Mexican Chopped Salad

This Mexican Chopped Salad is perfect for a summer picnic or bbq and is so easy to make with less than 10 ingredients. Grilled corn, black beans, and avocado are tossed together with crunchy romaine and a lime vinaigrette for tons of flavor in every bite.

Chopped salads are everywhere right now. You get each component in every bite which makes them craveable and delicious. Loaded with bright color, crunchy texture and a zesty Mexican Salad Dressing, this refreshing Mexican Salad Recipe is simple to throw together and packed with layers of flavor. It’s light and full of healthy ingredients, yet unbelievably satisfying.

Whether you serve it as a quick midday lunch, or as an easy elevated side dish, the options are endless. But most importantly—it’s restaurant quality, at home, which is the best of both worlds in my opinion.

If you like this Mexican Salad idea, don’t sleep on our other go-to salad recipes. They’re light and delicious, and perfect to serve with any meal. Simple sides like this are a great way to amp up any spread too, so if you’re a fan of this one, I highly recommend checking out our Mexican Cole Slaw with Corn—it’s fresh and impressive, and always a hit. Serve any of these alongside a simple protein, like our personal favorites, Grilled Chimichurri Chicken or Skirt Steak, and you’re in business.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Gone are the days of boring, soggy salads! Flavorful and ultra-crisp, this is anything but boring and pairs wonderfully with our Monterey Chicken.

• Made with Fresh, Flavorful Ingredients: With ingredients like crisp romaine lettuce, fresh, frozen or even canned corn if it’s what you’ve got on hand, fiber-packed black beans, creamy ripe avocados and tangy limes, this salad’s got everything. Bonus, the vinaigrette is made up of mostly pantry ingredients, so you’re already halfway there!

• Use the Grill or a Grill Pan: Use a grill pan or your backyard grill for the corn in this recipe. Both work great, which makes this a versatile dish you can make year-round.
• Customizable Side or Main Course: This salad is light and refreshing, which makes it a perfect side dish—you can even add in any other fresh veggies or herbs you’ve got on hand. Bell peppers and cilantro would pair nicely with the other ingredients. Or, serve this alongside a grilled top sirloin steak or your favorite protein to turn it into a main course meal or hearty dinner idea.
• Healthy Meal Idea: Made with simple and fresh ingredients, this salad is healthy and full of nutrition. It’s on the lighter side if you serve it on it’s own, but it’s beyond satisfying thanks to the fiber-rich black beans and avocado.
• Great for Meal Prep: With a quick prep time, this salad is perfect to make ahead and store in the fridge for an easy meal. Grill the corn ahead of time, make a big batch of the vinaigrette, and prep the other salad ingredients (minus the avocado) in separate containers so when you’re ready to eat, simply toss all of it together.

Mexican Chopped Salad Ingredients

Chopped Salad:

• Sweet Corn: I love using fresh corn if it’s in season, but if it’s not, frozen or even canned work just as well. You can char it up off the cob in a cast-iron skillet just as easily. And any variety will add a nice, bright sweetness to the salad.
• Black Beans: Canned black beans are one of those ingredients you should always have on hand in your pantry. They’re hearty, versatile and packed with protein and fiber—a personal favorite of mine.
• Scallions: These add a nice, slightly sharp bite to the salad. They’ve got a mild onion-like flavor and when you slice them on the bias they visually elevate the dish.
• Romaine Hearts: The key ingredient and base of this salad—romaine is the workhorse of many salads. It’s crispy, crunchy, light and refreshing. The leaves are sturdy enough to stand up to all mix-ins and any dressing. You can also use iceberg lettuce.
• Avocados: Creamy, ripe avocados add a nice richness. They’re smooth texture compliments the crunchy lettuce and corn.

