This Mexican Chopped Salad is perfect with any Mexican meal and always gets rave reviews! It’s also delicious spooned over chicken, shrimp or pork or beef!
We’ve been dusting off some recipe posts that have been super popular with our readers over the past 6 years. Some of them need new photos, as we didn’t know a thing about food photography when we started this blogging venture. Others just need a bit of sprucing up. With over 1,000 recipes in the Café arsenal, many have gotten lost in the deep, dark archives. We shared this Mexican Chopped Salad almost 3 years ago, to the day. It’s way too good to be forgotten – enjoy!
This might seem a little strange, but it makes me really happy to come home from the grocery store or farmer’s market loaded down with all sorts of beautiful, fresh produce. And if I find it for a super duper price, well, let’s just say I’m like a little pig in mud.
I always have fun deciding what to do with my stash of fresh goodies. I’ve been thinking about a Mexican Chopped Salad for a while now, and when I found tiny sweet peppers, red onions, fresh succulent corn and zucchini all on sale this week, I did a little happy dance, knowing it was time to make that south of the border salad happen. I just needed to find one more item; the item that could very likely win “the ugliest member of the produce aisle” award. Can you guess what I might be?
One small jicama (pronounced hē-kə-mə) is what I needed to complete my salad. Jicama is often used in South American cooking. The plant is native to Mexico and jicama is used commonly there in all kinds of dishes. I love to use it in salsas and salads as it gives a lovely, slightly sweet crunch, and doesn’t lose it’s crispness over time.
If you’ve never used jicama before, don’t be surprised when you finally find it looking like a speckly, brown, misshapen potato. There’s lots of goodness hiding under that humble surface. It’s low in calories and high in fiber, potassium, iron and vitamin C. I would describe the taste and texture as a cross between an Asian pear, a potato and an apple. Pick one up next time you’re at the grocery, you may discover a new friend as jicama is not only wonderful diced in salads, but can also be cut in sticks and eaten with dips like hummus and dips.
Back to my Mexican Chopped Salad. It’s the kind of salad I can never get enough of; fresh, vibrantly colored, loaded with flavor. Eating it, makes me feel energetic and healthy. The dressing is light and bright, with just a few ingredients; fresh lime juice, honey, a clove of garlic and a splash of oil. A pinch of cumin along with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper finish it off perfectly. I love simple recipes like this.
If you like a little crunch in your salad, like we do, be sure to pick up a package of corn tortillas. That’s what you’ll use to make the crispy topping for this wonderful salad. Just slice them up, drizzle with a bit of oil and pop the pan in the oven till they’re gloriously golden brown; a perfect complement.
Okay, and one little secret I have to share. See how all the veggies are chopped perfectly to the same size. That’s not me. Nope, if I was doing the chopping, they’d be all random sizes. I have this Vidalia Chop Wizard that I’d have a hard time managing without. When I want to make a pot of soup or a salad with lots of chopped veggies in a hurry, I just pull out this little magic chopper and 1-2-3 I’m done!
What to serve this Mexican Chopped Salad with:
- Perfect with any Mexican entree; tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, burritos, etc
- Delicious spooned on top of nachos.
- Serve it with chips (just omit the lettuce).
- Delicious with grilled chicken, seafood, pork or beef.
- A wonderful side to serve with burgers.
- Ideal for potlucks and picnics.
If you’re craving fresh and delicious, be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list. Make this Mexican Chopped Salad and enjoy it for dinner along with some grilled chicken, pork or seafood. Then pack it up for lunch the next day, as it keeps quite well. Just a warning though; all your co-workers will be drooling over your delicious, brightly colored lunch. Enjoy!
Café Tips for Making this Mexican Chopped Salad…
- This video demonstrates the microwave corn technique. It’s really quite amazing. The corn husks and silks just pull away. The corn is clean and just slightly cooked, perfect for salads like this.
- For a pretty presentation, try to chop all the ingredients about the same size.
- Although fresh corn is ideal in this salad, you can substitute frozen corn when fresh is not available.
P.S. Do you love South-of-the-Border cuisine? Be sure to check out our Homemade Flour Tortillas. We’ve gotten over 800 comments from cooks all over the world who have fallen in love with these easy tortillas!
