Mexican Chopped Salad

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It is an incredible mix that will keep you going back for more. This salad has a little bit of everything, and it all works together beautifully. The grilled corn is seasoned with cumin and chili powder, which contrasts perfectly with the touch of sweetness in the dressing. 

The salad has grilled corn. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to cook fresh corn for a salad. It’s easy, and I love seeing those lightly charred kernels. But don’t worry if you don’t have a grill, you can roast the corn instead. Those instructions are included in the recipe card below.

The honey lime dressing brings everything together. Honey adds a subtle amount of something sweet that pairs well with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro and the rest of the components in the salad.

What Makes a Great Chopped Salad

Use fresh ingredients. Make sure your romaine is in peak condition, so it’s crisp and fresh. Avoid any wilted or limp leaves. Even though this salad has a lot of other elements, always think of lettuce as the starting point for any chopped salad. It’s important to kick off things on the right note.

Remember, the more variety, the better. This has to do with texture, color and flavor. Every time you put your fork into a chopped salad, each bite should be different. Here you have the crunch of red peppers and the juiciness of cherry tomatoes along with soft black beans, smoky grilled corn and creamy avocados tossed in a citrusy vinaigrette.

Embrace additions. Chopped salads are welcoming. What I mean by that is that you can throw in additional diced veggies or proteins like grilled chicken or shrimp. They are garbage salads in the best way possible. Don’t hesitate to add something extra. These salads are great for using up small quantities of leftovers.

The Ingredients

This is what you need:

• Corn: Grilled corn is the only ingredient you have to cook in this recipe. The freshest ears of corn that aren’t dried out should be tightly wrapped in their husks, and the silk threads at the top should be damp. 
• Romaine hearts are wonderful for chopped salads. They are the center leaves of romaine heads. These leaves tend to be more crisp and sweeter. Always wash romaine lettuce after you chop it because it tends to have lingering dirt on it.
• Black beans are fantastic in salads. You can substitute with kidney beans if you want. 
• Tomatoes: I prefer cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. They will hold together better when they’re tossed in the salad unlike dicing a larger tomato.
• Bell peppers: The recipe calls for 1 pepper. I use an orange, yellow or red bell pepper because they are sweeter than green peppers which can be bitter.
• Red onions are crisp and have a nice sharpness in salads.
• Avocados: Just dicing an avocado adds a lovely creaminess.
• Cheese: I use either crumbled cotija cheese or feta cheese. Both have a drier consistency and strong salty, milky flavor.
• Cilantro is the perfect choice for chopped fresh herbs in the salad. It just makes sense with the other flavors. If you aren’t a fan of cilantro, then leave it out.
• Spices: Other than salt and pepper, I also season the corn with cumin and chili powder.
• Honey lime dressing: The name sums it up. The dressing has fresh lime juice, honey, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Use extra virgin olive oil for the best taste.

Optional Additions

As mentioned, this salad can take on more ingredients depending what you have in your kitchen:

• Chicken, shrimp, salmon or steak: Any of these proteins grilled would be very tasty in the salad.
• Jicama gives the salad crunchy, almost juicy bites. If you do include it, dice it.
• Cabbage: You can use a combination of romaine and shredded cabbage for more variety.
• Tortilla chips can act like croutons. Just take some chips, crumble them in your hands and sprinkle them on top as you are spooning the recipe into salad bowls when you’re ready to serve it. 

How To Make This Mexican Chopped Salad Recipe

Preheat the gas or charcoal grill on high heat.

1. Marinate the corn. Whisk together the oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Rub it or brush it all over the corn.

2. Grill the corn turning it every so often until it is lightly charred. This will take 5-7 minutes.

3. Slice the corn kernels off the cobs.

4. Make the vinaigrette. Whisk together the the garlic, honey, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Combine the salad ingredients in a big bowl including the romaine, grilled corn, black beans, peppers, onions, avocados, cheese and cilantro.

6. Drizzle the dressing into the salad. Toss to combine.

You Can Roast Corn Instead of Grilling It

If you don’t have a grill, another way to cook the corn is to roast it. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Take a sharp knife and slice the kernels off the cobs. Stir the corn with the olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Then spread it across a sheet pan. Roast it for 22-25 minutes until the kernels are lightly browned. 

Serving

This is a great choice for an entree salad, but you can also treat it like a side dish and pair it with tacos or burritos. It’s wonderful with Tex Mex dishes like fajitas too. Serve the salad with these Barbecue Tofu Veggie Skewers or Grilled Vegetable Burrito Bowls. Wait to dress the salad until right before you are about to serve it, so it stays crisp.

Leftovers & Storage

You can save the salad in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. It’s best not to toss the salad in the dressing if you are planning to have leftovers, or the lettuce will become soggy. Keep the dressing in a jar separate from the salad.

More Salad Recipes

Italian Chopped Salad
Southwest Pasta Salad
Roasted Bell Pepper Salad
Grilled Romaine Salad
Blueberry Corn Salad
Mango Avocado Salad
Black Bean and Corn Salad