Since going low-carb, I (thankfully) haven’t craved many things. I’ve settled pretty easily into the Keto lifestyle and have very few issues when my family wants to enjoy one of my previously favorite meals in front of me. But ya’ll, I’ll admit that temptation does get to me occasionally….especially when it comes to fries. I just love crispy, perfectly cooked fries with my burger and no matter what I’ve tried, I haven’t been able to get the pairing out of my head. A few weeks ago, I almost just gave in and enjoyed those little sticks of potato goodness but right before I got ready to do just that, I discovered an alternative that is so delicious! Whether you’re ditching carbs, already living a Keto lifestyle or simple looking for a fun way to introduce a new veggie to the fam, I encourage you to try out this easy air-fryer recipe for Crispy Jicama Fries.
Now, if you’re wondering what the heck a jicama is, don’t worry. I didn’t know either a few weeks ago but let me tell you, it’s a veggie that you’re gonna want to try. I found my jicama at Whole Foods and truthfully, it doesn’t look like anything I would normally buy. In fact, it looks kinda like a big root. See….
But inside the tough exterior skin of this veggie is the most delicious goodness that can mimic those craveable french fries that I’ve been dreaming of. So, let me show you exactly how to turn that ugly brown veggie into delicious, crispy faux french fry goodness.
- 1 large Jicama
- 2 tablespoons of avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- Peel the jicama and cut it into matchstick slices.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the sliced jicama for 10-12 minutes with a top on.
- Drain the jicama and add them to a large bowl.
- Toss the jicama fries in avocado oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.
- Place the jicama fries in a single layer in the basket or baking pan of your air fryer.
- Air fry the jicama fries at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until they have halved in size and are crispy on the outside.
- Serve immediately with reduced sugar ketchup.
Admittedly, Crunchy Jicama Fries take a little longer to make that the freezer french fries but stick with me and I promise the end result is worth it. To start, I needed to peel my jicama (that outer skin does not mimic the taste of rustic potato fries, trust me) and cut my jicama into fries.
It’s important to cut the fries a little bigger than the finished product that you desire because they will shrink when they are air fried. But before I put them into the air fryer, my Crispy Jicama Fries required one extra step….boiling. After adding water to a pot and salting it, I brought it to a boil, added my jicama fries and boiled them for 10-15 minutes with the lid on my pot. This was just to soften them and take out some of the crunch. Once they were boiled, I removed them from the boiling water and drained them.
Next, I added my drained jicama fries to a bowl and tossed them in avocado oil. Then I mixed in all of my seasonings and tossed the fries gently until they were evenly covered. Once my crispy jicama fries were ready to be cooked (again), I laid them in a single layer in my air fryer basket.
With all the hard work done, I air fried my Crispy Jicama Fries at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. It was really important to watch them those last five minutes because they go from perfectly crisp to a little too done in the blink of an eye. Once my Crispy Jicama Fries were cooked to perfection, I removed them from the air fryer, let them cool for a few minutes and then served them immediately.
These Crispy Jicama Fries really hit them mark and satisfied my craving for french fries without loading me up on carbs and even the kids were a big fan of the flavor that they delivered.
This was the perfect substitution for traditional fries and I love the fact that I can stay Keto and still have delicious Crispy Jicama Fries as the perfect side with burgers and more!
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