A delicious and simple recipe that makes a great snack, appetizer or a second side dish for any meal!

I’m thrilled to introduce to you today’s guest author. Vanessa of Smart Little Cookie is a food blogger I had the pleasure to meet recently at a conference. If you haven’t had the opportunity to meet her yet, I highly suggest you stop by her site for some amazing recipes. From traditional Latin dishes to simple family recipes, Vanessa has it all. I hope you enjoy today’s recipe as much as I have!

I’m so excited to share this delicious recipe here today! These Yuca Fritters are so good you won’t believe yourselves once you’ve tried them.

Yuca or Cassava is one of my favorite ingredients in the whole wide world. It is so versatile and absolutely delicious anyway you cook it. This is an ingredient I cook with very often and Yuca Fritters are regularly part of my menu.

I have perfected this recipe to the point where I can almost make it with my eyes closed. I make them as a snack, an appetizer or a second side dish for any meal. That’s how much I love them, so do my family and all of my friends.

It is a highly requested side dish whenever I’m to bring a dish to any gathering. I’m sure you and everyone in your family will love them too!

A little about Yuca

The Cassava plant is cultivated in tropical regions and its root is rich in starch and contains a great amount calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The Yuca can be prepared fried or boiled. It can be made into purees, as a casserole ingredient or added into stews such as this awesome Sancocho (Caribbean Meats and Vegetables Stew).

It can be used as dough for empanadas or even made into a flour used for breads, cookies and cakes. It goes well with any type of meat, eggs and even cheese like in these Cheese Stuffed Yuca Balls.

Cooking with Yuca can be a little tricky, though. Sometimes, if the Yuca is not fresh it can taste sour after cooking. But today, I will share a trick with you that will ensure your fritters always taste great even if the Yuca is not very fresh. 😉

To prepare the masa for the fritters, grate the Yuca using the smallest side of the grater. Then, add salt, anise seeds, butter and an egg to the grated Yuca and combined it all very well. Now, here is my trick. I add a little sugar to the mixture. Yes! Sugar.

Are the fritters supposed to be sweet? No. Don’t add that much sugar. Just a pinch will do. I usually add no more than half a teaspoon. That is enough to make your fritters perfect every time.

After everything is well combined, drop spoonfuls of the mixture in hot oil. Fry on each side until the fritters are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil into a paper towel, let it rest for about 5 minutes and serve.

Wasn’t that easy? Now go and enjoy a delicious snack with the family. You deserve it!

Yuca Fritters

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Ingredients

• 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 1 pound yuca, grated
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

1. Grate the yuca using the smallest size of the grater.
2. In a medium bowl, combined the yuca, butter, egg, anise seed, salt and sugar. Using a wooden spoon, mix together until well combined.
3. In a frying pan, heat up vegetable oil over medium heat. Place about 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the oil, separately. Cook until the fitter has turned golden brown, for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to remove excess grease.
4. Serve immediately.

Vanessa is the author and photographer behind Smart Little Cookie. She is a full-time public relations and marketing professional, and mother of two. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and dancing in her kitchen while baking cupcakes. You can also follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram for more delicious recipes!