Air Fryer Yuca Fries

French fries are one of the more specific things people miss on AIP, and this is the closest real answer: a root vegetable that parboils, dries, and crisps in the air fryer into something with an actual crunchy edge and a soft center. No nightshades in the seasoning, no seed spices, just garlic, onion, and salt doing what they do best.

Yuca is a starchy root, and much of that starch resists digestion until it reaches the colon, where it becomes food for the bacteria living there, part of a wider effort at keeping that whole ecosystem in decent shape. There is a modest amount of vitamin C in it too, easy to miss in a fry, real all the same.

Pull the fibrous cord out of the center as you cut it. It never softens no matter how long you cook it, and one bite of it will remind you why the extra 10 seconds per fry is worth it. Then eat these hot, the way fries are supposed to be eaten, without apology.

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen yuca
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• Pink salt to taste
• (Cajun seasoning omitted: contains paprika, cayenne, and black pepper, all excluded on AIP)

Method

Place the frozen yuca directly into a pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until fork-tender throughout but still holding its shape. Drain and allow to cool enough to handle comfortably.

Cut the parboiled yuca into fry-shaped pieces, roughly 3 to 4 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. As you cut, remove any fibrous cord running through the center; it does not soften and is better discarded.

Pat the pieces dry with a clean towel. Toss with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and pink salt until well coated.

Set the air fryer to 400 F. Arrange the yuca in a single layer, working in batches to avoid crowding. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once midway, until the surfaces are golden and the edges have crisped. Taste and adjust salt before serving.

Oven alternative: Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast at 425 F for 30 to 35 minutes, turning once, until golden and beginning to crisp at the edges.

*Adapted from That Girl Cooks Healthy*