Recipe

Yam Puree with Garlic and Sour Orange, Cuban Style

Name: Yam Puree with Garlic and Sour Orange, Cuban Style
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 800 g white yam, weighed raw and already peeled; 100 g onion (1 small), finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour orange juice, plus 1 optional tablespoon reserved; 60–100 ml of the hot yam cooking water, set aside separately; Water to boil the yam (about 2 liters); 1 level teaspoon fine salt (about 6 g), or to taste; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Boiled white yam mashed with a sauté of garlic and onion in oil, finished with sour orange. A simple, dairy-free Cuban side dish.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

Image generated with AI.CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking45 min
Total time1 h
Servings4 side dish servings
DifficultyEasy

Yam is one of those root vegetables that in Cuba are served simply, boiled, and with a good drizzle of aromatic oil. This puree starts from that idea: boiled and mashed white yam, a gentle sauté of garlic and onion, the acidic touch of sour orange, salt and pepper. No milk, butter or cheese; here the flavor comes from the root vegetable and the seasoning.

The base is documented in the recipe for Yam Puree collected in Delicias de la mesa, by María Antonieta Reyes Gavilán and Moenck (1925 edition), where sour orange, salt, pepper and oil perfumed with garlic and onion already appear together. This entry is a current adaptation: the quantities and the order of adjusting the citrus are ours, not from the book, and every Cuban household has its own way of making it.

It is a side dish that goes well with any everyday meal and is prepared with few ingredients and no appliances.

Ingredients

Check off the ingredients you have.

800 g white yam, weighed raw and already peeled
100 g onion (1 small), finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sour orange juice, plus 1 optional tablespoon reserved
60–100 ml of the hot yam cooking water, set aside separately
Water to boil the yam (about 2 liters)
1 level teaspoon fine salt (about 6 g), or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

Cut the peeled yam into even pieces of about 4 cm so they cook evenly. Place them in a pot and cover with cold water (about 2 liters) so they do not darken.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium heat and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tip of a knife enters the pieces without any resistance.
Before draining, reserve 150 ml of the hot cooking water; you will use between 60 and 100 ml to adjust the puree. Drain the yam well.
Mash the yam while hot, in the same pot or in a bowl, with a masher or a sturdy fork, until it is almost smooth. Do not use a food processor or blender so it does not become sticky.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
In a wide skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat and sauté the onion for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent, without burning. Add the garlic at the end and sauté for 1 more minute, just until it releases its aroma.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Add the mashed yam to the skillet with the sauté and mix gently for 2 or 3 minutes over low heat, so it warms up and absorbs the oil, garlic and onion.
Incorporate the reserved hot water by tablespoons, stirring after each addition, until you have a thick and uniform puree: it should hold on the spoon and fall in a soft lump, without being watery. Normally between 60 and 100 ml are enough.
Remove from heat and add the 2 tablespoons of sour orange juice little by little, mixing. Season with salt and pepper, taste and, if it lacks acidity, add the reserved tablespoon.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Serve the puree hot as a side dish, smoothing the surface with the back of a spoon.

Tips and variations

Texture. Always mash the yam while hot and by hand. If you process it in a food processor or blender for too long, it becomes sticky and elastic. A masher or a sturdy fork are enough; a few small lumps give it character.

Water and citrus have different functions. Moisture is adjusted with the hot cooking water; sour orange is for flavor. If you use the juice to thin it, the puree becomes too acidic before reaching the right texture.

If you cannot find sour orange, prepare an approximate mixture of 2 parts sweet orange juice and 1 part lime or lemon juice. It does not taste exactly the same, but it is close; add it little by little and taste.

Save time by making the sauté while the yam boils. The recipe involves no soaking or resting: the 15 minutes of preparation are active work, and much of the cooking is waiting while the yam boils.

When peeling the yam, some people notice an itch on their hands; if that is your case, use gloves. After cutting it, leave it in water so it does not darken. The yam must always be eaten well cooked.

To serve with it goes well alongside a pan-seared fish, a roasted chicken or a steak, although those dishes are not part of this recipe.

Storage. Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, place it in a saucepan over low heat with one or two tablespoons of hot water and stir until it regains its creaminess.

Source consulted: recipe for Yam Puree in Delicias de la mesa, by María Antonieta Reyes Gavilán and Moenck, 1925 edition, in the transcription published by Guije.