Casabe

A centuries-old Dominican staple — Casabe is the crisp, cracker-like flatbread made from yuca that has fed the island since Taíno times, centuries before Columbus arrived.

⏱ 40 minPrep time
🔥 25 minCook time
🍽 8Servings
🏷 Dominican KitchenCategory
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Casabe - Dominicain recipe

A centuries-old Dominican staple — Casabe is the crisp, cracker-like flatbread made from yuca that has fed the island since Taíno times, centuries before Columbus arrived. Grated cassava is pressed dry, patted into thin discs and toasted on a hot griddle until pale and crunchy, with no leavening and no added fat. It keeps for months, which is why it was the staple bread of the Caribbean — and it still shows up on Dominican tables alongside stews, or with a drizzle of coconut milk.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Peel the yuca roots completely, removing the waxy brown skin and the pink layer beneath it. Rinse well.
  2. Grate the yuca on the finest side of a box grater, or pulse it in a food processor until it resembles coarse wet sand.
  3. Wrap the grated yuca in the kitchen towel in batches and squeeze hard, twisting the cloth, to press out as much liquid as possible — the drier the pulp, the crispier the casabe. Discard the pressed liquid.
  4. Season the dry pulp with salt and work it with your fingers until it clumps like damp sand.
  5. Heat a dry griddle or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Press handfuls of the pulp into flat, thin discs about 6 inches (15 cm) across and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, patting the edges smooth.
  6. Toast the discs on the hot griddle, pressing them flat with a spatula, for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until they are dry, firm and just lightly golden in spots, with no soft spots remaining.
  7. Cool the casabe completely on a rack; it will crisp up as it cools. Store in an airtight container, where it keeps for weeks.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The liquid pressed from the yuca must be discarded — it is never consumed — and the casabe must be toasted until completely dry and crisp before eating. For a faster version, mix yuca flour (harina de yuca) with salted water into a dough and toast the same way.

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Recipe details

Prep40 min
Cook25 min
Servings8
CategoryDominican Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →