Cilantro Lime Chayote Slaw Recipe

Chayote Recipe – Cilantro Lime Chayote Slaw is crunchy and vibrant.  Using chayote squash, cabbage, carrots and jalapeno this slaw is perfect for tacos. It also makes a great light and healthy side dish for any dinner!

Chayote – have you ever heard of it?  I hadn’t until recently.  But as the hottest fruit of 2019, I needed to find out more about the chayote squash.  Read on to find out more about it, and to get a chayote recipe so you can try it out for yourself!

What is Chayote?

Chayote is a member of the gourd family. Specifically, it is a  Cucurbitaceae, and in the same family as pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber and melons. You probably have walked by it in the produce section of the grocery store and just never noticed it.  Chayote is also called a mirliton squash, christophene or christophine, cho-cho (cute!) or my favorite – vegetable pear.  And although it does look a bit like a misshapen pear, it actually isn’t a vegetable. In fact, Chayote is a fruit – all gourds are (yes, even pumpkins!).

What Does Chayote taste like?

Since Chayote is a squash, it shouldn’t be a surprise that it tastes similar to a zucchini.  Although I also thought it tasted like a cucumber, and some people say it tastes a bit like an apple or jimca. It is crunchy and mild.

Do you need to peel Chayote Squash?

You do not need to peel chayote squash.  The skin is thin and tender.  For this Cilantro Lime Chayote Slaw I did not peel the chayote.

Can Chayote be eaten raw?

Chayote can be eaten raw or cooked.  In this slaw recipe, the chayote squash is raw to take advantage of it’s crunchy texture.  But chayote can also be lightly cooked, just as you would prepare any summer squash.

Are Chayotes good for you?

Chayotes are considered healthy as they are very low calorie, very low in fat, and high in fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C.  The nutritional info per cup for is chayotes: 25 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, 2.2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

How do you pronounce chayote?

That all sounds great, but how do you even pronounce chayote?  Just like this: Chah-YO-Tay

So what do you say?  Will you try the Chayote?

After you try the Cilantro Lime Chayote Slaw, Try these other Chayote Recipes:

Chayote with Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Creamy Chayote Gratin

Sauteed Chayote with Sweet Onion and Bacon

Cilantro Lime Chayote Slaw

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chayote, Slaw, Taco Slaw

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 6 Cups

Calories: 32kcal

Ingredients

• 1 chayote cut into short, thin strips (julienne)
• 3 cups purple cabbage thinly sliced
• 3 carrots shredded
• 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped
• 1 japaleno diced
• 2 TBSP lime juice about 1 lime
• ½ tsp coarse sea salt or to taste. Use half the amount if using regular table salt.

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss until fully mixed.

Notes

You do not need to peel the chayote.

Salt will draw out moisture from the vegetables, so it is best to serve this the same day it is made.  However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.6g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 0.2g