chayote apple jicama salad

limecilantropumpkin seeds

Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad with Avocado and Pepita Dressing

Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad

Ensalada de Chayote, Manzana y Jicama con Aderezo de Aguacate y Pepitas

Recipe Yield

4 servings

Cooking time

20 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.86 from 7 votes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup pepitas or raw and hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 7 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove peeled
  • 1/4 cup (packed) coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and upper stems plus more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons (packed) coarsely chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted and meat scooped out
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 pound (about 2) chayote squash peeled and julienned
  • 1 pound (about 2) tart green apples peeled and julienned
  • 1 jicama peeled and julienned

To Prepare

  • In a small pan set over low-medium heat, toast the pepitas, stirring occasionally, until they start making popping sounds and are very lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • For the avocado dressing, in the jar of a blender, add 1/2 cup of water and the oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, dill, avocado, pepper, salt, mustard, and the toasted pepitas, and puree until completely smooth.
  • In a bowl, toss the julienned chayote squash, apple, and jícama with the avocado dressing. Garnish with some cilantro and dill and serve.

Comments

103comments inChayote, Apple and Jícama Salad with Avocado and Pepita Dressing

  1. Siobhan Isaacs

    Feb 18

    Love your shows and recipes
    How long will this last in the fridge?
    Thank you so much

    1. Pati Jinich

      Feb 27

      This should be eaten fresh, not just because of the avocado but also the jicama, apple and chayote are much better while crisp, so do not keep it longer than 24 hours Siobhan 🙂

  2. jodie Co,

    Aug 18

    how will the veggies and apple hold up if prepared the day before? thank you for sharing you joy

    1. Pati Jinich

      Sep 04

      I think this salad needs to be made right before eating it Jodie, because if not the apples and jicamas will go brown very quickly 🙂

  3. Darla Holland

    Aug 14

    Wow! So delicious!! I love the creamy dressing and all the crunchy, crispy fruits & vegetables! I saw Pati make this salad on her show recently. I immediately found some Chayote squash–my first time to try it. I bought an extra Chayote & added cubes of it to a Thai long bean, pork & red curry dish for a different meal. It was still so crunchy, after stir-frying it. Thank you for a great recipe!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Sep 04

      Yummy idea for your curry Darla, thanks so much for sharing!

  4. Angie Grimes

    Jul 09

    Love, love this salad! Crowd pleaser and oh so easy to prepare.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Nov 05

      So very happy you liked this one Angie 🙂

  5. Roger McArtor

    Jul 16

    One of the most remarkable, refreshing and creative salads ever!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jul 20

      Aw!!! So glad you liked it Roger, yay 🙂

  6. Mac McParland

    Apr 12

    Amazing summery salad. We like to add some golden raisins for extra sweetness. And we save some toasted pepitas as garnish, along with cilantro & dill. We will make it as a side for a passover seder this weekend. The dressing is so creamy, but it’s dairy-free.
    Thank you Pati!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Apr 19

      So glad you liked this recipe Mac, and amazing add-ons, bravo!

  7. Julio Rodríguez

    Feb 25

    Se ve delicioso. Muchas gracias

    1. Pati Jinich

      Feb 25

      Que bueno que te gusto Julio 🙂

  8. Demarie

    Dec 31

    At the market, I saw light green chayote and dark green chayote. Is there a difference in taste? I bought the pale one. I suppose one of each might look pretty together. Going to make tonight

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jan 02

      Enjoy it Demarie, light green chayotes are perfect for this!

  9. Stacie

    Oct 19

    Pati!! How is every recipe you put together so delicious!!! Your recipes are a hit every single time!! This dressing i could put on everything!!
    P.s. starting your new season la frontera tonight! Muchas Gracias you are the best😘

    1. Pati Jinich

      Dec 25

      So glad you liked the Salad and hoping you enjoyed La Frontera. Abrazos Stacie 🙂

  10. Mary-Helen

    Apr 19

    This was such a great salad. We love watching your show on PBS. We are vegan and I love using your techniques for sauces and flavors. I had never heard of chayote and I was so pleasantly surprised when I made this salad. This will definitely be one I make frequently.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Apr 25

      So glad you liked it Mary-Helen, one of my favorites as well 🙂

  11. Cathy

    Mar 23

    Made this salad & topped it with chili lime shrimp delicious

    1. Pati Jinich

      Mar 25

      Yes, great idea! You made a full meal out of this salad Cathy, bravo 😉

  12. Thos H.

    Feb 13

    So fresh and crisp. It makes winter here taste like sunny Mexico every time. Last time, I was out of dill, but our big pot of fresh mint still growing on the porch called my name. Turns out it brought a certain hint of brightness to the dressing which we liked equally well. Patti, we make so many of your recipes and have loved them all. This salad must be in the top 10.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Feb 15

      Aw Thos, thank you, delighted you loved this recipe! And great use of mint, yum!

