This healthy chopped salad is inspired by the bold and bright flavours of Mexico. Featuring a colourful mix of crunchy vegetables, combined with smokey corn, roasted sweet potato and tangy-sweet mango, tied together with a herb and citrus dressing, this Mexican Chopped Salad is the perfect summertime side dish. Vibrant, fresh and packed with nutrients, this Mexican Chopped Salad is both light and satisfying, making it a welcome addition to backyard barbecues, Cinco de Mayo parties or casual get togethers!.
Looking for a summer side dish that’s more exciting than coleslaw or potato salad? You’re going to love this Mexican Chopped Salad. This gorgeous salad is a riot of colour, flavours and textures, complimenting grilled meats, burgers, tacos and more. Tossed with a tangy dressing made of citrus juices, fresh cilantro and a touch of honey, this crisp salad features a wholesome array of summer fresh vegetables. Do you like things a little spicy? This recipe calls for the optional addition of a finely chopped jalapeño pepper. This traditional Mexican chili is absolutely delicious with the mango and sweet potato, and adds a little heat to the sweet, tangy, salty combo of ingredients in this dish. Don’t care for chili heat or feeling unsure? Add just a little to start, then add more to taste – or leave it out all together. It’s delicious, spicy or not. This salad does require some prep work, but much of it can be done a day or two in advance, making the salad assembly quick and easy.
What Goes In Mexican Chopped Salad?
- Avocado Oil: Used in both the salad dressing and to cook the vegetables, avocado oil brings heart-healthy fat, richness and a neutral taste.
- Sweet Potatoes: Adding both sweetness and a creamy texture to this salad, the sweet potato can be roasted up to 2 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad. One medium sweet potato, peeled and diced, will yield enough for this recipe.
- Corn Kernels: In the peak of summer, use fresh corn kernels cut from the cobs if you can. Outside of fresh corn season, you can use good quality frozen corn kernels with excellent results. Sauté the kernels in a hot pan until cooked and starting to char for a smoky sweet, Mexican Street Corn, taste.
- Carrots, Purple Cabbage and Radishes: These vegetables add nutrients and vibrant colour to this salad. Finely chopped or shredded, they also add delicious crunch to offset the creaminess of the roasted sweet potatoes. Cruchy, creamy, tangy, sweet – yum!
- Roasted Red Peppers: You can roast your own, or buy roasted red peppers in a jar; both options work well.
- Mango: Chopped mango adds an unexpected tangy-sweetness to this salad.
- Romaine Lettuce: Crisp, sturdy and full of nutrients, romaine lettuce is my number one choice in lettuce for this salad. If romaine is unavailable, iceberg lettuce can be substituted for crunch (though it is lower in flavour and nutrients).
- Orange Juice & Lime Juice: This salad comes together with a fresh and tangy dressing featuring the bright flavours of orange and lime juice. Where possible, try to use freshly squeezed citrus juice for the best flavour.
- Honey: Just a touch of sweetness from a small amount of honey balances the dressing.
- Fresh Cilantro: Maybe I should have listed this polarizing ingredient first, since some people object to any recipe containing cilantro. Love it or hate it, cilantro appears frequently in Mexican cuisine and adds a distinctive, delightful and herby flavour to this dressing. (Well, in my opinion it’s delightful.) A quarter cup of packed fresh cilantro leaves is blended into the dressing for fresh and bold flavour. If you really dislike cilantro, this salad is also delicious made with fresh parsley.
- Dried oregano, Garlic Powder and Cumin: Raid the spice drawer for dried oregano, garlic powder and cumin to add balanced deep flavour to the dressing.
- Jalapeño: This optional ingredient adds a little fresh heat to the salad. The recipe calls for one jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped. If you’re not sure about how much heat to add, start by adding just a little jalapeño to see how you like it, then add more to taste. A small dish of chopped (or sliced) jalapeños can also be served on the side, allowing heat -lovers to add it to their own salads to taste.
- Kosher Salt: This salad is deliberately light on saltiness, since it is often served as a side dish to saltier foods, such as tacos or other Mexican and Tex-Mex celebration foods. When nachos or chips and salsa are also on offer, I love to chase this salad around my plate with salty tortilla chips. If this is the happy situation, then the salad needs no additional salt. When I serve this salad with a simple grilled chicken though, I usually add more salt to taste than the recipe calls for, to bump up the flavours a little more. Note that I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in my recipes, which is less salty per volume than Windsor or Morton’s Kosher salts. If you use a brand other than Diamond Crystal, start with about half the amount of salt. How much salt a recipe warrants is usually a matter of taste, so it’s always best to add a little to start and increase the salt to your liking.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
SERVING SUGGESTIONSThis Mexican Chopped Salad is the perfect side dish for summer! The bright and fresh flavours of this fusion dish are wonderful with grilled chicken, shrimp or fish, steak or ribs. I love a big bowl of Mexican Chopped Salad with this Marinated Grilled Chicken recipe. It makes a simple, delicious and satisfying summer time dinner!
This salad is also pretty delicious scooped up with tortilla chips, making it a great side dish for a party platter of nachos. Looking for something to serve with tacos, fajitas or enchiladas? This nutritious chopped salad complements Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes beautifully. This dish feeds a crowd, making it a great addition to a buffet or potluck. The sturdy nature of the vegetables in this salad make it a great contribution to a picnic or cookout . Pack it in a leak proof container in a cooler and take it along to enjoy outdoors!
Mexican Chopped Salad
Ingredients
For The Salad
- 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp avocado oil, divided
- 2 cups diced peeled sweet potato (from 1 medium sweet potato)
- 2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup grated carrots (from about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage (about 1/4 of a small cabbage)
- 1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes (from 6-8 small radishes)
- 1 large mango, peeled and chopped
- 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- kosher salt
For The Dressing
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 2 tsp lime juice
- 2 tsp honey
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the diced sweet potato to the parchment lined pan and drizzle with 2 tsp avocado oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle the sweet potato with 1/4 tsp kosher salt, then roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. Set aside to cool. (Make ahead: Sweet potato can be roasted up to 2 days in advance and stored in a covered container in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad.)
- While the sweet potato is roasting, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and sauté until cooked and lightly charred in places, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. (Make ahead: Corn can be sautéed up to 2 days in advance and stored in a covered container in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad.)
- Make the dressing by combining 2 Tbsp avocado oil, orange juice, lime juice, honey, cilantro, oregano, garlic powder, cumin and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in the bowl of a small food processor or blender. Blitz until combined, but small pieces of cilantro leaf remain. (Make ahead: Dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in a covered container in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad.)
- Add the carrots, purple cabbage, roasted red peppers, radishes, mango, jalapeño pepper (if using), cooled sweet potato, cooled corn and romaine lettuce to a bowl and toss to mix all the ingredients evenly. Drizzle with dressing and toss to coat. Adjust salt to taste and serve salad immediately.
RECIPE NOTES
- This Mexican Chopped Salad is best served promptly after it’s made. However, because of the sturdy nature of the vegetables (carrots, cabbage, radishes, sweet potato), this salad holds up well, making it a great addition to a party buffet. Romain lettuce is a sturdier type of lettuce, retaining its crunch after being dressed much longer than softer lettuces would. Leftovers can even be refrigerated and eaten the next day with acceptable results.
