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Jicama Slaw is a crunchy, fresh, light, and satisfying healthy vegan salad loaded with shredded veggies and tossed in a light and tangy vinaigrette.
Whether you absolutely love jicama or have no idea what it even tastes like, I’m confident you’ll love this colorful Cole Slaw!
Do you eat jicama? I would love to know. Jicama is not something I grew up eating, thus it was never carried forward into my adult life.
The first time I tried jicama I was well into my 30s. I was volunteering at my daughter’s preschool. Every Easter they would lay out rolls of paper and cover them with all kinds of raw vegetables and have their annual “Bunny Brunch”. At first it blew my mind to see a bunch of 2 and 3 year-olds eating bell pepper, zucchini and jicama. Kids that age are notorious for eating a diet that’s 100% Gold Fish and mac and cheese.
But I surprised myself as well by eating that jicama. And you know what? It was GOOD!
What is jicama?
It is a tuber vegetable. It’s actually part of the bean family, but the part we eat is part of the root that’s underground. The jicama we buy in the store is similar to a turnip. Weird, right?
The outside of the vegetable is yellow and a bit thick skinned. It wasn’t as easy to peel as a carrot or a beet. The white flesh on the inside is very similar in texture to a raw potato or an apple.
Can you eat it raw?
Absolutely. In fact, I’ve never enjoyed jicama any other way.
What does jicama taste like?
The flavor is sweet and starchy. The texture is crisp, juicy, and crunchy.
It really did taste like an apple with a much more mellow and neutral flavor. It was the perfect addition to this slaw.
Is jicama a low carb vegetable?
Jicama is actually high in carbohydrates. But they are the good carbs in the form of dietary fiber. Different than, let’s say, a brownie.
If you’re on a very restrictive keto or low carb diet, you might want to avoid jicama much like you would carrots or sugar snap peas. If you’re diet is not that restrictive, jicama is just another tasty and healthy vegetable that is good for you.
How to make this fresh coleslaw:
There are only two main steps in this easy healthy salad recipe: cut the vegetables and make the dressing.
- To cut the vegetables, I love to use a mandoline. It not only slices things like the cabbage and onion super thin, but it cuts my jicama and carrots into match sticks. I did, however, slice the red bell pepper with a knife.
- The vinaigrette has a lot of different ingredients, but together they add a complex and tangy taste to this already interesting salad.
- Simply toss the dressing with the vegetables and you’re ready to serve. This salad also keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
Love slaw recipes?
Check out these awesome recipes:
- Creamy Vegan Coleslaw
- Spicy Peanut Asian Slaw
- Easy Broccoli Slaw
- Citrus Cumin Coleslaw
- Creamy Cilantro Lime Slaw
- Purple Cabbage Citrus Slaw
- Angel Hair Coleslaw
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Equipment
Ingredients
Jicama Slaw:
- 1 large jicama or 3 small (about 2 pounds), peeled and finely shredded
- 1/2 head red cabbage finely shredded
- 2 carrots peeled and shredded
- 1 large red pepper stem and seeds removed, sliced thin
- 1/2 white onion thinly sliced
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder ancho chili powder if you have it
- 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Place jicama slaw vegetables in a large bowl.1 large jicama, 1/2 head red cabbage, 2 carrots, 1 large red pepper, 1/2 white onion
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- Pour the dressing over the jicama slaw mixture and toss to coat well. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is yummy! We love jicama, it is always on our veggie trays, and now I grow it in my garden. My warning for ‘newbies’ is Do Not Buy the waxed Jicama!! It has an unpleasant taste. As far as cooking, it is great! If diced, it retains much of its crunch while absorbing flavors. Anywhere celery or water chestnut is used, jicama is a great substitute.
Thanks Kristy!! We enjoy jicama, and we love coleslaw. This was a perfect recipe!! So refreshing . Use both tablespoons of honey- I hesitated then added and it was perfected not sweet just a nice balance
i love recipes
Me too.
I first tried jicama years ago, as an addition to our Thanksgiving veggie tray. It was a huge hit, and has been demanded every year! This recipe looks lovely, and I’ll be trying it as a sandwich topping too. Thanks!
Would have loved to try it, but I’m vegan and don’t eat honey…
you can always replace the honey with sugar
I made this recipe last night for supper, and it was delicious. I didn’t have any limes on hand, so I used lime juice. It still turned out great. It was even better the next day. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Excellent, fresh and a great addition to any meal and sub for coleslaw.
I made this and added fresh pineapple. My family loved it!!
This recipe is great to riff off of. I made a few modifications because of what I had on hand and preferences. It’s a very forgiving base! I limit how much oil I use, so I substituted pecans and water that I whizzed up in my high speed blender. I bet that cashews or seeds would work just as well, or maybe even some pureed avocado. I also used tangelo instead of lime, and a little agave nectar in place of the honey. Since I was going in a sweeter direction anyway, I chose cider vinegar and dried Aleppo peppers which bring sweetness and heat. I realize that this probably sounds like a completely different recipe now, but it’s definitely similar enough to rate this one very highly. I think this will be a go-to for picnics and potlucks.
This was so good! I served it along side tamales for Christmas. Can you tell me the measurement for one serving? Thank you!
Have made this on several occasions. In addition to a great stand alone slaw it is the bomb as a crispy topping on Carnitas Tacos! Highly recommend!