Try Oca: A Terrific Tuber!

Originating in the Andes and long a staple food throughout South America, this member of the oxalis family produces foliage similar in appearance to wood sorrel and underground, sunchoke-like tubers. Known by many names (Uqa, New Zealand Yam, Trufette Acide, to name a few), Oca comes in many shades, from cream to orange and red to purple.

Now available from our friends at Mustard Seed Farm, this rosy-hued variety is a stunner. 

Easy to prep, there’s no need to peel this knobby tuber’s skin. Slightly sweet with less starch than a potato, Oca is edible either raw or cooked. Eaten fresh, it adds texture and flavor to salads or can be roasted, boiled or steamed and used in place of other roots. 

In a raw taste test, Scott Osterman of OGC’s Quality Assurance team, described this tuber as “if a cucumber and a radish decided to have a baby with a potato.” Others note undertones of lemon that dissipate when cooked, yielding to a subtle nutty flavor. A fantastic addition to spring menus and produce displays, organic Oca adds interest and visual appeal!

Let your Account Representative know you’d like to include Oca on your next order.