Saladscarlsbadcravings5.0
Mexican Salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This Mexican Salad is far more delicious than any restaurant and serves a crowd at a fraction of the price! It’s fresh, filling, flavorful, gluten-free, loaded with vegetables and drizzled with intoxicating Cilantro Lime Dressing. You will want to do douse the dressing on EVERYTHING, guaranteed. This Mexican Salad recipe is bursting smokey grilled sweet corn, crunchy red bell peppers, juicy tomatoes, hearty black beans, salty pepitas, creamy avocados, fresh romaine lettuce, kicking Pepper Jack cheese and crispy tortilla strips. You can dress this Mexican Salad up or down by adding chili lime chicken, chipotle chicken or cilantro lime chicken or more or less of your favorite ingredients to make it YOUR favorite Mexican Salad!
👥 6 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 30 min⏳ Prep: 30 min👤 Jen📖 carlsbadcravings
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- baking sheet
- oven
- pan
- skillet
- bowl
📝 Preparation Steps
1
CILANTRO LIME DRESSING
2
Click “Cilantro Lime Dressing” in the ingredients to be directed to the recipe. Prepare according to directions, cover and refrigerate. Dressing can be made 3 days in advance.
3
PEPITAS AND TORTILLA STRIPS
4
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet (21 x 15) with foil.
5
Cut tortillas into 1/2-inch strips. (I stack them all together and use my pizza cutter.)
6
Add tortilla strips to baking sheet and toss with vegetable oil. Push to one side of the pan and arrange strips in a single layer; season with freshly cracked salt.
Vegetable oil2 teaspoonsfreshly cracked salt
7
Add pepitas to the other side of the pan. Toss with olive oil, chili powder and season with freshly cracked salt. Arrange in a single layer.
olive oil1 teaspoonfreshly cracked salt
8
Bake at 425 degrees F for ⏱️ 7 minutes, check for doneness, then continue to cook an additional ⏱️ 5-7 minutes, as needed, until tortillas are light golden brown.
9
CHAR CORN
10
Grilling the corn is optional but adds a delicious smokiness. You may also cut the corn straight off of the cob and use raw in the salad.
11
GRILL CORN: Lightly brush each ear of corn with olive oil, and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Grease and heat grill to high heat. Once hot, add corn and close the lid. Cook ⏱️ 2-3 minutes on each side, rotating the corn until all of the sides are lightly charred, about ⏱️ 10-12 minutes, closing the lid in between rotations. Set the corn aside and allow to cool enough to handle. Cut the kernels off of the cob.
olive oil1 teaspoon
12
OR SKILLET CORN: Cut the kernels off of the cob. Heat the olive oil in large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn starts to char approximately ⏱️ 5 minutes. Transfer kernels to a large bowl.
olive oil1 teaspoon
13
ASSEMBLE
14
Add salad ingredients to a large bowl except for the avocados, tortilla strips and pepitas and toss to combine.
avocado (pitted and sliced)1
15
Toss salad with desired amount of dressing (there will be some left over) or drizzle dressing over individual servings if not eating all of the salad immediately.
16
Garnish salad with avocados, tortilla strips, pepitas and freshly cracked salt and pepper.
avocado (pitted and sliced)1freshly cracked salt
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