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Pan de yuca or cheese bread
4.8 from 3,222 votes

Pan de yuca or cheese bread

Pan de yuca is a small, round cheese bread made from cassava starch, mozzarella cheese, butter, eggs, and baking powder. The dough is mixed until it forms small balls and baked at a very high temperature to produce a bread with a chewy interior and slightly crisp exterior. It is traditionally served with a spicy tree tomato hot sauce.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 20 -25 small yuca breads
Course: Appetizer, Snacks, Bread, Brunch
Cuisine: South American, American, Ecuadorian

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups cassava starch or yuca starch, aka yuca flour or tapioca starch/flour
  • 4 cups mozzarella cheese can also use half mozzarella & half queso fresco or quesillo, grated
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 butter 4 oz or 113 grams, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces, stick
  • 2 egg large
  • 2-4 tablespoons of water or milk, add more if the dough is dry
To serve:
  • tree tomato hot sauce

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the yuca starch or flour, cheese, baking powder and salt in a food processor, blend to mix well.
  2. Add the butter and eggs.
  3. Mix until small dough balls begin to form, if it's too dry add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk. Add more if needed.
  4. Remove the dough from the food processor and roll into a ball, you can make the dough ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to a day.
  5. To make the dough by hand, combine all the ingredients in large bowl, using melted (cooled down) butter, and mix until you have a smooth dough. It's actually very easy to prepare by hand.
  6. Pre-heat the oven to 500 F.
  7. Make small round shaped breads with the dough and place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Bake immediately or store in the fridge until ready to bake. I find that they turn out best if you do let them chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking.
  9. Once the oven reaches 500F, turn on broiler, place the breads on the middle rack and bake until the breads are golden, about 5-7 minutes. Another option is to pre-heat the oven to 400F and bake at 400F for about 5 minutes and then turn on the broiler.
  10. Serve immediately, can be served alone or with tree tomato aji.

Notes

  • You can use a mix of half mozzarella and half queso fresco or quesillo for a variation in cheese flavor.
  • The dough can be made by hand using melted cooled butter and mixed until smooth.
  • Storing the dough refrigerated for up to a day and chilling it about 30 minutes before baking improves the final bread texture.
  • Serve warm with tree tomato hot sauce to complement the bread's mild cheese flavor.