While in Mexico, we visited a local market filled with everything from raw fish, to authentic taco vendors, to tables full of exotic produce.
As you can imagine, I wanted to try everything.
In between sips of hibiscus tea and horchata, and bites of spicy tacos, I found a vendor with plates of freshly sliced produce for sale. There was watermelon, mango, and… jicama.
This white root veg was intriguing to me and for the Mexican equivalent of 50 cents, I got my snack. Let’s just say I was hooked.
Say hello to a new vegetable my friends—today we are making Jicama Fries!
What is a jicama? Other wise known as “pachyrhizuz erpsus” (don’t worry—I can’t pronounce it either) is technically a root yam. It has a papery exterior and crisp, white interior–the texture of a green apple when eaten raw or a turnip when cooked. It is very neutral in flavor, so traditionally jicama would be served raw with lime and chili powder—which is how I enjoyed it in Mexico!
Now I explain this little jicama twist… After deciding to share a jicama recipe on the blog, I realized it would be kind of boring to share a “raw jicama, sprinkled with chili powder” recipe. By all means, do it at home—but I don’t think that needs instructions. Also the idea of eating raw jicama might turn off some people, so staring with a dish everyone recognizes seemed more appropriate. Thus—fries. Jicama fries.
I hope you love these Mexican-inspired fries! My Jicama fries are:
Easy to Make
Perfectly Crisp
A touch Spicy
Fun for parties
+ SO Delicious
If you try this recipe, be sure to comment, leave a rating, and don’t forget to tag a photo #thelocalsprout on Instagram! I can’t wait to hear what you think!
These Mexican-inspired fries would be great served with my Mexican black bean soup, vegan Mexican jackfruit bowls, southwest sweet potato bowl, or my guacamole salad.
Jicama Fries
Materials
- 1 medium jicama peeled and cut into fries about 1/4 inch thick
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil melted
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- pinch black pepper
For serving (optional):
- guacamole cashew queso, salsa, fresh-squeezed lime
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the jicama, coconut oil, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until fries are evenly coated.
- Spread the fries evenly across the lined baking sheet—leaving about 1/4-1/2 inch between each. Transfer to oven.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until crisp and golden, flipping fries halfway to ensure evenness.
- Let fries cool for a couple minutes before serving with optional guac, queso, or salsa.