Jicama Orange Salad
This beautifully jeweled-toned, seasonal Jicama Orange Salad is a favorite of mine. It’s crunchy, sweet, spicy, and perfect for brunch or entertaining. This goes well with so many protein options and can be enjoyed on its own for a nutritionally dense lunch or snack. And those colors! Gorgeous!
Table of contents
Why you will love this Jicama Orange Salad
This salad is a perfect Winter Salad. It encompasses some of my favorite Winter fruits. Pomegranate season starts in August and extends to late November in California. Pomegranate arils are the edible portion of the fruit and they are sweet, tart, and full of flavor. In addition to pomegranate, this salad features ripe, Navel oranges. Oranges are at their peak in California from December through early Spring. Oranges can be found in grocery stores in the West year-round, although for the best flavor, peak season is optimal. Jalapeños also grow from June through December and Cilantro all year around. So you can see why this salad is a seasonal gem. In addition, these colors make for a beautiful presentation to the holiday table if you are looking for something nontraditional, festive, and healthy.
Dressing
What is Jicama?
In California, Jicama season starts in November and runs through early Spring. This root vegetable grows primarily in Mexico and is widely available in the California, and Southwestern states.
Pronounced Hee-ka-mah, this cruciferous root vegetable is mild-tasting so it makes a perfect addition to salads. The other plus is that it’s nutritionally dense and low in calories. One cup of Jicama has 50 calories and 6 grams of fiber. And how about a whopping 195 grams of potassium and 43% of your daily Vitamin C.
What does Jicama taste like?
Have you tried a water chestnut? This is the closest texture and taste that is similar to Jicama. In Mexico and the Southwest, you can find Jicama combined in fruit cups with chile, lime, and sometimes Chamoy. (Chamoy is a spicy and sweet condiment often used for fresh fruit and with cocktails.) It is a very common snack In Mexico and certainly here in the Southwest. As I mentioned, I love it in salads, and another favorite here is my Zesty Shrimp Avocado Jicama Salad which is perfect as a starter or as a main salad. Jicama slaw with apples or sometimes with assorted vegetables is quite popular. Enjoy Jicama in cold salads and slaws with a variety of veggies or fruit.
How to prepare Jicama
When purchasing Jicama, it is typically sold whole with the skin on. It is a large turnip-shaped vegetable. Once you purchase it, wash it well and then dry it well. I cut a portion of it and then peel it. The downside is that these root vegetables are sometimes large. But don’t let that deter you, you can enjoy Jicama leftovers simply with sliced oranges, some olive oil, white wine vinegar, and a little salt and pepper. Or add it to a BBQ-style chicken salad or any other salad like fruit salad.
Ingredients for this Jicama Orange Salad
- 1/2 Jicama, peeled and cut into matchsticks or cubed.
- 2, fresh oranges, peeled and cubed
- 1 small, fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced
- Pomegranate arils from about 1/2 a fresh pomegranate
- 1/3 cup of red onion slices
- 1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro
- 1/4-1/2 cup of my Orange Honey Dressing, to taste
- pinch of Kosher salt
How to make Jicama Orange Salad
After you have prepared the Jicama, place the chopped quantity in a medium bowl. Add the cubed orange, the slices of jalapeño, pomegranate arils, sliced red onion, and chopped Cilantro. Toss the Orange Honey Dressing to your taste and toss gently. Allow to chill for about 30 minutes and then it’s ready to serve.
If you love citrus-based salads and dressings, you might love my Orange Fennel Salad, my wildly popular Lemon Arugula Pasta Salad, my Winter Citrus Salad, or Zesty Shrimp, Avocado and Jicama Salad. All are healthy, colorful, and delicious.
What to serve with Jicama Orange Salad
This addicting, refreshing salad is best served with lighter protein like grilled chicken. I happen to love it as a lunch salad or a snack. I don’t miss having protein with it. Another way to enjoy this Jicama Orange Salad is on a bed of baby salad greens with a little extra dressing on it.
How to store leftover salad
If you have some Jicama Orange Salad left over, this keeps very well in the refrigerator in a container with a tight-fitting lid. It will keep pretty well for 2-4 days.
Enjoy!
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Jicama Orange Salad
November 29, 2023Ingredients
- 1/2 Jicama peeled and cut into matchsticks or cubed.
- 2 fresh oranges peeled and cubed
- 1 small fresh jalapeno pepper, sliced
- 1/3 cup Pomegranate arils from about 1/2 a fresh pomegranate
- 1/3 cup of red onion slices
- 1/2 cup of chopped Cilantro
- 1/4-1/2 cup Orange Honey Dressing to taste
Instructions
How to make Jicama Orange Salad
- After you have prepared the Jicama, place the chopped quantity in a medium bowl.
- Add the cubed oranges, the slices of jalapeño, pomegranate arils, sliced red onion and chopped Cilantro.
- Toss the Orange Honey Dressing to your taste and toss gently.
- Allow to chill for about 30 minutes and then its ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