Lime Vinaigrette:

• Lime Juice: Fresh is best! Fresh, acidic lime juice is key to making this dressing.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use a good quality evoo in all of my vinaigrettes. A good olive oil is deeply flavorful, fruity and slightly spicy.
• Agave Nectar or Honey: All dressings can use a subtle hint of sweetness to balance tangy acidity. Add a little more or less, based on your personal preference.
• Cumin and Coriander: Both are slightly earthy in flavor, but essential to Mexican-inspired dishes. You can find ground versions of both in the spice aisle of your grocery store.
• Salt and Pepper: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, always be seasoning (and tasting)! I develop recipes using Morton kosher salt. If you’re using Diamond Crystal, you will likely need a bit more.

How To Make Mexican Chopped Salad

The key to a great chopped salad is making sure everything is well combined, all ingredients are about the same size, and the whole thing is generously dressed—you don’t want a dry leaf in the house. This is all accomplished in this recipe with these easy ingredients and tangy vinaigrette.

1. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium then coat the grates (or pan) with oil. Once hot, add your corn and grill until charred. You’ll want to turn the corn occasionally until all sides get a kiss from the grill.

2. Meanwhile, make the lime vinaigrette by whisking together lime juice, oil, agave, cumin, and coriander. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set this aside.

3. Once your corn is off the grill and cool enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cobs.

4. Add your corn kernels to a bowl with the black beans and scallions

5. In another bowl, add the romaine, then add in half of the bean and corn mixture, and half of the vinaigrette, and toss everything together until combined.

6. Before serving, top with your remaining corn and bean mixture and some sliced avocado. Top with a bit more vinaigrette or serve it on the side.

Variations & Substitutions

• Add Extra Vegetables or Herbs: This recipe is great for using any fresh produce you’ve got in the fridge. Bell peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, red onions and fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley would pair perfectly here.
• Top With a Simply Seasoned Protein: To make this light dish more of a main course, but without too much work, top with simply seared shrimp or blackened salmon, or grilled chicken or steak.

• Add Cheese or Seeds: Crumbled Cotija, shredded Cheddar, or even a mild feta or goat cheese would be nice here. Add some toasted pepitas for an extra nutty crunch.

Storage & Meal Prep Instructions

Meal Prep: This salad is great to prep-ahead. Grill your corn ahead of time and prepare the beans, scallions, and lettuce. Keep your ingredients in separate containers and everything is at the ready for you to combine when it’s time to eat. Hold off on the avocado though, don’t slice until right before serving.

Make-Ahead Vinaigrette: Make a batch of the vinaigrette ahead of time and store it in the fridge in an airtight jar or container. It’ll keep for 5 to 7 days. Allow it to come to room temperature for a few minutes before dressing your salad.

For the Fridge: You can store all of the salad ingredients, separate or combined, in airtight containers in the fridge for about a week. Keep the vinaigrette separate of course, and when you’re ready to eat, simple toss everything together.

What To Serve With a Mexican Chopped Salad

This salad is so flavorful and vibrant, it’s perfect on it’s own as a light lunch or a side salad, but you can easily serve it alongside a simple protein or Mexican-inspired main dish to make it a heartier meal.

We have lots of options below, everything from steak and chicken to seafood and salsas to serve on the side—there’s something for everyone.

• Skirt Steak: Simple to prep, quick cooking and versatile, skirt steak is the perfect protein to top a salad with.
• Ribeye Steak: If you want something a bit richer and beefier in flavor, a ribeye will get the job done. Try reverse searing it.
• Mexican Shredded Beef: Super tender and flavor-packed, this braised shredded beef is always a crowd-favorite.
• Chipotle Lime Shrimp: Light, bright, and simple to prepare, this shrimp would go great served on top of this chopped salad.
• Salsa Verde Chicken: Bright and herby flavors from the salsa verde are delicious and pair well with almost any protein, especially chicken.
• Roasted Tomatillo Salsa: There’s really nothing like homemade salsa—serve this with chips or as a condiment.
• Tomato and Chipotle Salsa: With a little kick from the chipotle, this salsa has some heat that pairs nicely with a side of chips, or as a topper for simply seared or grilled meat.