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Cassava leaves

Vegetables · Leafy greens

Cassava leaves

Cassava plant leaves, pounded or ground and cooked for a long time into stews such as pondu and saka-saka.

Also called: ground cassava leaves, frozen cassava leaves, pondu, saka-saka, matapa leaves, ravitoto leaves, mpondu

Around the world: ravitoto (mg) · folhas de mandioca, matapa (pt) · pondu (ln)

5 recipes with it

Photo: Johnnybam, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Cassava leaves are hand-shaped, deeply lobed green leaves from the cassava plant. They are pounded or ground and sold fresh, frozen or dried. Like the root, they contain cyanide-forming compounds and must be cooked thoroughly, often for an hour or more, before eating.

Manihot esculenta (leaves)

How it’s used

  • Congolese pondu / saka-saka
  • Sierra Leonean cassava leaf stew
  • Mozambican matapa with peanuts and coconut
  • Malagasy ravitoto with pork

Characteristics

Taste
Earthy, slightly bitter and spinach-like.
Texture
Dense, finely ground and creamy after long cooking.
When cooked
Needs long simmering to become tender and safe.
Sold as
fresh, frozen, dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Frozen. Keep ground frozen leaves in the freezer and cook from frozen; use fresh leaves the same day.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Never eat raw. Cook cassava leaves thoroughly (often an hour or more) to remove natural cyanide compounds.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
42 kcal
Protein
2.49 g
Carbohydrate
8.82 g
Fat
0.51 g
Fibre
5.3 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Sweet potato leaves, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Spinach — With some kale; cook briefly; much milder.

Related ingredients

Recipes with cassava leaves

More leafy greens