I recently discovered a brilliant taco idea at a small San Francisco restaurant: ultra-thin, crispy jicama slices used as taco shells — Jicama Taco Shells!
It’s clever: when sliced paper-thin, jicama becomes flexible yet crispy — a single-ingredient taco shell that’s light and refreshing.
Seafood pairs naturally with these shells, such as cilantro-lime shrimp and crisp cabbage — the version I tried at the restaurant and loved. But the shells work with nearly any taco filling. A few tasty options to consider:
Barbacoa
Picadillo
Or keep it simple with seasoned ground beef — no packaged seasoning required. Use quality beef and a few straightforward spices for a classic taco flavor.
Jicama Taco Shells
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
No reviews
Just one ingredient makes these light, crisp taco shells: jicama sliced paper-thin.
- Author: Simone Miller
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 – 8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
For the Taco Shells:
- 1 softball-size jicama, peeled
For the Simple Seasoned Taco Meat:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
For the Jicama Taco Shells:
- You will need a mandoline unless you have exceptional knife skills. Slice the jicama paper-thin — I set my mandoline around 1/12″. (1/8″ is too thick; 1/16″ is too thin.) Trim the ends and use the middle section to slice as many shells as possible — you’ll likely get close to 20 slices. Set them aside.
For the Simple Seasoned Taco Meat:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
- Add the cumin, coriander, sea salt, ground chipotle, and garlic powder. Stir to combine and cook another 4–5 minutes, or until the beef is fully cooked.
- Assemble tacos as you normally would, topping the jicama shells with the seasoned beef and accompaniments like guacamole, salsa, hot sauce, or shredded cabbage.
Notes
Don’t discard the jicama ends — slice them, squeeze lime over them, and snack while you cook.
All links on zenbelly.com are for information; some may be affiliate links to books, products, or services. Sponsored posts are clearly labeled. Ads may be served by ad networks and do not necessarily reflect Zenbelly’s endorsement.