Catibías (Dominican Cassava Empanadas)
Chewy, crisp empanadas made from a dough of grated cassava, filled with savoury stewed chicken and fried until golden. A naturally gluten-free Dominican street snack.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the chicken filling
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onion, green pepper and garlic for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste, oregano, chicken and half the salt, and cook for 5 more minutes (9 minutes total) until fairly dry, then stir in the coriander and let cool.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ onion
- ½ green pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 300 g cooked chicken
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander
✅ Done when: mixture looks dry and the chicken is well coated, no watery liquid left
Grate and squeeze the yuca
Finely grate the peeled yuca, then wrap it in a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze hard over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 1 kg yuca
✅ Done when: yuca feels dry and crumbly, with little liquid left to squeeze out
Make the dough
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Shape the catibías
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Fry
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Make the chicken filling
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat and cook the onion, green pepper and garlic for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste, oregano, chicken and half the salt, and cook for 5 more minutes (9 minutes total) until fairly dry, then stir in the coriander and let cool.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ onion
- ½ green pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 300 g cooked chicken
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander
✅ Done when: mixture looks dry and the chicken is well coated, no watery liquid left
Grate and squeeze the yuca
Finely grate the peeled yuca, then wrap it in a clean kitchen cloth and squeeze hard over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.
- 1 kg yuca
✅ Done when: yuca feels dry and crumbly, with little liquid left to squeeze out
Make the dough
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Shape the catibías
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Fry
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The Story Behind the Dish
Cassava was the staple food of the Taíno, the island's original people, who made it into casabe flatbread. Catibías bring that ancient ingredient into a Spanish-style empanada.
They're sold by street vendors and at roadside fritureras, especially in the Cibao region.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Their chewy, crisp shell, unlike any wheat empanada, makes them a unique Dominican snack.
💡 Fun Fact
The name catibía is said to come from the Taíno word for the grated, squeezed cassava used to make casabe.
Northern Dominican Republic (Cibao)
19.45°N, -70.70°W
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