  13. Anonymous

    Sep 24

    This is one of the easiest and tastiest salads ever. LOVE it!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Oct 04

      Yay, gracias!

  14. David

    Sep 24

    How does one choose the right chayote and jícama?

    1. Pati Jinich

      Oct 04

      Both have to be firm to the touch, the chayote needs to be bright green and the jicama not to have any brown spots. Good luck!

  15. Anonymous

    Sep 23

    What. Pairs well with this salad?

    1. Pati Jinich

      Sep 24

  16. Angie Grimes

    Sep 23

    Amazing salad, always a hit!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Sep 24

      Thank you Angie, glad you like it!

  17. Zoe Seda

    Sep 10

    Can’t wait to try this. Looks amazing.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Sep 17

      Hope you will like it Zoe 😉

  18. Gracie

    May 09

    This is such a delicious recipe! Very refreshing!!

    1. Pati Jinich

      May 11

      Glad you liked it Gracie 😉

  19. Yolanda Dejesus

    Jan 21

    Hey Pati! Loved this salad and my family did too. Thank you so much

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jan 22

      Awesome!

  20. Martha Munguia

    Jan 09

    Sounds perfect will be making it for dinner tomorrow!!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jan 10

      Enjoy your dinner, Martha!

  21. Patty Chairez

    Jan 09

    Gracias Pati! I love following you on FB and watching your show on PBS. I love the culture and how you show Mexican dishes do not have to be greasy all the time!

    1. Pati Jinich

      Jan 09

      Thank you for following and tuning in, Patty!

  22. Anonymous

    Oct 12

    Esta página es un tesoro. I live in México and look for variety in using the paradise full of foods here. Always wondered if I could use chayote raw, as I’m almost a raw vegan. Came here to get a
    jicama idea and just read 20 diff recipes! Will check back often. Gracias y un gran abrazo de la guera agradecida. 💚<3

    1. Pati Jinich

      Oct 12

      So glad you found the site!

  23. Marjan

    Apr 21

    Hi Pati,
    I love watching your cooking shows both on PBS and Amazon Prime. Specially when you travel to Mexico City, Yucatán Peninsula , etc. I learned so much from you about Mexican culture , food, tips and techniques. I wish you much continued success and looking forward to see more cooking shows from you. You inspired me to cook Mexican food. Muchas Gracias.

    1. Pati Jinich

      Apr 22

      Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Marjan. It made me so happy to read it!

  24. Lorena

    Mar 05

    Hola Pati !
    Soy una fan muy grande , saludos a ti y a tu familia , Por un tiempo e estado buscando una receta que hicieste con tomatillo verde , manzana verde aguacate y mas ingredientes verdes ?

    Muchas bendiciones

    1. Pati

      Mar 06

      Uy mil gracias, Lorena! Aquí está la receta: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/es/recipe/pico-de-guacamole/

  25. Mary

    Jan 05

    Is the chayote raw? I’ve never heard of eating raw chayote.

    1. Pati

      Jan 07

      In many recipes chayote is cooked…but here they are raw and give a great crunch to this refreshing salad. I hope you enjoy it, Mary.

  26. Lili Robinson

    Dec 07

    I’m going to make this salad for my friends birthday. I was wondering if it would work if I put pomegranates in it? Can you make any part of the salad a day ahead?

    1. Pati

      Dec 17

      Give the pomegranates a try, Lili! And you can make the dressing ahead and toss it when you serve it. It will be good overnight in the fridge. I hope your friend has a great birthday!

  27. Pat

    Oct 14

    This. Was. Awesome. So simple, yet so tasty. It was the perfect accompaniment to the chili we made to entertain some friends. Thank you, now I don’t have to wonder what to have as a side with a bowl of red!

    1. Pati

      Oct 16

      Oh I’m so happy to hear it will be your go to side dish for chile, Pat.

