This Mexican chopped salad is bursting with flavors and textures. Add some protein for a complete meal or enjoy it as a side along with lunch or dinner!
I absolutely love the flavors in this Mexican Chopped Salad recipe. It’s inspired by my Mexican Tortilla Casserole, and the two work SO well together as a complete meal. If you love salads that are bright and full of texture, this will be right up your alley. The creamy cilantro lime dressing is slightly sweet and tart, making it a perfect balance against more neutral-flavored ingredients like avocados and black beans. Corn and lettuce add just the right amount of delicate texture.
Salad Ingredients
- Corn
- Lettuce
- Black beans
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Red onion or shallots
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Dressing Ingredients
- Sour cream
- Scallion
- Lime juice
- Crushed red pepper
- Olive oil
- Honey
How to Make Mexican Chopped Salad
This is such an easy salad! There are basically 3 steps:
- Shuck and briefly cook the corn. I use the microwave to accomplish both in one step. The microwave is like magic for shucking corn, and the silks peel right off!
- Puree the dressing ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy.
- Toss the salad and dressing together, then serve.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- This is a very flexible recipe; you can adjust the ingredient quantities based on your personal preferences. Add more avocado, less black beans, skip the cilantro (I know at least a few of you who will), etc.
- If you want more of a bitter back note, try using baby arugula instead of lettuce.
- For a more complete meal, add grilled chicken, steak, salmon or tofu!
- If you’d like some more crunch, fried corn tortilla strips would be a perfect addition.
Storage Instructions
Leftover salad dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. The salad is best enjoyed immediately, but will keep in the refrigerator for a couple days.
More Salad Recipes
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my Cucumber Salad, Greek Pasta Salad, and Sesame Corn Salad. I also love this broccoli salad from Fifteen Spatulas.
You can see my full archive of salad recipes here!
Mexican Chopped Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2 ears corn
- 5 cups lettuce, shredded
- 1 cup cooked black beans (rinsed and drained if using canned)
- 1/2 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons red onions or shallots, finely diced
- 1 ripe avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Microwave the corn for two minutes. This will cook the corn just enough for the salad, and also make it super easy to shuck. Let the corn cool briefly after removing from the microwave, then shuck, discarding the leaves and silk. Slice the corn off the cob.
- Add the corn, lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, red onions, avocado, and cilantro to a large bowl.
- Prepare the dressing: Add the sour cream, cilantro, scallion, lime juice, crushed red pepper, olive oil, salt and honey to a blender. Puree until smooth and creamy.
- Toss the salad ingredients with as much dressing as you like. Serve immediately.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Love this recipe! I have a similar that I do with a lime-cilantro dressing, but I love the idea of adding sour cream to it. Yum.
Made this for lunch and it was perfect. Will definitely make it again!
This Mexican chopped salad is colorful, delicious and refreshing! It’s a wonderful choice for lunch, or for a special celebration like the 4th of July!