Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad
Ensalada de Chayote, Manzana y Jícama con Aderezo de Aguacate y Pepitas
Recipe Yield
4 servings
Cooking time
20 minutes
Rate this recipe
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
Siobhan Isaacs
Feb 18
Love your shows and recipes
How long will this last in the fridge?
Thank you so much
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 🙂
jodie Co,
Aug 18
how will the veggies and apple hold up if prepared the day before? thank you for sharing you joy
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 🙂
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!
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Yummy idea for your curry Darla, thanks so much for sharing!
Angie Grimes
Jul 09
Love, love this salad! Crowd pleaser and oh so easy to prepare.
Pati Jinich
Nov 05
So very happy you liked this one Angie 🙂
Roger McArtor
Jul 16
One of the most remarkable, refreshing and creative salads ever!
Pati Jinich
Jul 20
Aw!!! So glad you liked it Roger, yay 🙂
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!
Pati Jinich
Apr 19
So glad you liked this recipe Mac, and amazing add-ons, bravo!
Julio Rodríguez
Feb 25
Se ve delicioso. Muchas gracias
Pati Jinich
Feb 25
Que bueno que te gusto Julio 🙂
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
Pati Jinich
Jan 02
Enjoy it Demarie, light green chayotes are perfect for this!
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😘
Pati Jinich
Dec 25
So glad you liked the Salad and hoping you enjoyed La Frontera. Abrazos Stacie 🙂
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.
Pati Jinich
Apr 25
So glad you liked it Mary-Helen, one of my favorites as well 🙂
Cathy
Mar 23
Made this salad & topped it with chili lime shrimp delicious
Pati Jinich
Mar 25
Yes, great idea! You made a full meal out of this salad Cathy, bravo 😉
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.
Pati Jinich
Feb 15
Aw Thos, thank you, delighted you loved this recipe! And great use of mint, yum!
Anonymous
Sep 24
This is one of the easiest and tastiest salads ever. LOVE it!
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Yay, gracias!
David
Sep 24
How does one choose the right chayote and jícama?
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!
Anonymous
Sep 23
What. Pairs well with this salad?
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
How about this steak? http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/dry-rub-skirt-steak/ Enjoy!
Angie Grimes
Sep 23
Amazing salad, always a hit!
Pati Jinich
Sep 24
Thank you Angie, glad you like it!
Zoe Seda
Sep 10
Can’t wait to try this. Looks amazing.
Pati Jinich
Sep 17
Hope you will like it Zoe 😉
Gracie
May 09
This is such a delicious recipe! Very refreshing!!
Pati Jinich
May 11
Glad you liked it Gracie 😉
Yolanda Dejesus
Jan 21
Hey Pati! Loved this salad and my family did too. Thank you so much
Pati Jinich
Jan 22
Awesome!
Martha Munguia
Jan 09
Sounds perfect will be making it for dinner tomorrow!!
Pati Jinich
Jan 10
Enjoy your dinner, Martha!
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!
Pati Jinich
Jan 09
Thank you for following and tuning in, Patty!
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
Pati Jinich
Oct 12
So glad you found the site!
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.
Pati Jinich
Apr 22
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Marjan. It made me so happy to read it!
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
Pati
Mar 06
Uy mil gracias, Lorena! Aquí está la receta: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/es/recipe/pico-de-guacamole/
Mary
Jan 05
Is the chayote raw? I’ve never heard of eating raw chayote.
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.
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?
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!
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!
Pati
Oct 16
Oh I’m so happy to hear it will be your go to side dish for chile, Pat.
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.
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/
Ed Lovett
Sep 16
Thanks Pati, I can’t wait to make this again.
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!!!
Pati
Jul 05
So glad you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own, D.!
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
Pati
Jul 05
It will be good overnight in the fridge. And thank you so much, Claudia 🙂
Violet
Jul 02
That jicama salad looked so delicious i am going to make it.
Thanks Patti.
Pati
Jul 02
Enjoy the salad, Violet!
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.
Pati
Jul 02
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoy lots of my recipes and especially this one, Jordan.
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!
Pati
Jul 12
Awesome!
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!
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…
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 😉
Pati
Oct 26
I’m so happy reading this…thank you Laura!
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?
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.
Mac McParland
Apr 12
We found that in a pinch, bottled green goddess salad dressing is a reasonable substitute.
Annette
Jul 25
I’ve made this recipe twice now and my daughter loves, loves, loves it! Thank you.
Pati
Jul 26
Yay! So happy your daughter loves it.
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.
Pati
Jul 11
Thank you so much Beth!
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!
Pati
Jul 03
Hope you love it Jay!
Janie
Jul 01
OMG! This is amazing! Will definitely make this again!
Pati
Jul 03
Super!!!
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! ??
Pati
Jun 08
Good luck with the salad tomorrow…it’s super easy and super delicious.
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! !
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!
Diane
May 06
Looks like a salad I’d love….thanks
Pati
May 08
Yay!
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!!
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!
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.
Pati
Mar 23
Hola Greg, I’m so happy you were able to find a substitute and make the salad your own.
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 ?
Pati
Mar 10
Muchas gracias Yvonne (y tus hijos)!
Kelly
Mar 07
I’m preparing a dinner for new parents. Will these ingredients turn brown before they eat it?
Pati
Mar 10
What a lovely gesture Kelly! The dressing should prevent it from turning too brown.
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!!!
Pati
Mar 09
Thank you Jenny! This means so much to me.
Carmen
Feb 15
Betty just knowing that these ingredients are all healthy should suffice this salad is Great for us
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
Pati
Feb 13
Sorry Betty but we don’t track the nutritional data…but I’m glad you like the salad!
Carmen
Feb 16
Betty the ingredients in this salad are all nutritious healthy and good for you it should be the data you need
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.