Mexican Chopped Salad
This is a delightful salad for the sultry days of summer. Full of fresh, colorful vegetables, black beans and Mexican cheese, it’s dressed in a cilantro, lime vinaigrette with a slight kick! This is one of my go-to dishes to take to friends who need a meal, especially when the weather has been hot and miserably humid. A few years back, I made a double batch to share with my dear friends across while their kitchen was out of commission. They tend to watch their carbs so they loved it. Today, I’m running this to some new parents who could use a break from meal prep. A quick text was needed to see if they were lovers or haters of cilantro and whether to tone down the spice in the salad dressing and I was set.
Easily Adapted for Carnivores
Chicken or grilled shrimp would be wonderful additions especially if there needs to be substantial protein involved to be considered dinner (I speak from experience!). I dusted some chicken with salt, pepper and some fajita seasoning before cooking, shredding and adding to the mix for the young family. Stay tuned for the easy chocolate cookie bars I made for their dessert (on the blog in August). Even the hubby with his dessert repertoire of one dish (chocolate chip cookie bars) might be able to whip those up! For a fall or winter alternative, this Crockpot Fiesta Mexican Chicken & Rice would also be a hit!
Progressive Eats
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Our menu this month features all dishes that include our favorite herbs! We’ve got a great mix from a cocktail to desserts; all recipes showing just how versatile these garden favorites can be! Hosting this month is Laura from Mother Would Know.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.
Summer Herbs Every Which Way
Cocktail
- Lemon Rosemary Shrub Cocktail from Mother Would Know
Appetizer
- Rosemary Potato Chips with Herb Aioli from The Red Head Baker
Main Course
- Mayo-Free Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Lemon and Herbs from Healthy Delicious
- Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (Gluten-Free) from The Heritage Cook
Side Dishes
- Mexican Chopped Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Mexican Green Goddess Pasta Salad from Pastry Chef Online
Dessert
- Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies from Creative Culinary
Used in This Recipe:
- Wusthof Classic 6-inch Wave Knife (Perfect for cutting tomatoes!)
- OXO Non-Slip Cutting Board
- Pyrex 3-Piece Glass Measuring Cup Set
(I like to mix my salad dressings right in a liquid measuring cup. From there, it’s easy to pour into a container or right onto the salad).
(I like to mix my salad dressings right in a liquid measuring cup. From there, it’s easy to pour into a container or right onto the salad).Mexican Chopped Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette
A marvelous summer salad adapted from Self Magazine
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 1/2 cups shredded (or chopped) romaine lettuce
- 1 can black beans (12.5 ounces), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, or grape tomatoes, halved
- 3/4 cup chopped, peeled jicama
- 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (or fresh sweet corn taken off the cob)
- Whole ripe avocado, diced
- 1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4-1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons, chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced jalapeno
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all salad ingredients together in large bowl. In glass jar or measuring cup, mix together dressing ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over salad, mix and serve.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 228kcal Calories from fat 103 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat 2g | 10% |
| Transfat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium 482mg | 20% |
| Carbohydrate 27g | 9% |
| Dietary Fiber 7g | 28% |
| Sugars 8g | |
| Protein 7g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
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This looks so good I would take it over a piece of cake right now! Gorgeous photos
what a great salad, love the beans and freshness here delicous!
It looks so fresh and beautiful :)I especially love the dressing…seems flavourful 🙂
This looks so good…and refreshing! I could totally make a meal of this on a hot Texas evening…but add me to the club with husbands who don’t consider a salad an entree unless there’s some meat in the mix!!
Sounds delicious, fresh and easy. And perfect for summer.
Lovely Liz! We love light summer dinners!
Love salads like this, but I’m like your husband it’s not dinner without meat.
Lucky neighbours! “adapted from Self” – good to know you are adaptable:)
Ficou com uma linda apresentação, toda colorida!!
Beijinhos
Looks very refreshing! Yum!
I like that it is so colorful! And dressing sounds good and spicy.
How delicious! That salad sounds fantastic! My husband believes a meal Isn’t a meal without meat either 🙂
What lucky neighbours to have you close by to whip up a salad like this! LOVE the zingy dressing – loads of my favourite flavours in one hit.
I love salads like this one in the heat of the summer. My husband would like to add chicken too…it just means he has to do the grilling while I stay in the air conditioning 🙂
Looks delicious! I’ve been looking for a good Mexican-inspired salad dressing and this one looks like a winner.
Uma maravilha gostei muito de conhecer o blogue…bjs
yummm!
I crave salads and this is one I need to bookmark for when a craving hits. I would love to have this for lunch. Yummy!
Looks (and sounds) delicious. I love that it doesn’t require turning on the oven!
Colorful and sound delicious! Great salad!
I absolutely love a chunky Mexican style salad! It’s one of my favorites at Chevy’s but I would so much rather make my own! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I have to thank you so much because now I know what I’m preparing for dinner tonight – brilliant!
Mary
LOVE the presentation in the first pic!!! I want that salad NOW!
