Creamy Jicama and Carrot Slaw

Robin: Coleslaw comes in many varieties and everyone has their favorite: creamy vs vinegary, rough shred vs fine, etc. The name itself belies its main ingredient, for cole comes from Latin colis, meaning cabbage. Which raises the question: if one were to make the very same salad, only without cabbage, could we still call it coleslaw?

I will leave you with that philosophical nugget to chew on as homework. Right now I´d like to introduce you to this lighter-feeling slaw that trades the classic cabbage for milder-tasting (and much less gastric distress-inducing!) shredded jicama. (Learn all about jicama.) Cilantro makes it ultra-refreshing, and the salad can be spiced up with a jalapeño, if you’re into that.

Serve your delicious creamy jicama and carrot salad as you would any other slaw: as a snack, side dish to fried chicken or grilled meats, or “condiment” on fish tacos or pulled pork or subway sandwiches, for example. It also makes a nice topping for tostadas or a dip for plain or seasoned tortilla chips or Cheese Cracklings.

Other refreshing salads to make:

• Corpus Christi Salad
• Sweet and Sour Pasta Veggie Salad
• Watermelon and Strawberries Salad
• Hearts of Palm Ceviche

More salads that can also be “dips”:

• Southwest Salad
• Zucchini and Pepper Salad
• Fresh Pineapple and Bean Salsa

Print

Creamy Carrot and Jicama Slaw

A light, fresh, slightly creamy version of the classic all-purpose salad.

Course Condiment, Salad, Snack

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword carrot, jicama, salad, slaw

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 100 kcal

Author Robin Grose / comboplate.net

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded jicama
• 2 medium-sized carrots, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper optional
• 1 small bunch of cilantro
• ½ cup cream or sour cream
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 4 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lime juice

Instructions

1. Finely dice the red pepper into strips that are roughly the same size as the jicama and carrot shreds.

2. If you choose to use the jalapeños pepper, carefully remove the stem, seeds, and veins. Dice fine. (Leave some of the seeds in if you prefer an even spicier slaw.)

3. Finely dice the cilantro (both leaves and tender stems).

4. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the diced pepper(s), jicama, and carrots.

5. Prepare the dressing: In another bowl, whisk together the cilantro with the cream, mayonnaise, salt and lime juice. [Learn about Latin American limes here.]

6. Pour this dressing over the vegetables and mix well.

7. This can be eaten immediately, but I like to refrigerate it for a couple of hours to give the flavors a chance to meld.

8. Stir one more time before serving your delicious jicama slaw as a side, condiment, dip, or healthy snack.

Recipe Notes

Variations on Creamy Jicama and Carrot Slaw

• Like the freshness of this recipe but miss the slight “bite” of the cabbage? Make it with half cabbage and half jicama.
• Add some seeded, diced cucumbers to the mix—or diced pineapple or apples, if you´d like more sweetness. Throw in some halved peanuts or chopped pecans for additional savory flavor and texture.
• Create a “chunkier” slaw by dicing or julienning the vegetables instead of shredding them.
• Change up the sauce: Instead of the cream/mayo/lime dressing described here, use your own beloved homemade coleslaw dressing recipe—or try a bottled one.

Main-dish Salads Worth Trying:

• Shredded Beef Salad (Salpicón de res)
• Victoria’s Tuna and Potato Salad
• Gala Turkey Salad
• Tuna-Stuffed Avocado

Latest update: 11 June, 2024