
How to select
Select tubers that are firm and unblemished with a slightly silky sheen.
How to prepare
- Slice off the roots like you would a red onion.
- Rinse the jicama under running water.
- Peel the skin using your hands, a vegetable peeler, or a knife and be sure to discard any seeds.
- Cut the jicama as desired (julienne, slices, cubes, etc.).
How to store
Jicamas can be stored for up to two weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Peak season
Fall and winter
Ways to use
- Cut jicama into sticks and use as a raw vegetable.
- Add jicama to a stir fry.
- Make jicama chips. Peel jicama and thinly slice. Arrange on a plate and squeeze with juice of 1/2 lime. Sprinkle lightly with salt, sugar, and chili powder. Chill for 20 minutes and serve.
- Try roasting or sautéing jicama.
- Add julienne jicama to any dish for an extra crunch.
Fun facts
- Pronounced HEE-KAH-MAH, jicama is a relative of the potato family and can weigh between a few ounces to 6 pounds.
- The root is edible but the above-ground portions are toxic.
- The taste is like a cross between a potato and a pear.
- Native Americans used jicama seeds as fish poison causing the fish to rise to the surface and to be caught much easier.
Nutrition info and facts
Jicama is a low-calorie food. Jicama contains fiber, which aids in digestion. Jicama is a source of vitamin C, which strengthens the immune system. Jicama is also a source of potassium.
1 cup jicama slices = 46 calories, 11 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 14 mg calcium, 14 mg magnesium, 22 g phosphorus, 180 mg potassium, 24 mg vitamin C
Sources
FoodData Central. Yambean (jicama), raw. April 2018.
MasterClass. How to peel jicama: 4 steps to peeling the root veggie. October 21, 2021.