Need a healthy, low carb alternative to French fries? Well look no further. 🙂 These jicama fries are both deliciously satisfying AND easy to make.
So I'm a little obsessed with using prebiotic and probiotic foods in every day meal planning. I just love the fact that you can turn these awesome little gems into classic treats and enjoy them with none of the guilt.
Jicama, also known as a Mexican turnip, is definitely one of those gems. It's a prebiotic vegetable, meaning that it provides healthy fiber that feeds the gut microbiome. And it's also incredibly versatile. You can eat it raw in a jicama salad, with a dip like guacamole (it's crunchy and mild-flavored), or even use it in coleslaw-like jicama slaw.
But just a caveat that jicama can be hard to find sometimes; your best bet is a large grocery store or natural foods store.
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🌿 Ingredients
Only a handful of ingredients are needed in this recipe; feel free to throw in a little extra garlic powder or paprika for a stronger kick!
See recipe card below for exact quantities.
📝 Instructions
The prep for these jicama fries is super easy and you can even do it ahead of time or the day before to make meal prep easier on the day of.
To get started, simply peel your jicama and slice it into evenly thin sticks.
Peel and halve the jicama.
Cut each half into ¼" slices.
Cut each slice into ¼" sticks.
Prepped jicama sticks.
Next, fill a medium pot about halfway with filtered water, add a little salt and heat the water over medium high heat. Once it boils, add the jicama slices and blanch them for 10 minutes in the boiling water. Then, drain, cool and dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
Finally, place the drained jicama slices in a large mixing bowl, drizzle in the olive oil and sprinkle with the spices and salt to taste.
Mix everything with a silicone spatula until the fries are uniformly coated, and store in the fridge for later or continue on to bake.
Preheat your oven to 425℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. While the oven is heating, pour everything out onto your lined baking sheet, making sure it's all in a single layer and the your sticks are separated as much as they can be.
Then, bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until your fries have lightly browned edges, cool them just a bit on the baking sheet, and serve.
📋 Substitutions
As written, this recipe is vegan and gluten free. Feel free to make any of the following substitutions:
- Jicama - while there isn't really a perfect substitute for actual jicama, you could substitute carrots, parsnips or sweet potatoes in a pinch
- Olive oil - substitute avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- Garlic powder - substitute minced fresh garlic instead, or feel free to leave out
- Paprika - substitute chili powder, Cajun spice or just leave out
- Sea salt - use regular table salt if you don't have sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper - use any other variety of ground pepper, or leave out
📖 Variations
Here are a couple great variations on these healthy fries:
- Garlicky jicama fries - sprinkle a little extra garlic powder into the fries long with the other spices
- Spicy jicama fries - sprinkle a tiny bit of cayenne pepper in (careful; a little goes a long way!)
🔪 Equipment
I used the following kitchen equipment to make this recipe:
- Vegetable peeler
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Silicone spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional; for easy cleanup)
🍱 Storage
Jicama fries are best when consumed immediately, but they'll stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. To rewarm, place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at 300 [degrees] F for about 10 minutes. That way, they'll be nice and crispy again. (If you're in a hurry, the microwave will work too.)
🎉 Top tip
If you see fresh jicama when you're shopping, grab it! 🙂 It can be hard to find sometimes, so I like to make jicama recipes whenever I see this lovely prebiotic veggie in the grocery store so that I don't miss out.
Enjoy!
💭 FAQ
Jicama fries are slightly chewier and sweeter than regular fries, and pair especially well with spices such as garlic and paprika.
Yes. Jicama is a prebiotic vegetable which helps feed and nourish the gut microbiome, and it's also much lower in carbohydrates than a potato for those needing to watch carb intake.
Jicama is usually available in larger grocery stores, health food stores or Mexican grocery stores.
If you're short on time you could skip the blanching step, but it is recommended to help soften the jicama so that it's not too crunchy.
🍳 Recipe
Jicama Fries
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 medium jicama about 1 pound
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 425℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Wash and peel the jicama, and slice into uniformly thick match stick slices (about ¼" thick or to your preference).
- Blanch: Fill a medium pot halfway with filtered water, add a pinch of salt and heat over medium high heat. Once boiling, add the jicama slices and blanch for 10 minutes in the boiling water. Then, drain, cool and dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
- Season: Place the jicama slices in a large mixing bowl, drizzle in the olive oil and sprinkle with the spices and salt & pepper to taste. Mix everything with a silicone spatula to coat.
- Bake: Pour the coated fries out onto the lined baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crispy and golden, flipping them halfway through.
- Enjoy: Let the fries cool slightly on the baking sheet once out of the oven, sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper on if desired, and serve immediately.
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