Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

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This Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing is what happens when your favorite taco night toppings meet the best parts of a summer salad, all in just 15 minutes. Loaded with sweet mango, creamy avocado, crisp jicama, black beans, and juicy tomatoes, it's quick to prep and full of satisfying flavor and crunch.

347 CAL 43g CARBS 19g FAT 10g PROTEIN 9
2 Comments

This salad is one of the best clean-out-the-fridge salads. I basically pull anything I have from the fridge, chop it up, and add it to a bowl. It's a great way to use up leftovers and make sure we are all eating lots of veggies.

The honey lime vinaigrette pulls everything together so perfectly, too. I've been making extra to drizzle on bowls, grilled chicken, or even roasted veggies.

What makes this salad even better is how easy it is to customize. Toss in extra veggies like bell peppers or radish, swap out the mango for pineapple, or add your favorite protein to make it a full meal. It's perfect as a side dish, piled on tacos, layered into burrito bowls, or eaten straight from the bowl with a fork!

Love Mexican-inspired salads? Then, you'll love this Jicama and Orange Salad and Mexican Quinoa Salad!

Before You Get Started

Here are some quick tips before you get started:

  • Drain and rinse your canned beans and corn ahead of time so everything is ready to toss.
  • Chop ingredients into uniform pieces so every bite has a little bit of everything.
  • Use fresh lime juice if possible for the dressing. It makes a big difference in flavor.
  • If prepping ahead, keep the avocado and dressing separate until ready to serve to maintain the best texture.
  • Taste and adjust the dressing. Depending on your limes, you may want more honey or salt.

How to Make Mexican Salad Dressing

There are so many different ways you can make a Mexican salad dressing. I am going to share a basic recipe for a honey lime vinaigrette and then a few different ways to customize it for any type of Mexican salad you could want. Consider doubling it to have in the fridge all week for salads and bowls.

  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • Directions: Mix everything together until well combined. Taste and season as needed.
  • Make it creamy: Add everything to a blender along with half an avocado or some sour cream.
  • Add cilantro: Blend in some cilantro to brighten up the dressing.
  • Make it spicy: Make the dressing in a blender with some fresh jalapeño or chipotle peppers. You can also use chili powder if you don't want to blend it.
  • Do it all: Add the avocado, cilantro, and chipotle pepper. You may need some extra oil or water for this option. It's so good!

How to Make a Mexican Chopped Salad

Here’s how to make a Mexican Chopped Salad step-by-step:

1. Make the Dressing

Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Tip: For a smoother, slightly thicker dressing, shake everything together in a mason jar or blend for a few seconds.

2. Prep the Produce

Chop the produce and rinse and drain the black beans.

3. Assemble the Salad

In a large bowl, layer the romaine lettuce with all remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle the dressing on top or toss everything together just before serving.

Tip: To keep avocado from browning, slice and add it right before serving. If prepping in advance, store it separately.

Flat lay of fresh ingredients for a Mexican chopped salad including romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, black beans, mango, jicama, corn, red onion, avocado, cotija cheese, cilantro, lime, honey, spices, and oil.

Tips for Making Mexican Chopped Salad

  • Use your favorite veggies: Pretty much any veggies are fair game in this salad. Add some chopped bell peppers, red cabbage, radishes, carrots, or any other favorites. The same goes for fruit. Although I am partial to mango and jicama, this salad tastes great with pineapple as well.
  • Protein boost: If you want to pack in some extra protein, consider adding cooked chicken, ground turkey, steak, or shrimp to the salad. You could also add some canned pinto beans or a veggie burger for a meatless option.
  • Cheese swap: If you can find queso fresco at your grocery store, it's the perfect cheese for this salad. If not, you can use any soft or shredded cheese you like.
  • Swap the greens: Although I am partial to the crunch of Romaine, you could make this with any salad green. Try butter lettuce, arugula, or massaged kale.
  • Add a drizzle: Many Mexican salads include a drizzle of cream. Look for a Mexican lime crema, which is basically a pourable sour cream, and pour some on top.
  • Make it spicy: Make this spicy with the addition of some chopped jalapeños. You could also add some jalapeño, chili powder, or chipotle peppers to the dressing.

