Mexican Chopped Salad (Print)

Colorful vegetable medley with black beans, avocado, and tangy lime-cilantro dressing

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
03 - 1 cup English cucumber, diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
07 - 1 avocado, diced

→ Beans

08 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

→ Cheese & Garnish

09 - 1/3 cup cotija or feta cheese, crumbled
10 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
13 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
17 - 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
18 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the chopped romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, corn, avocado, and black beans until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, red wine vinegar, honey or agave, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled cotija or feta cheese and fresh cilantro over the top. Serve immediately while vegetables are crisp.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lime-cilantro dressing wakes up everything it touches and keeps leftovers bright for days
  • You can prep all the vegetables ahead and it actually gets better as the flavors meld together
  • It's that perfect dish that makes people think you spent way more time on it than you actually did
02 -
  • Don't dress the entire salad if you're planning to have leftovers, the acid will make everything mushy overnight
  • The raw corn is intentional but if it feels too crunchy, you can quickly blanch it in boiling water
  • Letting the dressed salad sit for 10 minutes before eating actually helps the flavors meld together beautifully
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbons of cucumber for a more elegant presentation
  • Toast the corn kernels in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes first if you want deeper flavor
  • The dressing makes enough for two salads, keep the extra in a jar for quick weeknight meals

Go Back