This Mexican Chopped Salad is fresh, vibrant, and bursting with crunchy veggies, creamy avocado, and a zesty lime dressing.
As a food lover, I’m always interested to see how salads from different parts of the world are so uniquely different. This recipe for a Mexican chopped salad is a great example of that. It has one of the most unique sets of ingredients I’ve ever found in a salad. Not many salads have beans in them along with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and other vegetables. When you mix them all together, you get a vibrant array of colors—just looking at this salad makes me hungry!
Fortunately, Mexican chopped salad tastes as good as it looks. Every vegetable brings a different taste and texture to the salad. The crunch of the romaine lettuce pairs perfectly with juicy grape or cherry tomatoes. Meanwhile, the beans and avocado add a softer texture profile along with their own unique flavors. The special dressing that’s made specifically for this salad is a little bit sweet with honey and a little bit tangy from the lime juice, making it the perfect complement for a salad that’s loaded with colorful veggies.
Is Mexican Chopped Salad Healthy?
Mexican chopped salad is full of fresh ingredients, primarily vegetables. Between the romaine lettuce, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onion, there are a variety of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in this salad, as well as plenty of fiber. On top of that, the black beans offer a healthy dose of plant-based protein.
Load Up Your Salad
Since this salad is perfect for vegetable lovers, don’t be shy about adding even more veggies. For example, the recipe calls for a red bell pepper, but you can add orange and yellow bell peppers to provide even more sweetness and color. Likewise, rather than choosing between grape and cherry tomatoes, feel free to include a cup of both. I’ve found chickpeas, carrots, and other veggies also add taste and texture to this salad. You can mix and match different types of greens with this recipe. Instead of four cups of romaine, use a little less so that you can include spinach, baby chard, or kale in the salad, too.
FAQs & Tips
Leftover salad is easy to store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure you store the dressing separately from the salad, and dress it right before serving.
You can chop up all of the vegetables ahead of time and store them separately until you’re ready to put the salad together. Just leave chopping the avocado till you’re ready to serve, as it tends to go brown when exposed to the air for too long. The dressing can also be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Sprinkling a few crumbled corn tortillas or tortilla strips on this salad can give it some crunch. You could also try sprinkling sunflower or pumpkin seeds on top of the salad.
Serving Suggestions
Naturally, Mexican chopped salad is the perfect appetizer or side dish to a Mexican or Tex-Mex dish. I would recommend making Healthy Tacos or perhaps Avocado Tacos for a vegetarian-friendly meal. Meanwhile, if you want to stay health-conscious but don’t mind a little meat, I suggest trying Healthy Chicken Enchiladas or a Healthy Chicken Quesadilla. For a quick and filling Mexican dish with a chopped salad on the side, I recommend Mexican Keto Ground Beef Casserole.
Mexican Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1/3 cup red onion diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
-
If using frozen corn, thaw it; if using fresh corn, cook it if needed.
-
In a large bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, avocado, red onion, and cilantro.
-
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
-
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
-
Sprinkle with crumbled feta or cotija cheese if using, and serve immediately.
Nutrition
The post Mexican Chopped Salad appeared first on Food Faith Fitness.
