingredients
Yuca Fried Sticks With Avocado Sauce
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Yuquitas Fritas – Peruvian Yuca Fries

An easy to make starter recipe, side dish, or vegetarian snack. Yucas fritas, yuquitas fritas, or fried cassava. However you call it, it's delicious.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Course: Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine: Peruvian
Keyword: cassava, Easy Peruvian, fries, vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 1340kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 kg cassava
  • 2 cups vegetable oil
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon salt

Instructions 

  • With a sharp knife, carefully peel the yucas.
    Peel Yuca Root Vegetables With Sharp Knife
  • Add plenty of water to a large pot (We use 8 cups of water). And a tablespoon of salt and turn the stove on high heat. When the water starts to boil, add the peeled pieces of whole cassava, and cook half-covered for about thirty minutes.
    Cassava In Boiling Water
  • You will know that the yucas are ready when they start to open. If you boil yuca that has been sliced, you may find it more difficult to determine when they are cooked. Prick them with a fork and if they feel soft, they are ready. Turn off the stove and drain excess water. Let the yucas drain for about ten minutes.
    Boiled Whole Yuca
  • Then place each piece one by one on a cutting board. Open the individual yuca and remove the hard vein from the inside. With the help of a knife, cut into long rectangular sticks..
    Sliced Pieces Of Yuca On Chopping Board With Knife
  • Make sure each stick is free of water residue to prevent oil from splashing and burning.
  • Pour all the oil into a skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot and you see bubbles on the surface of the oil, add the yuquitas with a slotted spoon little by little.
    Yuquitas Frying In Hot Oil
  • Fry the yuca for about three to five minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and place on a flat plate covered with absorbent paper towels. Wait about five minutes until the excess oil is drained and serve accompanied by an avocado sauce, Peruvian hot sauce, or mayonnaise. Garnish with some refreshing lime!
    Peruvian Fried Yuca Dish

Notes

Yuca is a very tough vegetable and must be boiled whole for at least 30 minutes before frying. This long boiling period allows the root vegetable to soften. There is a technique to boil them and determine when they are ready.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Yuquitas Fritas – Peruvian Yuca Fries
Amount Per Serving (250 g)
Calories 1340 Calories from Fat 990
% Daily Value*
Fat 110g169%
Saturated Fat 89g556%
Sodium 1803mg78%
Potassium 678mg19%
Carbohydrates 95g32%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 33IU1%
Vitamin C 52mg63%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Yuquitas Fritas Recipe
Peruvian Food Lover
Eat Peru

Peruvian foodie. I’ve been writing about the food of Peru for over 10 years. Read more about the Eat Peru team here

Previous Post: « Crispy Peruvian Fried Chicken Fritters – Chicharrón de Pollo
Next Post: Chicha Morada Recipe: Delicious Peruvian Maize Drink »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ruth

    February 8, 2021 at 10:44 pm

    5 stars
    Que tipo de salsa es la que muestra la foto. Es de color verde. Es culantro y mayonesa?

    Reply
    • Eat Peru

      February 18, 2021 at 8:10 am

      Es mayonesa de aguacate 🙂

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

EatPeru.com is an independent recipe and food blog dedicated to the wonderful cuisine of Peru

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search EatPeru.com

As Featured On

EatPeru.com featured on Popsugar
Mention about Peruvian Recipes on Atlas Obscura
EatPeru.com featured on Latin Recipe Website Buzzfeed

lomo saltado Peruvian fusion cuisine

A Guide to Traditional Food in Peru

Arroz con leche dessert

Top 10 Peruvian Desserts

Peruvian ceviche starter dish

The Best Peruvian Starters & Appetizers

Categories

  • Beef
  • Breakfast
  • Chicken
  • Condiments & Sauces
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Easy Peruvian Recipes
  • Fish and Seafood
  • Main Courses
  • Peruvian Asian Fusion
  • Peruvian Gastronomy
  • Peruvian Restaurants
  • Peruvian Side Dishes
  • Peruvian Soups and Stews
  • Peruvian Vegetables
  • Pork Recipes
  • Product Review
  • Recipes
  • Regional Food
  • Rice Recipes
  • Salad Recipes
  • Snacks
  • Starters
  • Traditional
  • Vegetarian

Copyright © 2025 · EatPeru.com · Privacy Policy · Earnings Disclaimer · About · Contact Us · Sitemap

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.