Boil and Fry Cassava is a simple, nutrient packed, gluten free and Whole30 friendly side dish that I grew up eating. Boil and Fry (fried) is the name given to any dish in Guyana where root vegetables are first boiled until fork tender, then sauté with herbs and spices. Most Americans call this a hash, we (Guyanese people) call it boil and fry.
Jump to:
Making Boil and Fry
Boil and fry cassava is simple and versatile. You can use any kind of fresh or dried herbs. Don't have fresh tomatoes add tomato paste! Swap out fresh onion and garlic for granulated garlic and onion powder. Use dried parsley flakes if that's all you have. It's the kind of dish that Caribbean people pull out of thin air and it is beyond yummy.
The Fry in boil and fry
Frying up the seasoning and the cassava is the key to making this dish tasty. It is more sautéing than it is frying but most people do it in a wok type pan or frying pan. The key is having a pan that is perfect for sautéing. I always use my wok when making boil and fry. You can find a wok like the one I have here (this is an amazon associate link). I love to cook my onions first until they are almost brown and crisp. Then I add the tomatoes and other ingredients followed by the boiled cassava and sauté on high heat until everything has a little bit of char or brown bits. I am using frozen cassava which has become my go to type of cassava.
Black pepper is a key ingredient in boil and fry for me. I love the sharpness of the spiciness of black pepper against the fluffiness of the cassava. This is exactly how my parents made it when I was little and I always add coarse ground black pepper to my boil and fry. It is so yummy.
That's pretty much it. Nothing fancy and a quick and simple side dish that is exploding with Caribbean flavors. It pairs really well with fish and here I am enjoying it with some Sautéed Canned Salmon that I sautéed with veggies and fresh herbs.
The Printable Boil and Fry Cassava Recipe
Printable Recipe Card
Boil and Fry Cassava
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs of Cassava peel and cut into 2 inch pieces (I used frozen)
- Enough water to boil the cassava
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic grated
- 1 cup of plum tomatoes diced (can swap two medium tomatoes)
- 1 small yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of parsley finely chopped
- 1 wiri wiri pepper finely chopped seeds removed (skip if you don't have or sub for a pinch of cayenne pepper)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or other oil for cooking
Instructions
- Add cassava and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat
- Add ½ teaspoon of salt and boil until the cassava is fork tender and almost translucent
- Then remove from the heat, drain from the water and set aside
- Next add coconut oil to a skillet, frying pan or wok on high heat
- When coconut oil comes up to temperature add the sliced onions and sauté until the onion is a little brown
- Then add the tomatoes and other fresh herbs
- Continue to sauté until the tomatoes are soft then add the cassava
- Add the remaining salt and black pepper and sauté for another minute or two on high heat
- Finally remove from the heat and serve
This dish is Whole30 friendly and goes perfectly well with Stews. Try some of my Whole30 stew recipes below.
Caribbean Fish Stew
Beef Stew
Or try it with some other fish dishes...
Sautéed Canned Salmon
Steamed Fish
Tuna Cakes
Oven Broiled Salmon
It's the perfect comfort food and takes me back to my childhood every time. Happy Cooking!
Indira Niranjan says
Beautiful food pics. Making boil and fry cassava this evening because i made dal and rice with saltfish and i have left over salt fish. Will definitely visit your page again
Althea Brown says
Thank you so much. Enjoy!