Jicama Salad with Tajin

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Crunchy and refreshing jicama salad is a delicious side dish for any meal. A sprinkling of Tajin adds zesty chile flavor. It pairs perfectly with tacos, burgers, and more!

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that while my kids might prefer to stick to a handful of vegetables, it’s a lot easier for me to keep up with eating fruits and veggies if I make sure to switch up what we have on hand.

We have simple go-to sides like roasted carrots, but sometimes I just crave dishes that are crunchy and fresh-tasting.

Enter this jicama salad. It’s so crisp and refreshing and honestly just makes me feel good to eat! The Tajin seasoning adds a layer of vibrant flavor, giving some heat to this otherwise sweetly mild salad.

If you’ve never tried jicama, give this easy recipe a try! 

Ingredients for jicama salad

Full list of ingredients with quantities is listed in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

Jicama – Many large supermarkets now carry jicama, but its location within the produce department can vary. At my store it is located near the potatoes, though in others it might be near the turnips or speciality produce. 

Look for a jicama that is not molding or overly dry. It will likely be about softball size and heavy in the hand due to the water content.

Green apple – A tart green apple is a great pairing with jicama. I use a Granny Smith apple for this salad.

Lime juice – Both fresh and bottled lime juice will work here.

Olive oil – Just a little oil is used in the dressing to coat the jicama and apple. You can also use avocado oil in its place.

Tajin – Tajin is a spice blend made from chiles, salt, citric acid, and a few other ingredients. It adds a wonderful kick to many dishes, especially fruits like mango and cantaloupe.

Cilantro – A bit of chopped fresh cilantro adds color and herby flavor. Even if you’re not a cilantro fan, I recommend adding just a bit to this salad!

What is jicama?

Depending on where you live, you might be unfamiliar with jicama. 

This crunchy root vegetable is also known as a Mexican turnip and grows in warmer climates. Although it grows long vines and pods that resemble peas, only the root tuber is usually eaten, as the seeds/peas contain a poisonous toxin.

Jicama has a papery skin, with an interior flesh that is crisp and creamy. While less sweet, the texture is actually fairly similar to a crisp pear!

Jicama is wonderful raw and can be sliced thinly to use in place of lettuce or tortillas for wraps, or the tubers can be dried and ground to create a flour.

How to make this recipe

First, peel the jicama. You can do this with a regular vegetable peeler, but I find it is easier to cut the jicama in half and then cut away the skin with a knife.

Also cut away any browned spots, or cut them off after slicing.

Cut the jicama into evenly sized sticks about ¼-inch thick, or smaller (batonnet or julienne cut). Place into a mixing bowl.

Peel and core the apple, then cut into sticks about the same size as the jicama. Add to the bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice and olive oil until blended and somewhat thickened.

Drizzle about half of this dressing over the jicama and apple, and toss with tongs to coat. Add more dressing as desired, but don’t make the salad too oily.

Sprinkle on Tajin and toss again to evenly coat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, keeping in mind that while the salad rests the flavors will meld and intensify.

Add chopped fresh cilantro and toss again, then serve!

You can also wait to add the cilantro until just before serving, if you are making this salad in advance and chilling.

Recipe suggestions

I like to keep this dish simple most of the time, but there are so many ways you can change up this jicama salad!

If you don’t have Tajin, you can swap in ground cayenne pepper along with salt to taste. Tajin adds an extra citric kick as well, so consider adding a bit of lime zest.

Some great additions include chopped cucumber, diced mango, or chopped red onion. Diced avocado adds a level of creaminess that goes so well with jicama’s crunch.

This jicama salad can easily be turned into a slaw! Simply grate the jicama and apple using the large holes of a box grater (or use a food processor with a shredding blade). It’s perfect for topping fish tacos or turkey burgers.

Storage tips

Jicama salad will store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 3 days.

As it sits, it will lose some of its crispness. The longer it sits the more juices will leach out of the jicama and apple, so make sure to eat it before it gets soft!

This salad is not suitable for freezing.

More easy salads and slaws

Looking for other refreshing salad options?

Carrot salad is one of my favorites, especially for brightening up a winter day.

You can’t go wrong with classic coleslaw, or a cucumber tomato salad in the summertime.

Enjoy this light and refreshing jicama salad with your next meal. You’ll love how easy it is!