Name: Casabe with Tomato-Scallion Hogao
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 6 commercially prepared, ready-to-eat plain casabe rounds, about 30 g each (180 g total); 300 g ripe tomatoes, finely diced; 180 g scallions, finely sliced; 6 g garlic, finely minced; 20 ml neutral cooking oil; 4 g fine salt; 1 g ground cumin; 8 g fresh cilantro, chopped; 30 ml water

Several crisp casabe rounds, one broken into shards, beside Colombian tomato and scallion sauce.

Region Amazonas, Colombian Amazon; casabe is shared across wider Amazonian and Orinoco foodways

Category Thin cassava flatbread with tomato-scallion hogao

Prep time 15 minutes active

Cook time 12 minutes

Passive time None

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Casabe with Tomato-Scallion Hogao

Amazonian cassava flatbread served crisp with a Colombian tomato and scallion sauce

Casabe is a thin cassava flatbread associated with Indigenous foodways across the Amazon and Orinoco regions. In Colombia’s Amazonas department, cultural records describe flat, thin casabe made from processed bitter cassava varieties, including yuca brava and yuca maruij. Its preparation depends on detailed community knowledge and specialized processing, and methods vary. This recipe does not attempt to recreate that processing at home.

Instead, it uses commercially prepared, ready-to-eat plain casabe rounds and pairs them with a simple tomato-and-scallion hogao. The soft, savory sauce is a practical Colombian-style serving idea, not a claim that hogao is the only or defining accompaniment in Amazonas. Keep it separate until serving so the crisp bread does not soften.

Cassava, especially bitter varieties, can contain cyanogenic compounds. Their safe reduction depends on effective processing; bitterness, appearance and ordinary cooking are not reliable ways to judge raw cassava safety. Buy casabe that is commercially processed and labeled ready to eat. Do not substitute raw yuca brava, unidentified cassava meal or home-processed bitter cassava.

Ingredients

Casabe

6 commercially prepared, ready-to-eat plain casabe rounds, about 30 g each (180 g total)

Tomato-scallion hogao

300 g ripe tomatoes, finely diced
180 g scallions, finely sliced
6 g garlic, finely minced
20 ml neutral cooking oil
4 g fine salt
1 g ground cumin
8 g fresh cilantro, chopped
30 ml water

Method

Prepare the vegetables Choose sealed, commercially prepared casabe labeled ready to eat. Keep the package directions available and do not use raw bitter cassava or unidentified cassava meal. Finely dice the tomatoes, thinly slice the scallions and mince the garlic.
Soften the scallions Warm the oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and cook gently for 4–5 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and fragrant without deep browning.
Add the aromatics Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Keep the heat moderate so the garlic does not scorch.
Simmer the tomatoes Add the tomatoes, salt and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tomatoes should slump into a moist, spoonable sauce while a few pieces remain visible. If the pan dries before they soften, add a small splash of water.
Finish the hogao Take the skillet off the heat and stir in the cilantro. Taste the sauce and adjust only if needed; packaged casabe and individual preferences vary in saltiness.
Warm the casabe Warm the ready-to-eat rounds on a dry griddle or skillet over low heat for about 30–45 seconds per side, just until warm and crisp. Watch closely: thin, dry cassava bread can scorch quickly. Follow any different heating directions on the package.
Serve and store leftovers safely Serve one warm round per person, with hogao in a bowl or spooned over each piece immediately before eating. Refrigerate leftover sauce in a shallow covered container within 2 hours at or below 4°C; use within 3–4 days and reheat once until steaming hot. Store casabe according to its package directions and keep it dry.

Practical guidance

Practical

Practical guidance

Buy ready-to-eat casabe. Traditional bitter-cassava processing involves several steps that are difficult to reproduce reliably in a home kitchen. Choose a sealed food product from a reputable seller and follow its package directions. Do not use raw cassava or decide that an unidentified flour is safe based on its taste or smell. Check the ingredient label. Plain casabe is often made from processed cassava, but packaged products may differ. Read the ingredient and allergen statements, including any warning about shared equipment or cross-contact. The package directions take precedence for storage and warming. Keep the bread crisp. Hogao is moist by design. Serve it alongside the rounds, or add it at the table just before eating. If you top the bread too early, it will soften; that is a texture change, not a sign that the bread has spoiled. Cook the scallions gently. Medium-low heat softens their sharpness and gives the sauce a rounded savory base. If they begin to brown before softening, lower the heat and add a teaspoon of water. Stop when the tomatoes are spoonable. Hogao should be moist and cohesive but not watery. Keep some tomato pieces visible for texture. If it looks dry, add water a spoonful at a time; if it is loose, simmer briefly longer. Warm only what you plan to serve. A few seconds on each side refreshes the packaged rounds without drying them out. Keep the remaining casabe sealed and dry as directed on the package. Cool the sauce promptly. Transfer leftover hogao to a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep it at or below 4°C, use it within 3–4 days and reheat only once until steaming hot. Discard sauce left at room temperature longer than 2 hours.

Final notes

Allergens: Check the casabe package for declared allergens and cross-contact information; products and facilities vary. Food safety: Use commercially prepared casabe labeled ready to eat; do not prepare bitter cassava from raw roots using this recipe. Refrigerate leftover hogao within 2 hours at or below 4°C, use within 3–4 days and reheat once until steaming hot.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 casabe round with one-sixth of the hogao
Calories: 165 kcal
Carbohydrate: 32 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 4 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: About 300 mg

Casabe with Tomato-Scallion Hogao

Ingredients

Casabe

Tomato-scallion hogao

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Final notes

Nutrition per serving

Colombian National Dishes

Amazonian Fariña with Butter and Scallions

Arroz al Mojojoy: Amazonian Rice with Palm Larvae

Caldo de Yuca Brava (Uzai): Amazonian Cassava Broth with Fish