This Mexican Chopped Salad might just be the freshest, healthiest, most delicious salad you’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. And it’s loaded with fabulous Southwestern flavor!
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- taste and add salt if needed
- 6 6- inch corn tortillas
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 medium head romaine lettuce chopped in approximately 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium bell pepper diced in 1/4-inch pieces**, any color (I used orange)
- ½ medium red onion diced in 1/4-inch pieces**
- ½ medium jicama peeled and diced in 1/4-inch pieces**
- 1 medium zucchini diced in 1/4-inch dice**
- 4 medium tomatoes seeded and diced into 1/4-inch dice**
- 4 ears corn if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1 1/2 cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
- instructions
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For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt.
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In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk.
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Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
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For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F.
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Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, widthwise, about 1/4-inch thick.
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Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
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For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3 1/2 minutes.
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Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
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After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1 1/2 inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
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Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
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Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.
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Julie Muhlestein says
Silly question….
I am making this recipe today and fresh corn isn’t available right now so I am using frozen corn. Do I add it straight from the bag or do I cook the corn first?
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
No, don’t cook it! You want it as fresh as possible. In the process of freezing corn, it’s blanched so it’s lightly cooked already. Enjoy!
Trish says
What is the serving size for the nutritional values given?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Trish, the serving size is ¾-1 cup, depending on the size of your veggies.
Jenni Campbell says
I’m going to make this for a girls get-together this weekend. I think I’ll use the smallest cherry tomatoes I can find and leave them whole so it won’t be too runny and can be made well enough ahead of time. Do you think that would be alright?
Having not tasted this recipe, yet made a similar salsa with these ingredients, do you think crushed pineapple could go well with this dish? I made a salsa with all these ingredients, including the fresh cilantro and red onions, but also added pineapple and we dipped it with restaurant-style tortilla chips. I, for one, just love the sweet unexpected bite! It was a rave hit and I was asked to bottle it! (regrets–I never did!)
Chris Scheuer says
So sorry to be late to respond, Jenni. We were in the midst of the end of a kitchen remodel and things were pretty crazy last week. I think the cherry tomato idea is great or you could even leave the tomatoes out.
I’m not sure about the pineapple since I haven’t tried it but I love the idea of it! Please let us know if you do try it 🙂
Anonymous says
This was so good! I used a whole bag of frozen corn (warmed then cooled). I knew I would have extra so kept the romaine separate so that it wouldn’t get soggy next day. Served the corn mixture on top of romaine. Wonderful! I did have to pick out the tomato day two because it got mushy but otherwise just as good if not better day 2! I would probably just leave tomato out going forward unless I don’t expect leftovers. I love how packed this is with veggies. It was a perfect compliment to salmon and plan to use the leftovers with tacos. Delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results! Now you’ve got me in the mood to make this salad again!
Judy says
What is ajicama pepper?
Chris Scheuer says
Jicamas are not peppers. They are actually a root vegetable. They have a sweet flavor and crisp texture. You have probably passed them right up at the grocery as they are kind of ugly 🙂
Loren says
WOW! Definitely a 5 star recipe! This is one of the most delicious salad recipes that I have ever made, even members of my family who dislike regular salads raved about how tasty and good it is. Thank you for sharing it.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Loren. I love that you got non-salad people to enjoy this salad!
Xiang says
hi, scott and chris, your recipe is amazing. Are u in Mexico? can i go there and attend a salad course from you?
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Xiang! Don’t want to disillusion you but we are actually in North Carolina.:)
Michelle says
Hi I’m just trying this recipe tonight. I’m making the dressing to marinate some skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into chunks and saute them up to mix into your recipe. I also plan on making a second batch of the dressing to go on the salad. Do you reccomend corn bread or garlic bread to go as a side dish with this recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michelle, I think cornbread would be wonderful!
Gwen L says
Looks yummy, Chris. I’d like to try it and was wondering if the carb count includes the tortilla strips. Thanks much.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gwen, the carb count does not include the tortilla strips as they are optional. Hope you enjoy it!
Maggie Unzueta says
Oh my! I need this in my life. Must print your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Chris Scheuer says
Enjoy, Maggie!
KAT says
LOOKS delicious, can’t wait to try it.
