What Is Jicama and How Can I Use It?

If jicama has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 40 recipes to try it in.

What is jicama?

Jicama is a round, tan root vegetable about the size of a large turnip, with papery brown skin and crisp white flesh inside. It tastes like a cross between a water chestnut and a mild apple: clean and sweet and very juicy.

Most people eat it raw, and that is where it does its best work. The flesh stays crunchy even after it sits, so it brings a fresh snap to salads and snack plates without wilting or browning the way apple does.

How to Use Jicama

Peel it first. The skin is thin but fibrous, and there is a tougher layer just under it, so a paring knife often works better than a peeler: cut off the top and bottom, then slide the blade under the skin and pull.

Once peeled, cut it into matchsticks, cubes, or thin planks. A classic Mexican street snack is jicama sticks tossed with lime juice and chili powder and a little salt, which plays the sweet crunch against bright acid and heat.

Raw, it goes into slaws and salads like Basil Jicama Fruit Salad and crunchy mains like Chicken Taco Salad. It can be cooked too: in Shrimp Stir-Fry it stands in for water chestnut, holding its crunch through quick high heat where other vegetables would go soft.

Pairings and Common Mistakes

Lime is jicama's best friend, along with chili, cilantro, orange, and salt. It loves Mexican and Southeast Asian flavors, and it cools down anything spicy thanks to its watery sweetness.

The usual mistake is overcooking it. Jicama holds its crunch in a fast stir-fry, but stew it for long and it turns soft and bland, throwing away the one thing it does best. Keep cooking brief or leave it raw.

The other slip is peeling it too thin. Leave the fibrous underlayer on and every bite turns stringy, so cut a little deeper than feels necessary.

Substitutes

Water chestnuts are the closest match for crunch, especially in cooked dishes, though they are less sweet and come from a can. Use them one for one where you need the texture.

For raw salads, a tart apple or an Asian pear gives a similar juicy snap, but both brown once cut and read sweeter. A crisp daikon radish brings the crunch without the sweetness, so add a pinch of sugar if the recipe is counting on jicama's mild sweetness.

Buying and Storage

Pick roots that feel heavy and firm with dry, unblemished skin. Smaller jicama, under a pound or so, tend to be sweeter and less woody; large old roots can turn starchy and fibrous.

A whole jicama keeps in a cool, dry spot or the fridge for two to three weeks. Once you cut into it, wrap the rest tightly and refrigerate, where it stays crisp for about a week.

Submerging cut sticks in water in a sealed container keeps them crunchy for several days.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find jicama: Jicama is usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Jicama is a member of the Vegetables and Vegetable Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

豆薯

British (UK) term

Jicama

en français

jicama

en español

jícama

How much does jicama weigh?

Related

Vegetables and Vegetable Products

Recipes using jicama

There are 40 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Chicken Tomatillo Sauce with Mole Chile

Wok-seared chicken in a smoky tomatillo-mole sauce with roasted garlic, chipotle, and coffee. Served over egg noodles with jalapeño Jack cheese and a fresh platter of jicama, cucumber, and radishes.

Shrimp Stir-Fry

This is really good and so easy. I liked the addition of the jicama. Never used it in stir-fry before, but will from now on!

Black Bean & Papaya Relish

Tropical black bean and papaya relish with crunchy jicama, cinnamon-spiced beans, and a citrus-sherry dressing. A fresh, vibrant side dish that's vegan and ready in about an hour.

Fried Lumpia

Filipino fried lumpia rolls stuffed with pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and jicama, served with a homemade sweet-sour dipping sauce with ginger and garlic.

Diabetic Elegant Fruit Compote

A vibrant no-cook fruit compote combining pineapple, banana, strawberries, kiwi, and crisp jicama, drizzled with a splash of liqueur. Naturally sweet, diabetic-friendly, and ready in 10 minutes flat.

Leftover Turkey Avocado Wrap

Try this quick, easy and delicious wrap with your leftover turkey with some fresh vegetables, tons of flavour!

Yucatanstyle Chicken

Grilled Yucatan-style chicken thighs marinated overnight, double-skewered for flat grilling, and served with papaya tomatillo salsa and julienned jicama.

Ensalada Pico De Gallo (Orange Salad)

Ensalada pico de gallo, a refreshing Mexican orange and jicama salad with crisp red onion, walnuts, and a honey-lime dressing spiced with cumin and chile. Bright, crunchy, and sweet-tangy in every bite.

Tofu Pepper Taco

Vegetarian tofu pepper tacos with peppered sesame-soy tofu spooned into radicchio leaves and topped with crunchy jicama. Low-carb lettuce-wrap taco with an East-meets-Southwest flavor twist.

Black Lychee Tea Smoked Lobster & Mango

Lobster smoked over black lychee tea, brown sugar, and rice, then wrapped in rice paper with ripe mango, jicama, fresh herbs, and bean thread noodles. A spicy mango-sambal dipping sauce ties it all together.

Jerk Chicken Fajitas with Papaya-Pineapple Salsa

Jerk chicken fajitas with spice-rubbed chicken, mashed black beans, and sour cream in flour tortillas, topped with a fresh papaya-pineapple salsa with jicama, lime, and cilantro.

Christmas Eve Salad

Ensalada de Nochebuena, a traditional Mexican Christmas Eve salad with oranges, bananas, beets, jicama, pineapple, peanuts, pomegranate seeds, and sugar cane on a lettuce-lined platter.

Robb's Layered Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing

Layered vegetable salad with warm spicy peanut dressing made from coconut milk, peanut butter, and sweet soy sauce. Blanched potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, cabbage, and raw jicama.

Jicama, Cucumber & Orange Salad

Jicama, cucumber, and orange salad with lime juice, chili powder, and fresh mint. A crisp, refreshing Mexican-style fruit and vegetable salad served cold.

