Mexican Chopped Salad
A bright, crunchy, and colorful salad perfect for weeknight dinners, meal prep, or potlucks, combining fresh ingredients for a lively meal.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 0.5 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 0.5 cup yellow corn kernels Canned or frozen can be used
- 0.25 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 avocado, diced Use ripe ones for best flavor
- 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped Can be substituted with parsley or basil
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced Adjust according to heat preference
- 0.25 cup cotija cheese, crumbled Feta can be used as a substitute
Dressing & Seasoning
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice Double if serving with rich dishes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt Adjust according to taste
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash and prepare all vegetables and herbs by chopping, halving, or mincing as specified.
- In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and avocado.
- Drizzle olive oil and lime juice over the vegetable mixture.
- Sprinkle cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper on top.
- Gently toss the salad until all ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing and spices.
- Transfer to a serving dish and evenly sprinkle crumbled cotija cheese over the salad.
- Serve immediately or chill for 15 minutes for flavors to meld.
Notes
Prep vegetables the night before, but add avocado just before serving for best texture. Store dressing separately for batch cooking.