While checking out at the grocery, the cashier said “what’s this called again?” I responded, “chayote squash.” Then she said, “What do you do with these things?” I told her I like to make a raw salad with it to serve with spicy foods, but that I know it’s often cooked as well. I still haven’t tried any cooked preparations, but I really like this dish as one of those “something different” and healthy sides that really cuts the heat alongside a spicy main. Raw, the cool and crunchy texture of this squash is somewhat similar to jicama with a very mild flavor.
Chayote Citrus Salad
- half medium red onion: thinly sliced
- one chayote squash: peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- one naval orange: peeled and segmented
- one tablespoon (packed) chopped cilantro
- juice from one lime
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- two teaspoons rice vinegar
- one generous teaspoon honey
- one tablespoon olive oil
Rinse red onion and pat dry. Place into bowl. Top with sliced squash, orange, and cilantro. In a separate dish, combine lime, salt, vinegar, honey, and olive oil. Pour dressing over salad ingredients. Season additionally with salt and pepper as needed. Let sit for about 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop, tossing occasionally. Serve and enjoy. As mentioned, I like to keep this mildly flavored as an accompaniment for something spicy, but it might be fun to add something with a little kick to the salad.
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- Finished Salad
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- Orange and Cilantro
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- Slices of Chayote
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- Chayote Sliced In Half Before Coring
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- Ingredients
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- Chayote Squash
city food. country kitchen. 