A vibrant serving of Mexican chopped salad plated with fresh romaine, black beans, corn, mango, avocado, tomatoes, and jicama, with lime wedges and a bowl of honey dressing on the side.

What to Serve with this Salad

Although this salad is hearty enough to be a meal all on its own, you can also add protein to bulk it up. It can either go right on top of the salad, or you could serve it on the side.

  • Taco meat: Make this delicious grilled chicken taco meat. Serve it on the salad, or serve the salad on the side of these yummy tacos.
  • Carne asada: Carne asada is another delicious Mexican dish that pairs great with this Mexican salad.
  • Rotisserie chicken: For an easy option, serve this with a rotisserie chicken.
  • Add grains: You could also serve this on a bed of brown rice or quinoa for a light and healthy rice bowl.

Storing Mexican Chopped Salad

This salad is best fresh, but will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge without dressing. Store the honey lime vinaigrette separately to keep everything crisp. Avocado is best added just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this Mexican Chopped Salad:

Absolutely. Store the honey lime vinaigrette in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week. Shake before using.

 

This version isn't spicy, but you can add chopped jalapeños or chipotle peppers if you like heat.

 

Yes! While this salad is typically served chilled, it’s just as delicious slightly warm. For a cozy variation, try using warm roasted corn or freshly cooked black beans straight from the stove. You can also top it with warm grilled chicken or steak. Just wait to add the dressing until right before serving to keep the greens crisp.

This salad works surprisingly well for meal prep since many of the ingredients can last a few days in the fridge! If you are making this in advance, start with a glass jar or container. Layer the black beans and corn on the bottom. Then add the red onion and jicama. Top with the romaine lettuce, cilantro, and queso fresco. Pack the mango, cherry tomatoes, and dressing separately since they will wilt the other ingredients. Cut the avocado fresh that day and toss everything together.

If you are packing in the morning for lunch that day, you can pack the mango and tomatoes with the black beans and corn. You can even add the dressing at the bottom of the container since it will only need to stay fresh for a few hours. Then just add the avocado right before serving.

 

A large serving bowl filled with vibrant Mexican chopped salad, featuring diced mango, avocado, tomatoes, corn, black beans, jicama, and crumbled cheese on a bed of romaine, surrounded by a pepper grinder, honey, a halved lime, and a small glass jar of dressing.
The Recipe
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Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

347 CAL 43g CARBS 19g FAT 10g PROTEIN 9
PREP TIME: 5 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 15 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 6 cups Romaine lettuce
  • 1 avocado, chopped
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup mango, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup jicama, chopped
  • 1/2 cup corn (fresh, canned, or frozen)
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco
  • 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

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1

Mix together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper to make the honey lime dressing.

2

Prep all the ingredients for the salad.

3

Toss together all the ingredients with the dressing or arrange in a bowl and drizzle dressing on top.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 3 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 347
Calories from Fat 166
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19g
28%
Saturated Fat 4g
21%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 11mg
4%
Sodium 368mg
16%
Total Carbohydrate 43g
14%
Dietary Fiber 12g
43%
Sugars 19g
Protein 10g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing
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Julie
March 28, 2024 - 16:49
Add a Rating:
5
The dressing in particular is absolutely delicious and so simple. I didn't have mango but used finely chopped fresh pineapple (Hawaiian TexMex salad maybe??) I also prepared the jicama and placed in the bottom of the salad bowl first with dressing drizzled over it for a few hours since it takes a while for the flavours to penetrate the jicama, and it never goes soggy. It's a very versatile salad and one our favourites. I like to serve it with homemade enchiladas. Thank you!
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FF
June 1, 2019 - 06:56
Add a Rating:
5
I just made the honey lime dressing. It is delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipes.
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