I couldn’t resist making Mexican yesterday either! It’s just so refreshing and perfect for those summer days. Your chopped salad looks so gorgeous! All the colors and the perfectly cut veggies make it look so enticing.
Our husbands should meet. They could discuss substantial protein. As for me, I am a sucker for salads and don’t even get me started on the virtues of cilantro.
Hi Lizzy! Oh my, this looks perfect right now. It has been SO SO hot here in Austin. We need cool dinner options like this. Thank you for sharing, my friend. I’m hungry and wishing I could have THIS for dinner. Blessings and love from Austin!
I like how all your components are lined up alongside each other. Great colors!
I love this dressing. I love your top picture with all the beautiful colors on the platter.
Lizzy-this salad is absolutely splendid for these hot summer days. So colorful, and beautiful. I love the queso cheese you added, and the perfect combinations of the veggies.
Glad you added yourself on this creation…you deserve a lot of credit, and praise for this, my dear friend:D
xoxo
Your presentation is beautiful.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
This is a beautiful salad! Its just calling me to have a big bowl. It does look perfect for a summer dinner and all of the flavors sound wonderful together!
Wow, this salad is beautiful Lizzy! Great colors and Im sure tastes amazing!
Lizzy…this is so colorful…truly mexican salad and I love the dressing for this salad 🙂 thanks for sharing this colorful salad 🙂
That tomato tart is unbelievably pretty, Lizzy, and it looks divine. Paired with this salad (love the deconstructed serving platter idea) with the beans and the chilli in the dressing = perfection. Nice to highlight the “lighter” protein options also…I think people forget that beans actually pack quite a protein bang for their buck!
This looks so good, especially the dressing.
Beautifully presented. I’m loving fresh summer salads at the moment.
This look wonderful.
Cindy B.
cindyskitchen@yahoo.com
great idea! I love all the ingredients..yum for summer!
I love all the variety and colors, very nice salad. And the first pic is awesome, reminds me of a salad niçoise
This is a very timely recipe for me, I am officially on “skinny patrol” after my week of New York restaurants and indulging… I love recipes that are both healthy and flavorful, like this one. 🙂
I am happy with a good salad. It used to be pasta but not it is a healthy choice. this sounds filling enough to make a really good lunch.
This is a beautiful salad and I LOVE your presentation! Yum!
What a beautiful, colorful salad, Lizzy! I love the addition of jicama too. Great presentation!
beautiful colourful salad thank you for linking it to the food palette series rainbow colours
This is a long time fav of mine havent done this in a long time but looks like I need to do this again asap!
A terrific summer salad recipe indeed! I must try that dressing too – this is my favorite way to eat in the summer. Thanks for sharing!
I love Mexican flavors, and this salad sounds fantastic. Such an easy peasy and delicious salad. That Cilantro Vinaigrette sounds wonderful. I am sure this is so full of fantastic flavors.
Mmm…I love a good summer salad! I love how versatile this is and how easy to customize according to personal taste. I bet your neighbors and friends were delighted to get a yummy meal like this one!
I love Mexican flavors and this is the perfect salad for hot summer days and nights! Perfect accompaniment for our #ProgressiveEats dinner and it could easily be my entire meal. Love this beautiful, healthy dish!!
Fantastic ingredient combination, Liz, and that vinaigrette sounds wonderful!
Great presentation, Liz and it looks delicious! My family would love it! thanks for sharing!
I’m all about light and fresh summer salads these days!! We love Mexican and this looks just so perfect!!
What lovely summer flavours in such a beautiful salad.
This is so pretty! And makes wonderful use of summer’s bounty. Really good recipe — thanks.
Composed salads are such a nice visual. Love the sounds of the cilantro vinaigrette.
What a perfect summer salad. Thanks for joining this month’s Progressive Eats.
This plate is so gorgeous, looks like a mexican Niçoise! And I am really curious to make the cilantro vinaigrette, I am a huge cilantro fan!
oh wow! looks delicious! and love the colours. ! like summer on a plate 🙂
This looks healthy and delicious. Salads are always good for hot summer days!
What a fabulous salad, and you already know that you had inspired me to make your other chopped salad at the cottage for some vegetarian friends so this one will also be on my to do list! One of my favourite salads at our “Mexican place” is a jicama, avocado and mango salad, it is soooo good, your chopped salad takes it up a notch! Loving the colours too. How nice that you made it for new parents, they must have loved it.
I am hoping to find some decent avocados so I can make this gorgeous salad. For the last several months avocados around here are either hard as a rock or mushy beyond belief. With or without protein I will enjoy this!
Need to try this and like the various adaptions you suggested (for more protein). I have never used queso fresco! I am going to be spending part of the upcoming winter in San Miguel de Allende so trying to acquaint myself with Mexican cuisine – the real deal, I mean.
This is my kind of salad and I can’t wait to try your cilantro vinaigrette – it sounds like the perfect marinade for grilled shrimp!
This looks so refreshing. Perfect for a BBQ party on a hot summer day 🙂