This Mexican Chopped Salad is a protein-rich, yummy plant-based dish. I’ve added black beans, corn, radish, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Then, toppings of creamy omega-rich avocado, crunchy corn tortilla strips, and a sweet ‘n tangy maple lime vinaigrette!
Mexican Chopped Salad: A Fresh Lunch Idea
My Mexican green salad recipe is a wonderful way to vary your salad from day to day. As Dr. Fuhrman says, “The salad is the main dish.” You may think animal protein completes a salad, but this dish has more protein than you may think! In fact, this is a fully vegan Mexican salad recipe. You won’t miss the meat one bit, trust me.
The beans are a great source of fiber and protein. I advise eating a large salad like this chopped Mexican salad for lunch and a smaller meal for dinner since you are less likely to burn many calories at night.
One of my favorite parts of making salads at home is making the dressing from scratch, too. For your homemade Mexican chopped salad dressing, you’ll need fresh lime juice, maple syrup, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeno. Just add these ingredients together to pour over your salad.
No matter what you call it — Mexican green salad, vegan Mexican salad, or jicama salad — this recipe is one of my favorite plant-based salads to add to my weekly meal plans.
What is Jicama?
A key ingredient to my Mexican chopped salad is jicama — which is why I sometimes call this dish jicama salad! It’s a root vegetable that boasts a crispy and crunchy texture. It’s slightly sweet and just so refreshing. Jicama is not only an excellent source of fiber but also contains Vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, potassium, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, and even a small amount of protein.
Why I Love Adding Avocado to Vegan Mexican Salad
Avocado is a wonderful source of monounsaturated fatty acids. These beauties are naturally nutrient-dense food and contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. They contain more potassium than bananas, are high in fiber, and contain 2 grams of protein per 1 cup. It is even studied that eating avocados regularly can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, making this a powerhouse food.
How to Make Chopped Mexican Salad
You can find detailed instructions for making my Mexican green salad at home on the recipe card below. In the meantime, here’s what you can expect!
Step 1: Create Your Homemade Tortilla Strips
Stack 2-3 corn tortillas on a cutting board and cut them in half, then cut each half into 1/3-inch strips. Place the strips on a microwave-safe plate and sprinkle with water or a bit of apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt. Microwave the tortilla strips for your vegan Mexican salad for about 2 minutes. Check for crispiness and cook longer if desired. Remember: the strips will get crunchier as they cool!
Step 2: Combine the Ingredients
Place all the lettuce, black beans, chopped tomatoes, peeled and chopped jicama, corn, sliced radishes, and chopped red bell pepper into a large salad bowl and toss to combine.
Step 3: Make Your Homemade Mexican Green Salad Dressing
Add the fresh lime juice, date syrup, chopped cilantro, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeños into a medium-sized bowl and mix.
Step 4: Garnish and Serve
Pour the homemade salad dressing over your jicama salad and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss again, then top individual servings with sliced avocado and crispy tortilla chips. Enjoy!
What is Mexican Chopped Salad Made Of?
All recipes for chopped Mexican salad will differ slightly. Most include lettuce, beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro — just like mine. I personally love the addition of jicama to create a Mexican jicama salad. It makes the dish really unique, as well as satisfying.
Can I Add Cheese to Mexican Green Salad?
You can, but be aware that it would no longer be a vegan Mexican salad. If you do eat dairy, I suggest adding a sprinkle of yummy cotija cheese, crumbled feta, or shredded cheddar!
What Is The Difference Between Chopped Salad and Regular Salad?
The biggest difference is how you cut and prepare the vegetables! Chopped salads like my Mexican green salad are made with ingredients that have been chopped to almost the exact same size. Not only does it look impressive, but it’s also easier to eat. Regular salads may include the same ingredients as this recipe. But chopping everything so that it’s the same size isn’t as important.
More recipes to satisfy your tastebuds:
- Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cream
- Vegan Corn Chowder
- Pineapple Fried Rice
- Breakfast Burrito with Tofu Scramble
Who said healthy has to be boring? This is a colorful, vibrant salad with all the flavors and textures. Overall, this is a wonderful and satisfying salad to keep you feeling full yet light throughout the day.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Mexican Chopped Salad recipe! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Mexican Chopped Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing
Ingredients
Salad
- 2 1/2 cups Romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 (15-oz.) can low-sodium black beans rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups homemade )
- 1 cup tomato chopped (or cherry tomatoes)
- 1 cup peeled jicama chopped
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels uncooked (or frozen or canned)
- 3/4 cup radishes thinly sliced
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 4-5 corn tortillas Mi Rancho
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp date syrup
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 1 garlic clove peeled and minced
- 1 tsp jalapeño pepper chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Stack 2-3 corn tortillas on a cutting board and cut in half. Then cut into about 1/3" strips. Place the strips on a microwavable plate. Sprinkle or spray with water or apple cider vinegar and lightly salt. Microwave for about 2 minutes. Check for crispness, keeping in mind that the tortilla strips will get more crunchy as they cool. Add more time if they aren't crispy enough. **
- Toss all the salad ingredients except the avocado and tortilla strips in a large bowl.
- In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients.
- Pour dressing over salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss.
- Top individual servings with avocado and the crispy tortilla strips.
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