Crunchy Jicama Salad

This crisp, crunchy, and colorful jicama salad is a delicious way to eat a rainbow of colors. Crunchy cubes of jicama are paired with sweet grape tomatoes, grilled corn, shredded baby spinach, toasted pumpkin seeds, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese. And everything gets tossed in a zesty southwest dressing. 

It’s an explosion of flavors, colors, and textures, and a salad you’re sure to love

Why This Recipe Works

• Jicama is one of the healthiest vegetables around (keep reading to learn why this dietitian loves it), but it’s unfamiliar to many people. This salad is a tasty introduction to this interesting vegetable.

• This jicama salad is a perfect side dish for any Mexican or Southwest meal. I always serve it with tacos or when I make tamales and charro beans for Christmas Eve. It’s refreshing, light, and crunchy, so it balances rich, cheesy Mexican food beautifully.

• It’s also versatile. Add some black beans, and it’s hearty enough to stand alone for a light vegetarian meal.

What is Jicama Good For?

Jicama (pronounced hee-ka-ma) is a root vegetable native to Mexico and South America. It looks like a giant round potato, and it's rather heavy and hard.

It has a texture somewhat like raw potato but is much lighter, crispier, and very high in water, so it's refreshing to eat. Jicama tastes a bit like a combination of a crunchy raw potato and a slightly savory apple or pear.

Besides this salad, jicama is a perfect addition to:

• Mexican-style pickled vegetables (Escabeche)
• Mango Habanero Salsa
• Mango Avocado Salad

Jicama is very high in fiber and has significant health benefits. It's helpful for:

• Improving your gut health.
• Balancing your blood sugar.
• Reducing your cholesterol
• Maintaining a healthy weight.

It’s low in calories and high in fiber. A generous one-cup serving of sliced or cubed jicama has:

• calories: 50
• carbs: 12g
• protein: 1g
• fat: trace
• fiber: 6g

Even though jicama has carbs, they're very low glycemic (only 17 on the GI scale), which means jicama won't spike your blood sugar.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are some key ingredients you’ll need to make this jicama salad. I’ve listed a few substitutions and variations in the section below.

Jicama. If your grocery store carries peeled jicama sticks, I recommend buying jicama this way because it will save you time. If not, buy a small jicama. The instructions for how to peel and cut it are below.

Baby spinach. I recommend using baby spinach because it’s more tender than larger spinach leaves.

Corn. If fresh corn is available, I highly recommend fresh grilled corn for this recipe. There’s nothing like the crispy sweetness it adds. However, if fresh corn is out of season, you can substitute frozen corn and saute it in a pan to add more flavor. Trader Joe’s also sells frozen roasted corn. If you shop there, pick up a bag and keep it in the freezer for this recipe.

Pumpkin seeds. These are often labeled “pepitas,” which means little seeds of squash in Spanish. Buy roasted pumpkin seeds/pepitas instead of raw. You can get them unsalted or salted, depending on your preference.

Cotija. This is a white, salty, crumbly cheese often used in Mexican cooking. Most grocery stores carry it in the cheese section. 

Cumin, garlic powder, and chipotle powder. These add a nice Southwest flavor to the vinaigrette dressing. If you have some air fryer roasted garlic in the refrigerator, use it here. It's so much better than garlic powder.

Substitutions and Variations

• For a vegan option, skip the cheese. 
• Add about one cup of black beans for more protein to turn this side salad into a main meal.
• Chopped kale is a good substitute for spinach.
• If you can't find cotija, feta cheese is a good substitute.
• Diced mango and/or cucumber are great additions to this salad.
• The Southwest flavors in the dressing complement the ingredients in this salad, but if you have another favorite dressing, feel free to substitute it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, grill or toast the corn until it’s lightly charred in places. Remove it from the heat (cut the kernels off the cob if grilled) and let it cool.

Second, combine the Southwest salad dressing ingredients. Set the dressing aside.

Third, peel your jicama if you have a whole jicama. The outer skin is tough, so I find it easiest to cut a piece from the top and bottom so it sits straight. Then, use a sharp knife to cut down from the top to the bottom. When you get near the bottom, you can peel the skin the rest of the way.

Fourth, cut the jicama into sticks. Start by cutting slices down each side. Next, cut each slice into strips about ¾ inch wide.

Fifth, cut the jicama sticks into cubes about ¾ inch on all sides. 

Sixth, cut the remaining vegetables. Cut the grape tomatoes in half or thirds and the red pepper and red onion into dice-sized pieces. Chop or slice the spinach leaves and mince the cilantro. 

Seventh, combine all of the vegetables and the pepitas in a large bowl. Toss and add the dressing. Sprinkle with cotija cheese.

Expert Tips

If you’re using frozen corn and toasting it in a pan, don’t overcook it, or it will harden and turn into popcorn kernels. Heat your empty pan on high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil or a spray of cooking oil, and add the corn. Let it toast for about 30 seconds, stir it, and then remove it from the heat.

I think this jicama salad tastes best as a chopped salad, so I recommend cutting all of the vegetables into small, bite-sized pieces. That allows the dressing to coat everything evenly. It also means you’ll get a little bit of everything in every bite.  

Check out my Chopped Mediterranean Salad recipe to learn how to make a perfect chopped salad.

This salad is best served immediately after it’s prepared. It will start to wilt once it’s dressed. If you want to prep some of the ingredients ahead of time, you can:

• Toast and cool the corn
• Cut the jicama, tomatoes, and red pepper
• Make the dressing and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator
• Measure out the remaining ingredients, but keep them in separate containers

Just before serving, slice the spinach, mince the cilantro, toss everything, and add the dressing.

What to Serve With Jicama Salad

This is a perfect salad to serve with any Mexican or Southwest meal. It’s also tasty with grilled or roasted fish or chicken. Serve it with a pitcher of fruited iced sun tea or sparkling hibiscus iced tea. Try these recipes to pair it with:

• Mini Green Chicken Enchilada Pies
• Stovetop Hatch Chili Mac & Cheese
• Chipotle Sweet Potato & Black Bean Soup
• Mexican Tofu and Black Bean Scramble
• Chipotle Salmon Sliders
• Pistachio Crusted Salmon

Recipe FAQs

Other Related Salad Recipes

Do you love a colorful, crunchy salad as a side dish or light meal? Try these other salad recipes.