{{Short description|Dominican street food}} {{Infobox prepared food|name=Yaroa|image=Yaroa.jpg|caption=''Yaroa mixta''|alternate_name=|country={{flag|Dominican Republic}}|region=Latin America, Caribbean|creator=|course=|type=Fast food|served=|main_ingredient=Root vegetable, meat, cheese, condiments|variations=|calories=|other=}} '''Yaroa''' is a Dominican street food that originated from Santiago de los Caballeros.<ref name="The Uptown Collective 2012">{{cite web | title=What is a Yaroa? - Washington Heights, Inwood & Harlem Online | website=The Uptown Collective | date=2012-05-23 | url=https://www.uptowncollective.com/2012/05/23/a-casserole-a-lasagna-ah-yaroa-manhattan-times/ | access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref><ref name="Tuider Caplan 2012 p. 248">{{cite book | last=Tuider | first=K. | last2=Caplan | first2=E. | title=Dominican Republic (Other Places Travel Guide) | publisher=Other Places Publishing | series=Other Places travel guides | year=2012 | isbn=978-1-935850-09-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HrG13XD1CzYC&pg=PA248 | access-date=2021-06-04 | page=248}}</ref><ref name="TasteAtlas 2020">{{cite web | title=Yaroa - Traditional Casserole From Santiago Province | website=TasteAtlas | date=2020-02-12 | url=https://www.tasteatlas.com/yaroa | access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref> It is made from French fries or a mash of a root vegetable or tuber such as plantain or yuca, then layered with meat and then cheese.<ref name="The Uptown Collective 2012"/><ref name="Gonzalez 2020">{{cite web | last=Gonzalez | first=Clara | title=Yaroa Mixta: Recipe + Video of Dominican-Style Loaded Fries | website=dominicancooking.com | date=2020-07-10 | url=https://www.dominicancooking.com/31461/yaroa | access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref><ref name="Hoy Digital 2009">{{cite web | title=Yaroa: una novedosa delicia culinaria de la cocina cibaeña | website=Hoy Digital | date=2009-12-17 | url=https://hoy.com.do/yaroa-una-novedosa-delicia-culinaria-de-la-cocina-cibaena/ | language=es | access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref> Toppings such as hot sauce, jalapeños, or fresh herbs like cilantro are sometimes added to enhance flavor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leadon |first=Sarah |date=2022-10-27 |title=Indulge in Delicious Yaroa: A Taste of Dominican Delight! {{!}} Classic Bakes |url=https://classicbakes.com/recipes/indulge-delicious-yaroa-taste-dominican-delight |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=classicbakes.com |language=en}}</ref> Condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard are also often added on top.<ref name="TasteAtlas 2020"/> Beef, pork, chicken, or a combination of the meats is a common part of the dish.<ref name="The Uptown Collective 2012"/><ref name="TasteAtlas 2020"/> There are many versions throughout the country.<ref name="TasteAtlas 2020"/>
Street food vendors in food trucks often sell the dish.<ref name="TasteAtlas 2020"/> Because it is relatively quick and easy to prepare, it is suitably served as a fast food.<ref name="Hoy Digital 2009"/> It is a popular street food often eaten by young revelers at night in a Styrofoam to-go container.<ref name="TasteAtlas 2020"/><ref name="Santana 2013">{{cite web | last=Santana | first=Brenda | title=Dominican Yaroa Dish | website=#1 Rated Food Tours in Miami on Tripadvisor | date=2013-03-19 | url=https://www.miamiculinarytours.com/yaroa-dish-from-the-dominican-republic/ | access-date=2021-06-04 | archive-date=2021-06-04 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210604211632/https://www.miamiculinarytours.com/yaroa-dish-from-the-dominican-republic/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> Prior to its creation, the chimichurri burger and ''sandwich de pierna'' (pork sandwich) were the main street foods to eat at night.<ref name="Gonzalez 2020"/>
The name is derived from a neighborhood in Santiago.<ref name="The Uptown Collective 2012"/> At first, it was served in a hood neighborhood called El Ejido, then at the area around the Monument of Santiago by street vendors at about 1999.<ref name="Gonzalez 2020"/><ref name="Hoy Digital 2009"/><ref name="Diario 2007">{{cite web | last=Diario | first=Listin | title=Yaroa, receta urbana | website=listindiario.com | date=2007-09-14 | url=https://listindiario.com/la-vida/2007/09/14/28697/yaroa-receta-urbananbsp | language=es | access-date=2021-06-04}}</ref> The popularity spread to the point where a popular Dominican fast food chain now serves the dish.<ref name="Gonzalez 2020"/> Now it can be found internationally in places such as New York City<ref name="Santana 2013"/> and Lawrence, MA.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joy Empanadas {{!}} Order Online {{!}} Lawrence, MA|url=https://joyempanadas.getbento.com/online-ordering/|access-date=2022-02-02|website=Joy Empanadas|language=en}}</ref>
It has been compared to Canadian poutines, salchipapa, loaded fries and cheese fries.<ref name="Gonzalez 2020"/><ref name="Santana 2013"/>
== References == {{reflist}}
Category:Dominican Republic cuisine