  28. Ed Lovett

    Sep 05

    Pati, this was DELICIOUS !! I have a question to ask you though. How do I know or how can I tell if the jicama is ripe ? I had to cut away almost half of the one I bought to get to the softer inside. Thanks in advance. Love your TV show.

    1. Pati

      Sep 11

      So glad you loved the salad, Ed! Look for a jicama that’s hard to the touch and with no signs of moisture on the peel. Make sure it isn’t mushy…and here’s some more info: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/jicama/

      1. Ed Lovett

        Sep 16

        Thanks Pati, I can’t wait to make this again.

  29. D.Korba

    Jul 05

    THIS IS GREAT!!!
    I added some chopped dried Cranberries ( Crasins ) to the mix along with extra Pepitas ( Pumpkin Seeds ) as part of the garnish…It was SUPERB Pati…Thank You!!!

    1. Pati

      Jul 05

      So glad you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own, D.!

  30. Claudia

    Jul 04

    If I make the dressing a day ahead to toss together the next day will the dressing keep or go bad? Thank you! I am a huge fan, love you and what you create <3

    1. Pati

      Jul 05

      It will be good overnight in the fridge. And thank you so much, Claudia 🙂

  31. Violet

    Jul 02

    That jicama salad looked so delicious i am going to make it.
    Thanks Patti.

    1. Pati

      Jul 02

      Enjoy the salad, Violet!

  32. Jordan

    Jul 01

    Wow!! This was amazing. The explosion of flavor in the dressing. The crunchy vegetables. I could not wait to bring this to a summer pot luck. And when I did everyone loved it. I live in Long Beach, CA so the ingredients all are readily available and we have a large old avocado tree in the backyard for our own avocados.

    I make a lot of your recipes and always appreciate the authenticity of the delicious flavor. But this one I had to comment on. Superb.

    1. Pati

      Jul 02

      Yay! I’m so glad you enjoy lots of my recipes and especially this one, Jordan.

      1. Jordan

        Jul 12

        I made the dressing and put it on some grilled halibut for a dinner party in the backyard for fourth of July. Outstanding!

        1. Pati

          Jul 12

          Awesome!

  33. Max & Iza

    Dec 27

    Hi Pati,

    My name is Max and we watch your show here in Canada although no with my wife Iza. We wanted to try this salad the day we saw it on your show and in fact, we picked up the ingredients already. However, we came up short on the Jicama. Just wondering if there is a substitute. We actually bought a couple of turnips instead. We never had them either but wanted to see if they would work with this combo of green apple and chayote (sorprisingly no problem finding that). We have gone to several grocery stores but no luck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Love your show!

    1. Pati

      Dec 28

      If you can’t find jicama you can always use more chayote and apple…or any other raw veggie that is watery and crunchy. Many find raw turnips to be too bitter…

  34. Laura

    Oct 17

    Never having bought a jicama or chayote squash before, I decided to take the plunge and try this recipe. It was AMAZING – so light, so fresh – and it looked exactly like it did when you prepared it on your show! My family devoured it. Thank you, Pati…and thanks to CreateTV for introducing us to you. We are learning so much about traditional Mexican ingredients and techniques from you. My daughter wants it as part of her upcoming birthday dinner – not bad for a Polish/Italian/Irish family 😉

    1. Pati

      Oct 26

      I’m so happy reading this…thank you Laura!

  35. Cynth Honorio

    Oct 10

    I am one of your fans from the Philippines!
    May I know what veggie I can use in place of avocado?

    1. Pati

      Oct 18

      I recommend that if you can’t find avocados you might want to try another salad http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/category/recipes/salads/, or you can also try another vinaigrette, such as the Every Day Green Salad vinaigrette, for this same Chayote, Apple and Jicama salad.

    2. Mac McParland

      Apr 12

      We found that in a pinch, bottled green goddess salad dressing is a reasonable substitute.

  36. Annette

    Jul 25

    I’ve made this recipe twice now and my daughter loves, loves, loves it! Thank you.

    1. Pati

      Jul 26

      Yay! So happy your daughter loves it.

  37. Beth

    Jul 07

    What was a curious salad became a wonderful surprise ! Light , crisp and refreshing. And the cresmy dressing uniquely complements the dish perfectly . I highly recommend it.

    1. Pati

      Jul 11

      Thank you so much Beth!

