Pan de Yuca are irresistible South American cheese buns with a lightly crisp exterior and a warm, chewy, stretchy center. Made with tapioca starch and cheese, these Colombian-style buns come together quickly, bake in minutes, and are naturally gluten free. They are best enjoyed hot from the oven, when the cheese is soft and the texture is at its most delicious. (Skip to recipe.)
Pan de Yuca, also known as Colombian cheese buns, is a simple and deeply satisfying recipe made from a handful of everyday ingredients. These small cheese breads are popular in parts of South America, especially in Colombia and Ecuador, where similar versions are enjoyed as snacks, street food, or warm bakery treats.
Colombia has a wonderfully varied food culture shaped by its landscapes, ingredients, and history. The country includes coastal regions, mountains, grasslands, desert areas, highlands, and rainforest, and that variety is reflected in the food. Colombian cooking uses staples such as rice, corn, potatoes, cassava, beans, meats, seafood, fresh fruits, and many kinds of cheese. The food is not usually known for intense heat, but it is full of layered flavor from traditional cooking methods and regional ingredients.
Cheese plays an important role in many Colombian dishes, from savory breads and snacks to desserts and drinks. Pan de Yuca is one of the best examples of how a few simple ingredients can create something memorable. The name means “yuca bread,” although the buns are made with tapioca starch, which comes from cassava root, also called yuca. Tapioca starch is not the same as cassava flour. Tapioca starch is the extracted starch from the root, while cassava flour is made from the whole dried root ground into flour.
The magic of Pan de Yuca comes from the combination of tapioca starch, cheese, egg yolks, and a small amount of liquid. As the buns bake, the outside becomes lightly golden and crisp, while the inside turns soft, elastic, and cheesy. When served warm, they pull apart with that wonderful stretchy texture that makes them hard to resist.
These gluten-free cheese buns are ideal for many occasions. In Colombia, Pan de Yuca is often enjoyed as a coffee-time snack or served with hot chocolate. They also make a wonderful appetizer because the dough can be shaped ahead of time and baked just before serving. Bring them to the table while they are still warm, and they will disappear quickly.
Pan de Yuca can also be served with soup or salad for a light meal. Their soft, cheesy interior makes them a delicious alternative to biscuits or dinner rolls. They can even be used as small slider buns for pulled pork, taco-style fillings, or mini burgers, although they are at their very best when eaten fresh from the oven.
Once you discover how easy these Colombian cheese buns are to make, they may become a regular favorite. The dough comes together quickly in a food processor, and the buns need only a short time in the oven. Because they are naturally gluten free, Pan de Yuca is also a practical recipe to serve when cooking for guests with different dietary needs.
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Kitchen Notes: In Colombia, Pan de Yuca is often made with fresh cheeses such as queso fresco or quesillo. Grated Oaxaca cheese or another fresh white cheese may also work. Mozzarella is a convenient substitute, and using a mix of mozzarella and white cheddar adds a pleasant flavor.
If you use a moist traditional fresh cheese, omit the cream or milk at first. Add liquid only if needed, one tablespoon at a time, because fresh cheeses can add enough moisture on their own.
Leftover egg whites can be saved for another use. Add them to scrambled eggs, make an egg white omelet, or freeze them in a labeled container until you have enough for baking.
Pan de Yuca (Colombian Cheese Buns)
- 2 cups (200 g) shredded full-fat mozzarella cheese, or half mozzarella and half white cheddar
- 1 cup (135 g) tapioca starch/flour, or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream, or 3 tablespoons milk or water; omit at first if using a moist fresh cheese
- Butter, for greasing the pan
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Generously grease a large cookie sheet with butter. Avoid parchment paper for this recipe, as the slick surface can cause the buns to slide as the cheese melts, which may create small tails around the edges.
Place the cheese, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, egg yolks, and cream or milk into the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture gathers into a smooth dough ball. This can take 45 to 60 seconds, so let the machine run long enough for the dough to come together.
If mixing by hand, combine the dry ingredients first, then work in the cheese, egg yolks, and liquid. Hand mixing may require a small extra drizzle of cream or milk to help the dough form a ball.
Scrape the dough onto a cutting board and shape it into a log. Cut the log in half, then cut each half into 5 equal pieces, giving you 10 pieces in total.
Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Arrange the balls on the greased cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between them. They need space because they can lean and join together if placed too close.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are pale golden and the buns are lightly crisp on the outside.
Serve Pan de Yuca warm, straight from the oven, when the centers are soft, cheesy, and stretchy. As the buns cool, the cheese firms up and the texture becomes more breadlike. To restore the soft interior, reheat the buns briefly in the oven or microwave.
Makes 10 Pan de Yuca cheese buns.
Buen Provecho!
