Yuca Root Fritters with Anise Glaze
Crispy, golden yuca fritters with a delicate anise-honey glaze. Cassava root is cooked until tender, mashed with aromatic anise seeds, and fried until the exterior shatters under your teeth while the interior stays creamy. A drizzle of warm anise-vanilla glaze adds subtle licorice notes and sticky sweetness.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 12 fritters (makes about 24 small pieces if halved)
Steps
Before you start
- Peel and cut yuca root into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces (wear gloves or wash hands well—the raw root can irritate skin)
- Fill a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with 2 to 3 inches of neutral oil and place a thermometer in it; let it sit at room temperature so the oil is ready to check temperature
- Line a plate with paper towels for draining fried fritters
Boil yuca until tender
- Place peeled yuca pieces in a large pot and cover with cold salted water (about 3 quarts / 3 L water with 1 teaspoon salt).
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until a fork easily pierces the thickest piece and it's creamy throughout.
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Ready when: Fork pierces the yuca easily; interior is creamy with no chalky core
Tip: Yuca is done when it's completely soft; undercooked pieces will be gritty in the finished fritters.
Drain and mash yuca
- Drain the yuca in a colander, discarding the cooking water.
- Let it cool for 2 minutes until it's cool enough to handle.
- Pass the warm yuca through a potato ricer (or press through a fine-mesh sieve with the back of a spoon) directly into a medium bowl.
- You should have about 3 cups (650 g) of riced yuca.
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Ready when: Yuca is light, fluffy, and riced with no lumps
Tip: Use a ricer for the smoothest fritters; mashing by hand or blending risks creating a gluey texture.
Season the yuca mixture
- While the riced yuca is still warm (this helps flavors bloom), stir in the crushed anise seeds, salt, black pepper, and vanilla extract.
- Mix gently but thoroughly until the anise and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout.
- The mixture should smell fragrant and be warm to the touch.
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Ready when: Anise seeds are evenly scattered and the mixture is well combined
Tip: Don't overmix; gentle stirring keeps the yuca light and airy rather than dense.
Shape fritters and chill
- Using a 2-tablespoon (30 ml) ice cream scoop or spoon, form the warm yuca mixture into 12 oval or slightly flattened patty shapes (each about 2 inches / 5 cm long), placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so they firm up and hold their shape during frying.
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Ready when: Fritters are firm to the touch and no longer sticky
Tip: Don't skip the chill time; cold fritters hold together much better in hot oil.
Heat oil to frying temperatureOven 350°F / 175°C
- While the fritters chill, heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature, bringing it to 350°F (175°C).
- Let it maintain this temperature for 1 minute before you begin frying.
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Ready when: Oil reaches 350°F (175°C) and remains stable
Tip: Use a reliable thermometer; oil that's too cool makes greasy fritters, while oil that's too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks.
Fry fritters in batches
- Working in batches of 3–4 fritters at a time (so you don't crowd the pot and drop the oil temperature), gently slide the chilled fritters into the hot oil.
- Fry for 3–4 minutes, then carefully turn them over with a slotted spoon and fry for another 2–3 minutes, until all sides are deep golden brown and crispy.
- The exterior should shatter when you tap it.
- Transfer each batch to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
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Ready when: Fritters are deep golden brown on all sides and crispy to the touch
Tip: Keep the oil at 350°F (175°C) throughout frying; if it drops, raise the heat briefly to recover. If you go above 360°F (182°C), the exteriors will brown too fast.
Make the anise glaze
- While the fritters are still warm, combine the honey, anise liqueur (if using), vanilla extract, and water in a small saucepan.
- Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is warm and pourable.
- The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but still coat a spoon lightly.
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Ready when: Glaze is warm and has a honey-like pourable consistency
Tip: If the glaze becomes too thick as it cools, warm it gently over very low heat or add a teaspoon of water at a time.
Glaze and serve
- Arrange the warm fritters on a serving platter.
- Drizzle the warm anise glaze over the fritters, allowing it to pool and drip down the sides.
- If desired, finish with a tiny pinch of fleur de sel.
- Serve immediately while the fritters are still warm and crispy.
- The contrast between the crispy exterior and creamy interior is best enjoyed right away.
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Ready when: Fritters are glossy with glaze and ready to eat
Tip: Serve immediately for the best texture contrast; as fritters cool, they soften slightly but are still delicious within 30 minutes.
Good to know
Tips
- Yuca can be sticky to cut raw; wear gloves or rinse your hands well after handling, as the raw root may cause skin irritation.
- For the smoothest texture, pass the cooked yuca through a potato ricer rather than mashing; this removes any gritty fibers.
- The anise flavor should be subtle—just a whisper of licorice. If you prefer it stronger, toast the anise seeds in a dry skillet for 1 minute before crushing.
- These fritters are best served warm, within 30 minutes of frying, when the contrast between the crispy exterior and creamy inside is most striking.
Make ahead
Fritters can be fried up to 4 hours ahead, cooled completely, and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5–7 minutes to restore crispness before glazing and serving.
Storage & reheating
Room temperature (uncovered or in an airtight container): up to 2 hours, though crispness diminishes after 30 minutes. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 3 days; reheat as directed for make-ahead. Freezer (in a freezer-safe container, unglazed): up to 1 month; thaw to room temperature and reheat in a 350°F / 175°C oven for 8–10 minutes before glazing.
Substitutions
- anise-flavored liqueur (Pernod, Ouzo, or Sambuca), or anise-infused water → Anise-infused water (steep 1/2 teaspoon crushed anise seeds in 3 tablespoons hot water for 5 minutes, then strain) or 1 tablespoon anise-flavored syrup. For a non-alcoholic version or if you don't have liqueur on hand. The flavor will be subtly less intense but still aromatic.
- anise seeds, lightly crushed → Fennel seeds (milder, slightly sweeter flavor) or omit entirely for plain fritters. Fennel is a close botanical relative but tastes less licorice-forward. Plain yuca fritters are also excellent.
- honey → Maple syrup or agave nectar. These will thin the glaze slightly; reduce the water to 1 teaspoon if using maple syrup to maintain consistency.
- cassava root (yuca), peeled and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces → Russet potatoes (about 2.5 lbs / 1.1 kg, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces) or calabaza squash. The fritters will have a slightly different texture—potato-based fritters are denser, squash-based ones lighter—but remain delicious. Calabaza takes 20–25 minutes to cook.