Chris Scheuer says
Enjoy!
Hanka S says
I want to make this salad for a mexican pot luck, but I would like to know how to cut (prepare) the corn to look like the one in the picture (pieces of several kernels together making one piece of corn)?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Hanka, just cut the corn a little closer to the husk. You don’t want to get a lot of husk but a tiny bit holds it together.
Pam D says
This salad looks great! How far ahead of time can I make the dressing and leave it in the refrigerator? Thanks!!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Pam, you could make the dressing several days ahead.
Linda M. says
I’d liked to make this salad for a family gathering. Fresh corn is not available, so I will be subsituting frozen sweet tiny corn. Do I need cook the frozen corn for the same amount of time?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Linda, I would only cook the frozen corn until it is warm. During the freezing process, the corn is blanched so it won’t need much more cooking.
Linda M. says
Thank you!
Karen Pistey says
I have made this salad numerous times for large gatherings. I chop all the veggies by hand and since I X 4 all ingredients including the dressing it usually takes up most of the morning but it’s worth every second. It is so delicious, crisp, bright and healthy the compliments just keep coming. That being said it is now my signature dish.
Cannot say enough good things about it! ❤️
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Karen, for sharing your results. I love that this is your signature dish!
Joy says
I have made this salad twice with great results. However, the last (third) time I made this the flavor was flat. The dressing on its own tasted fabulous, but once I tossed the dressing with the salad the flavor seemed diluted and watered down. The dressing didn’t seem to coat the veggies. Has this ever happened to you? Any ideas where things went wrong? Thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Joy, I haven’t had that problem but I wonder if one of your ingredients (most probably, the tomatoes) was more watery than usual. I can’t say for sure, but that would account for the dressing not coating the veggies. You might want to try draining the tomatoes after you’ve chopped them if they’re super juicy.
LeMoyne says
Thiss salad is amazing. So fresh and flavorful. Though I guess I really need to up my chopping and overall prep skills because this took me a minimum of 45 minutes, but it was worth every minutes. My company all went for 2nds. which is unheard of for them.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, LeMoyne, so happy you enjoyed it! You might need to invest in a chopper. You’ll be shocked at how quickly you can chop up a bunch of veggies!
Pat says
If you are going to make this salad a lot I, too, recommend a chopper. Mines a little bit different but I use it all the time and love it. Saves a lot of time.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Pat!
Brenda Schmidling says
If I am planning on taking this to a family get-together , should I put the dressing on when it’s first made or wait to put the dressing on when I get to our destination?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Brenda, I would wait until you get there to add the dressing. ENJOY!!
Marilyn says
Can I make this a day ahead for a party? Maybe I should put everything together but the Zucchini and dressing and do that on the day of the party… what do you think..suggestion
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Marilyn! Yes you could make it ahead and even add the zucchini. I would just add the dressing right before serving.
Kathy says
This is one of the best salad recipes I’ve ever tried! So crisp and fresh and flavorful. And it stays fresh for several days. I doubled the dressing, as the salad is a large quantity, and added the dressing and tomatoes and before serving. We love it!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Kathy! So glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of our all-time favorites 🙂
Robin says
How anyone could rate this less than five stars is beyond my understanding. This combination of veggies and the fresh dressing is killer. This is a keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! Thanks so much, Robin. I’m so happy you love it as much as we do 🙂
Tax says
Do you cook the zucchini first?
Chris Scheuer says
No, you don’t.
Fox says
Can you sub can corn?
Chris Scheuer says
You could but I would use a sweet small corn, like Summer Sweet.
Chris L says
In the picture with the chopped ingredients on a plate, what is the green item between the corn and chopped white item?
Chris Scheuer says
I believe that is fresh oregano. The first time I made the salad I used oregano but prefer cilantro.
Daisy says
Looks like the stock photo from the chopper add to me…because I don’t see green onions on the ingredient list.
Chris Scheuer says
Your very observant Daisy. It actually is my own shot of the ingredients but it was one of the early versions. I usually make a recipe quite a few times before I actually post it. If you look at the ingredient list, it includes a red onion. This version had a white onion. I decided red would be a lot prettier. The shot of the chopper itself is a stock shot though.