Yucatan Style Chicken

Marinated chicken thighs grilled over wood or charcoal, served with papaya-tomatillo salsa and julienned jicama. Bold Yucatan flavors with a smoky, charred finish.

Orange-Jicama Salads

Orange and jicama salad with sliced avocado over mixed greens, dressed with a tangy orange-lemon vinaigrette. A bright, crisp, Mexican-inspired side salad for tacos or grilled fish.

Smoked Salmon Canapes

Smoked salmon canapes on crisp jicama triangles with lime-spiked Neufchatel cheese and cracked black pepper. A light, no-cook appetizer that looks like it came from a caterer.

Wild Rice, Yellow Pepper, & Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Wild rice and black-eyed pea salad with yellow bell pepper, jicama, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes in a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette with rosemary. No oil, no cooking required.

Orange-Jicama Salad

Orange jicama salad over butter lettuce with red onion, fresh cilantro, and a bright orange juice and white wine vinegar dressing. A crisp, no-cook Mexican side that comes together in 25 minutes.

David Sea Scallops with Shrimp Butter

This is my son's recipe for sea scallops, He is executive chef at the East End Cafe in Washington.

Guadalajara Gazpacho with Shrimp

Guadalajara-style gazpacho with shrimp, avocado, jicama, fresh corn, and a spicy tomato-lime base. A Mexican twist on cold soup that doubles as a no-cook summer main dish.

Hot & Sour Celery Soup

Hot and sour celery soup with tofu, sunchokes, and jicama in a ginger-spiked broth thickened with cornstarch. A low-fat, high-fiber twist on the Chinese classic.

Shrimp & Jicama Salad with Chile Vinegar

Shrimp and jicama salad dressed with a homemade jalapeño chile vinegar over sliced tomatoes and fresh tomatillos. A light, crunchy Mexican-inspired salad.

Maui Chicken Sandwich

Maui chicken sandwich with pineapple-marinated grilled chicken, grilled pineapple rings, jicama slaw, and Thousand Island on a roll. A Hawaiian-inspired sandwich ready in 40 minutes.

Chicken & Roasted Pepper Soup

Smoky roasted red pepper soup blended silky smooth with lime, cilantro, and garlic, loaded with broiled chicken strips and crunchy jicama cubes. Light, vibrant, and Mexican-inspired.

Awesome Southwest Corn Chowder

Southwest corn chowder blends fresh sweet corn with poblanos, serranos, and cream into a smooth base, then folds in crisp blanched potato, jicama, and bell peppers for texture.

Vegetable Spam Stuffed Acorn Squash

Roasted acorn squash halves stuffed with crispy SPAM, jicama, red bell pepper, and tomatoes in a ginger soy glaze. A fun, hearty weeknight main dish.

Ham & Black Bean Salad

Southwest ham and black bean rice salad with crunchy jicama, bell peppers, olives, and a cumin-chili vinaigrette. A sturdy one-bowl lunch or picnic-ready side.

Chicken Taco Salad

Tex-Mex spiced chicken tossed with fresh mango, crunchy jicama, and bell peppers in a zesty lime dressing. Served in crispy microwaved tortilla bowls over shredded Bibb lettuce.

Basil Jicama Fruit Salad

Bright fruit salad with jicama matchsticks, grapes, pineapple, nectarine, strawberries, and cantaloupe tossed in orange juice with fresh basil. A crunchy, refreshing no-cook side that's ready in 20 minutes.

Spicy Jicama Salad with Tangerines

Spicy Mexican jicama salad with tangerines, apple, cantaloupe, cilantro, and a dusting of chili powder. A crisp, no-cook fruit salad in the style of Mexican street fruit cups.

Baja Chicken Pasta Salad

Baja chicken pasta salad pairs poached chicken breast and orzo with crunchy jicama, dried fruit, and a chile-spiked mayo-sour cream dressing. Sweet-savory chilled salad with a Southwest twist for picnics or weekday lunches.

Southwestern Grilled Cacti Soup

Creamy Southwestern grilled cactus soup with nopalitos, jicama, broccoli, corn, and melted cheese in a roux-thickened broth. A bold, one-of-a-kind bowl.

Souper Salad (Lf)

A chilled, crunchy gazpacho-style soup packed with black beans, corn, jicama, peppers, cucumber, and zucchini in tangy tomato juice. Low-fat, vegetarian, and loaded with fresh vegetables.

Tex-Mex Tortilla Stack

Tex-Mex tortilla stack: flour tortillas layered with shredded chicken, jicama, refried beans, avocado dip, lettuce, sour cream, and cheese. A no-cook cake-style casserole cut into wedges.

Creamy Latin Pasta Salad

Latin-inspired pasta salad with a blended feta-cilantro-lime dressing, diced ham, colorful bell peppers, jicama, and olives. Bright, crunchy, and totally make-ahead friendly.

Apricot Chutney Chicken

Here's a light, spicy chicken recipe for a warm-weather evening.

Baked Snapper with Ginger Salsa

Red snapper fillets baked in white wine and lime juice, topped with a fresh ginger salsa of tomatoes, jicama, jalapeño, and cilantro. Light, vibrant, and on the table in 45 minutes.

Rujak (Pungent Fruit Salad)

Indonesian rujak fruit salad tosses cucumber, jicama, mango, papaya, pineapple, and Granny Smith apple in a chunky peanut, chile, palm sugar, and tamarind sauce. Sweet, sour, salty, fiery in one bite.

Coconut Shrimp with Calypso Punch Relish

Crispy coconut-breaded shrimp with curry and cayenne heat, double-dipped in honey egg wash, deep-fried golden, and served with a fresh pineapple-orange-jicama relish. Restaurant-quality appetizer at home.

All 40 recipes