Raise your hand if you know what a whole jicama looks like.
My sister and Vegas both asked me what it was.
This crazy-looking thing is a tuber. They’re more common in Mexico and South American, but you can find them pretty easily in American markets thanks to their growing popularity. Especially in simple dishes like this Jicama & Tajin Salad.
The outside of jicama is thick and bark-like. Once you peel the skin off, you’re left with a juicy, crunchy vegetable. I like to compare them to Asian pears or apples, only they’re not quite as sweet.
Do yourself a favor and peel it with a chef’s knife. A vegetable peeler is no match for the thick skin. Cut slices from the top and the bottom to create flat surfaces on each end. Then work from top to bottom, following the curve of the jicama with your knife as you peel away the skin.
You can eat jicama raw or cook it. It looks like it might brown, but it won’t. You can leave this particular salad in the fridge all week!
For this simple dish, I left it raw and tossed it with Tajin and lime juice. It’s a perfect refreshing snack or side dish in the warmer months.
Tajin is a Mexican seasoning you can likely find in the Latin section of your local grocery store. It’s just a simple mix of chili powder, salt, dehydrated lime. If you haven’t already tried it, you must. It’s good with anything – chicken, tofu, salsa… the rim of a margarita glass…
Back to the jicama. In addition to it being delicious, it’s also really good for you.
Health Benefits of Jicama
- Digestion: Jicama has high level of dietary fiber, which helps with digestion. It’s also rich in a soluble fiber called oligofructose inulin, which is a sweet carbohydrate that doesn’t metabolize into simple sugars. All this just means that it’s a great way to have some sweet food without worrying about the blood sugar fluctuation.
- Immune System: There is a TON of vitamin C in jicama; 100 grams of jicama is approximately 40% of our entire daily requirement for ascorbic acid!
- Blood Pressure: Jicama is a source of potassium, which helps manage blood pressure and aids in maintaining fluid balance in opposition to sodium the body (read: keeps the body hydrated at the right level).
- Circulation: Significant amounts of copper and iron in jicama contribute to the health of the circulatory system, since the two are important elements of red blood cells. If you even suffer from anemia, keep this in mind!
- Brain Function: The Vitamin B6 found in jicama has been linked to increased brain function and cognitive abilities, and is key in breaking down proteins into usable amino acids and other forms of protein.
- Strong Bones: Minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron, and copper found in jicama are important for our bone mineral density. This is especially important for women, who are more susceptible to osteoporosis.
After all of that, I’m sure you want more jicama recipe ideas. Here are my favorites:
[tasty-recipe id=”18089″]
[Tweet “Don’t miss this Jicama Tajin Chili Powder Salad #recipe and health benefits!”]
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Bonus: you can eat all the jicama you like. There are only 35 calories in 100 grams.
Have you ever eaten jicama?
What’s your favorite Mexican spice?
I actually have tried and LOVE jicama…I love how crunchy it is and the slightly almost sweet flavor I get from it! But this spice combo…never heard of it but it has the sound of something I’d love…I’ll be hopping down the aisles looking for it next week!
You must try it!!! It’s perfect against that refreshing crunch from the jicama.
This whole post may as well be written in a foreign language. What is a chef’s knife and who can I hire to do this whole meal for me. Also, could you please have a pronunciation of “jicama?” #clueless
LOL! It’s just a multi-purpose knife for cutting food. And jicama is pronounced like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:JicamaPronunciation.ogg.
I’m here for ya. 😉
LOL! Seriously thank you!!! I feel a lot smarter now 🙂
I LOVE jicama. and jicama with tajin (or pico piquin). It is, in fact, one of my favorites for the week. THIS IS WHY WE ARE FRIENDS
Please come to San Diego and drink and eat alllll the things. Kthanksbai.
I love jicama! I did not know it had all of those health benefits. Now I want to eat some
Look at you getting all nutritional on me…I love it (and I’d also like some Tajin on a margarita glass).
Also, those fancy fonts are working for you. 😉
I so appreciate you and all of the fanciness you bestowed. Mwah!
I always describe it as a “crunchy cucumber”
That’s the perfect description!
One of my friends makes something like this all the time. I never think to make it at home. I adore jicama, but it’s such a pain to peel. Usually I buy the precut stuff at Trader Joe’s. Shortcuts!
Wow that looks so good. I’ve never tried jicama and I’m intrigued. And I love anything with chili and lime. YUM!!
You have to let me know if you try it – we’re obsessed!
tajin is one of my favorite seasoning too..esp with fruits. i made chilled kiwi soup and added some tajin, so good!!! i love jicama for munching as well.
Ohhhh… I bet it’s awesome with kiwi! I can’t wait to experiment more!
Have you tried it with watermelon? So good!
So a long time ago, Jason and I were in Mexico and thought Tajin was some exotic spice and bought a bunch of it… only to see it at Kroger when we got back.
HAHAHA! That sounds like something I would do…
I am madly in love with Tajin and jicama! Can’t wait to make this!
Let me know if you try it! We live so close – we just need to have a dinner party one day!
I have been wanting to get my hands on jicama!!! I love that you included the health benefits of jicama as well 🙂
Thank you! I’ve been seeing them at “normal” grocery stores more and more, but you can check out a Mexican or Asian market too. It’s a sure thing there!
Thanks for listing the health benefits….I had no idea. Also, you got me hooked on tajin when you mentioned margarita rims!
Mmmmm hmmmm! Do you like mezcal? It fabulous on a mezcal margarita!
Ok wow, this is so cool; I never knew that there were so many health benefits to Jicama. It just leaves me in such wonder that God made these vegetables and fruits with SUCH incredible benefits; and they taste GOOD TOO! 🙂
love jicama!! i tried it at a mexican restaurant a few years ago and fell in looove! but that outer skin.. ooph, a nightmare haha.
thanks for mentioning that seasoning blend!! i LOVE chili powder. anything spicy xD just sometimes way to lazy to cut a lime too so yayy xD
You sounds like Vegas with the peeling and cutting… I promise it’s not so bad! LOL!
When we were in Mexico a few months ago, they served jicama with chili powder as an appetizer and we were all, “Hmmm this is interesting!” I feel like jicama reminds me of a cucumber. Definitely a low-cal recipe!
Yeah… it’s kind of like a cucumber with an apple texture to me. Some have said a raw potato… but I think it’s lighter and more watery than that.