This Mexican Salad will become a summer go-to. A creamy and tangy cumin-lime salad dressing coats crisp romaine, creamy avocado, sweet tomatoes, and crunchy tortilla strips and pepitas. It’s a crowd pleasing chopped salad that pairs perfectly with any Mexican dish!
Contents
A Summery Mexican Salad Recipe
I love fresh and crisp salads all summer long. Especially ones that have lots of flavors and textures. This one is on our regular rotation!
This Mexican Salad will not disappoint! Creamy avocado and sweet cherry tomatoes, combined with the crunch of crispy tortilla strips and toasted pepitas – a dream!
I love making this salad when we are serving Mexican meals, but to be honest, it pairs well with just about any main dish. It’s a favorite when I bring it to summer pot lucks and I almost always make it when I am grilling for a crowd at home!
The dressing is what sets this salad apart! Inspired by my Vegan Caesar Dressing (a mayo-free, cashew-based version), this has lime juice and plenty of cumin to give it a Mexican twist. It’s vibrant and tangy and the perfect layer to add to the all the flavors here!
You’ll love this Salad because:
- It’s addicting – the salad bowl will be empty at the end of dinner, I promise!
- TONS of flavors and colors – vibrant summer tomatoes and creamy avocado are staples!
- The healthy homemade dressing gets it creaminess from cashew butter – so it’s versatile and can be served to people who follow pretty much any diet!
What You’ll Need
Mexican Chopped Salad
- Romaine Lettuce
- Cherry Tomatoes (or grape tomatoes)
- Avocado
- Corn Tortillas (plus a little olive oil and salt to “crisp” them!)
- Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Creamy Cumin Lime Dressing
- Cashew Butter
- Water
- Olive Oil (or avocado oil)
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Cumin
- Capers (with brine)
- Dijon Mustard
- Garlic
- Sea Salt
How to Make a Mexican Salad
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350º F. Slice the corn tortillas in half and then in 1/4 inch wide strips. Add the tortilla strips to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a little sea salt, and toss to coat.
Step 2: Bake the tortilla strips for 15 minutes. Flip the tortilla strips over, and then continue to bake for about 5 minutes. Turn the oven off but leave the baking sheet in the oven so the tortillas crisp up. Remove from the oven when they are cooled.
Step 3: Add all the dressing ingredients into a blender.
Step 4: Process until smooth and creamy. Add extra salt or cumin to adjust the seasonings to taste.
Step 5: Add the romaine lettuce to a large salad bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat. I use about half of the dressing on the lettuce and then serve the additional dressing on the side for people to use as desired.
Step 6: Add the tomatoes, avocado slices and cilantro to the salad and mix in. Top with more tomatoes and avocado, plus the crispy tortilla strips and pepitas.
How to Store or Meal Prep a Mexican Salad
This salad is best made fresh and served right away. Romaine lettuce will get soggy once it has dressing on it within a couple hours.
However, the salad can be prepped by:
- Blending together the salad dressing and refrigerating in a jar until ready to serve the salad.
- Prep the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro. Place the fresh salad ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (I prefer slicing the avocado right when serving the salad).
- Make the crispy tortilla strips and store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- When ready to serve the salad, toss the vegetables with the dressing, and top with the tortilla strips and pepitas.
How to Serve a Mexican Salad
This summery salad has enough healthy fats and fiber to make it a substantial and filling side dish. Add protein and serve! Grilled fish, shrimp, chicken or steak are delicious with this salad.
This salad can also be served with:
- Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
- Oven Baked Carnitas (Mexican Citrus Pork)
- Crockpot Enchilada Chicken
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
Variations & Tips
Additions: Add your favorite ingredients to mix this recipe up!
- Black Beans (canned, rinsed and drained)
- Red Onion
- English Cucumber
- Grilled Corn
Make it Vegan: To keep this salad vegan, use the dressing recipe provided rather than a store bought version.
Make it Paleo/Whole30: This can easily be a Whole30 Caesar Salad just be omitting the tortilla strips. Add extra pepitas to add extra crunch! Be sure to check dijon mustard for added sugars.
Other Healthy Salad Recipes:
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Mexican Salad with Creamy Cumin Lime Dressing
Ingredients
Mexican Caesar Salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 large avocado
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup pepitas toasted
- 5 corn tortillas cut into strips
- olive oil for spraying
- sea salt to taste
Cumin Lime Dressing
- 1/3 cup cashew butter
- 1/3 cup water
- 6 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon capers with brine
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Slice the corn tortillas in half and then in 1/4 inch wide strips. Add the tortilla strips to a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a little sea salt, and toss to coat.
- Bake the tortilla strips for 15 minutes. Flip the tortilla strips over, and then continue to bake for about 5 minutes. Turn the oven off but leave the baking sheet in the oven so the tortillas crisp up. Remove from the oven when they are cooled.
- Add all the dressing ingredients into a blender.
- Process until smooth and creamy. Add extra salt or cumin to adjust the seasonings to taste.
- Add the romaine lettuce to a large salad bowl and drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat. I use about half of the dressing on the lettuce and then serve the additional dressing on the side for people to use as desired.
- Add the tomatoes, avocado slices and cilantro to the salad and mix in. Top with more tomatoes and avocado, plus the crispy tortilla strips and pepitas. Serve immediately. See notes for prepping the salad ahead of time.
Notes
How to Store or Meal Prep a Mexican Salad
This salad is best made fresh and served right away. Romaine lettuce will get soggy once it has dressing on it within a couple hours. However, the salad can be prepped by:- Blending together the salad dressing and refrigerating in a jar until ready to serve the salad.
- Prep the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and cilantro. Place the fresh salad ingredients in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (I prefer slicing the avocado right when serving the salad).
- Make the crispy tortilla strips and store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- When ready to serve the salad, toss the vegetables with the dressing, and top with the tortilla strips and pepitas.
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