  38. Jay

    Jul 02

    I have wanted to try this since I had watched the episode.Have to add a couple thing to the grocery list first it appears. I take care of the kitchen now and making some changes so will be trying more of your recipes. Thanks so much!

    1. Pati

      Jul 03

      Hope you love it Jay!

  39. Janie

    Jul 01

    OMG! This is amazing! Will definitely make this again!

    1. Pati

      Jul 03

      Super!!!

  40. Jes

    Jun 08

    I was hoping to try this tonight but I forgot 2 of the main ingredients! Lol pepita’s & lemon! I know it says lime but I’m pretty sure u used lemon on the show & I prefer it ? Sooo, I shall try again tomorrow! I have no doubt that it will be amazing! I have thought about it since I seen it yesterday! Thanks so much for sharing all that you do! I have been to the Yucatan twice & every time I watch your show, I’m ready to pack the house, critters, & the hubs to move far south of the border!
    Again, thanks for sharing! I love your show & seeing your beautiful family, JuJu is so funny! ??

    1. Pati

      Jun 08

      Good luck with the salad tomorrow…it’s super easy and super delicious.

  41. Connie F.

    May 19

    I have to say ..I watched this episode and the next day made this awesome salad for my family I served it with my grilled chicken breast and we are in love ..thank you Pati !! You got me making this every weekend! ..Everything you have taught me to make has been the best !! I’m a real good cook now!! Thanks again girlfriend! !

    1. Pati

      May 22

      Connie that made my day to hear that you are a great cook now! Keep cooking and having fun in the kitchen!

  42. Diane

    May 06

    Looks like a salad I’d love….thanks

    1. Pati

      May 08

      Yay!

  43. Ebony

    Apr 23

    Made this salad for dinner with grilled steaks…we LOVE it!! So light and delicious, my husband says he wants to eat it all summer! Your show and recipes keep me in touch with my Mexican side…gracias Pati! Que rico!!

    1. Pati

      Apr 27

      It’s the perfect summer dish….I’m so happy that the show helps you keep in touch with your Mexican side. That means so much to me!

  44. Greg K

    Mar 21

    Sometime you have to make educated guesses about substitute ingredients. After looking in
    a couple of groceries with pretty wide selections of Mexican ingredients I just couldn’t find
    chayote (unusual- it is usually available). I swapped the chayote for a couple of fairly firm D’Anjou pears (you mentioned on your show that raw chayote tastes somewhat like pears). (I’ve never used chayote in it’s raw form- only roasted or
    otherwise cooked…)
    OMG this was good- the dressing is the
    star of the show and the crunch of the apples, jicima and pears were a (very wonderful) crunchy vehicle for
    the dressing. Most of the tastes in the dressing I am familiar with, but the toasted pepitas really
    rocked.

    1. Pati

      Mar 23

      Hola Greg, I’m so happy you were able to find a substitute and make the salad your own.

  45. Yvonne

    Mar 07

    I tried this and Oh Dios mio!
    Nos encanto Pati gracias por compartir sus recetas tan deliciosas! Mis hijos y yo no nos perdemos su show.
    Es un orgullo ver que comparte su recetas mexicanas con todos.
    Gracias ?

    1. Pati

      Mar 10

      Muchas gracias Yvonne (y tus hijos)!

  46. Kelly

    Mar 07

    I’m preparing a dinner for new parents. Will these ingredients turn brown before they eat it?

    1. Pati

      Mar 10

      What a lovely gesture Kelly! The dressing should prevent it from turning too brown.

  47. Jenny

    Mar 07

    Patti I enjoy your show on PBS, because not only we learn about Mexico, but we get to know your tasty recipes.
    Muchas Gracias!!!

    1. Pati

      Mar 09

      Thank you Jenny! This means so much to me.

  48. Carmen

    Feb 15

    Betty just knowing that these ingredients are all healthy should suffice this salad is Great for us

  49. Betty

    Feb 10

    I love this salad. Can you send me nutritional data? I need to know serving size and number of carbs, fat, protein, and fiber grams in the serving. Thank you

    1. Pati

      Feb 13

      Sorry Betty but we don’t track the nutritional data…but I’m glad you like the salad!

    2. Carmen

      Feb 16

      Betty the ingredients in this salad are all nutritious healthy and good for you it should be the data you need

    3. Laney

      Feb 17

      You could always enter the ingredients in a number of Health / Diet Apps on your phone and it will show you all the nutritional data you need.

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