Mexican Chopped Salad
Mexican chopped salad is a refreshing easy salad that is filled with beautiful fresh produce and tossed in a homemade cilantro lime dressing. This salad has so much flavor, it will be your new favorite salad.
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Chopped salads are a favorite in my family! Everyone loves the variety of textures and flavors in every bite. They can be served as a side dish or as a full meal, which is how we usually enjoy this Greek chopped salad.
Why you will love this recipe
- Chopped salads are so versatile, see suggested variations below!
- It’s filled with healthy and fresh ingredients and easy to make!
Here is what you will need
This is a brief summary of the ingredients needed to make this chopped salad recipe and a convenient shopping list from my Instacart affiliate link. For a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card section.
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Ingredients
- Lettuce
- Red Cabbage
- Onion
- Corn
- Black beans
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Black olives
- Ripe avocado
- Homemade Cilantro Lime Dressing
🥄Equipment
How to make Mexican Chopped Salad
Prepare the ingredients: Rinse and dry all of the produce. Chop the lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, onion, olives, and avocado.
STEP 1: As you chop each vegetable, place it into a large bowl.
STEP 2: Continue to layer on the salad ingredients in the salad bowl. Add the shredded cheese last.
STEP 3: Pour on enough dressing to moisten the salad, and toss all of the ingredients together. Serve with dressing on the side.
Top with crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips for a little extra crunch.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
The full list of ingredients to make this Mexican chopped salad recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients along with ideas for substitutes.
Lettuce – Any type of chopped lettuce can be used to make this salad. I like to use a mix of chopped romaine lettuce and field greens or spinach.
Onion – Sweet onions such as Vidalia onion or red onion are my first choice for salads. The Vidalia onions offer a sweet flavor, while the red onions are less sweet, they are flavorful and add a nice color to the salad.
Corn – When it’s in season, I like to use fresh sweet corn and cut the corn kernels off of the cob. When fresh corn is not in season, I use frozen corn.
Cilantro Lime Dressing – Here is my recipe for homemade cilantro lime dressing which can be substituted with your favorite salad dressing.
Variations
One of the many great things about salads is that they are so versatile! And so is this Mexican salad recipe. You can add any kind of healthy ingredients. Here are some suggestions:
- Add more vegetables – Add any of your favorite chopped vegetables to this salad such as radishes, zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, jicama or bell peppers.
- Spicy Mexican chopped salad – Add chopped pickled jalapeno peppers, fresh jalapeno or poblano peppers to taste for a spicy salad.
- Change up the cheese – Replace the cheddar cheese with feta cheese crumbles, cotija cheese or queso fresco.
- Make the dressing creamy – Stir in a few teaspoons of Greek yogurt or sour cream to the salad dressing for a creamy version.
Serving suggestions
Serve Mexican chopped salad as a main course with grilled chicken or shredded chicken on top and garnish it with chopped fresh cilantro.
This delicious salad tastes great as a side dish for chicken tacos, enchilada casserole or on top of nachos.
How to store leftovers
Salads in general taste best when they are fresh. If you do have leftover salad, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day.
Make ahead instructions
This salad can be easily made by prepping and chopping all of the ingredients and storing them separately in the refrigerator for up to two days.
When it’s time to serve the salad, assemble it in a large bowl, add the dressing and serve.
Tips
- Save time and buy chopped lettuce from the grocery store to make this salad even faster.
- Depending on how you like your salad, you may not need to use all of the dressing on the salad. Store leftover dressing in the refrigerator.
- If you anticipate leftover salad, don’t add the dressing to the entire salad. Dress the salad in individual servings.
No, this Mexican chopped salad is not. You can easily make it a vegan salad by leaving out the cheese or replacing the cheese with vegan cheese.
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You might like these Mexican-inspired recipes
- Breakfast Tacos
- Breakfast Quesadillas
- Beef Tacos
- Black Bean & Chicken Casserole
- Mexican Grilled Street Corn Salad
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Find process photos and variations in the blog post:
Mexican Chopped SaladEquipment
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 ounces of lettuce chopped
- 6 ounces chopped red cabbage
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 3 to 4 ounces of shredded cheese
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1 avocado cut into cubes
Instructions
- Prepare and chop all of the ingredients and make the dressing
- As you chop each ingredient, add it to a large salad bowl
- Continue to add the salad ingredients ending with the olives, avocados and cheese.
- Pour on 1/3 to a 1/4 of the dressing and toss everything together.
- Serve the salad with the remaining dressing on the side.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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