Cassava is a root vegetable that can be used in many of the same ways as potatoes. On the surface, this starchy tuber looks like a sweet potato or yam but with thicker skin. When cooked, cassava has a neutral flavour and soft, light texture.

Cassava grows in tropical and subtropical climates. Evidence suggests it originated in Brazil and then spread to Central America and the Caribbean. It later arrived in Southeast Asia and West Africa, where it still grows. In all of these regions, people have incorporated cassava into their cuisine.

You can cook cassava like you cook potatoes — baked, boiled, fried, and even grilled. For example, you can use it to bulk up soup or stew, turn it into French fries or chips, or serve it as a simple side dish. You can even use it in desserts, like this Filipino Cassava Cake.

Cassava flour is super versatile, too. (I like Otto's Naturals Cassava Flour.) For starters, it tastes milder than other grain-free, gluten-free flours. And people on nut-free diets can enjoy it. It's ideal for making tortillas, cookies (like Brown Butter-Cassava Flour Snickerdoodles), waffles, pizza crust, and more.

You should never eat cassava raw and often requires hours of soaking and cooking. The water used to cook is often discarded