A crunchy, sweet, and slightly spicy salad that offers a fresh, nourishing bite with a bright, summery zing—a perfect contrast as temperatures drop lower in Vermont. The salad proves its versatility, having been enjoyed atop coconut quinoa porridge for breakfast, tucked inside a lettuce wrap with wild rice for lunch, and paired with jerk-rubbed roasted tofu for dinner.
Wondering what jicama is? Until a few years ago, it was unfamiliar. Introduced by a professor who returned from Oaxaca, the professor shared stories of a jicama and orange salad often eaten during the trip. Jicama, native to South and Central America, frequently appears in stir-fries, salads, slaws, and soups. Sometimes called the Mexican yam or potato, jicama has a bright, sweet flavor and crunchy texture. Easily found in the produce section of most grocery stores, it’s worth picking up on the next visit.
A recent reconnection with the professor brought back memories of the salad, sparking inspiration to create a new version. With a current obsession for mangoes, especially the juicy, flavorful ones at the local co-op, mangoes have been added to everything from oatmeal to tacos. Jicama pairs beautifully with mangoes and citrus—this time using a mix of blood oranges and tangerines—all tied together with a vinaigrette of fresh lime juice and jalapeño. And now, more mango and jicama are already on the grocery list for round two!
Jicama Recipe
serves 4
For the salad:
- 1 jicama, peeled and sliced into strips
- 4 mangoes, peeled and sliced into strips
- 4 pieces of citrus (I used two blood oranges and two tangerines but oranges, clementines, or grapefruit would all be equally delicious), segmented (cut away from rind and ribs)
For the dressing
- zest of 1 lime
- juice of 3 limes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds and ribs removed unless you want it spicier)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
For topping
- chopped cilantro for sprinkling
Place the cut jicama, mango and citrus in a large bowl. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients together and pour half of the vinaigrette over salad. Toss salad to make sure everything is evenly coated. If the salad is not fully coated in vinaigrette, add more until you reach your desired amount. Top with cilantro and enjoy! *This salad lasts for a few days covered in the fridge and tastes even better as it sits and the juices from the mango and citrus combine with the vinaigrette.