Tex Mex Salad

$tex mex salad in a white bowl$

4.79 from 14 votes

This Tex Mex salad is a crunchy, healthy, veggie-packed salad that is tossed in a tastebud-tingling Southwestern-inspired dressing that has tons of flavor. With forkfuls of sweet corn, veggies, tender black beans, and crispy tortilla chips, each bite of this salad is pure joy!

To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Tex Mex

Keyword: easy recipe, easy, weeknight-friendly, Entree Salad, lunch, summer, vegetables, vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef

Cost: $6.00

Equipment

Mixing Bowl or Mason Jar
Heavy Bottomed Skillet
Sharp Knife

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1/3 cup lime juice (from 2 to 3 large limes)
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cooking oil or olive oil

For the salad:

2 tablespoons cooking oil or olive oil
2 cups corn kernels (if using frozen corn, defrost it in the microwave before using)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 hearts romaine, finely chopped
3 stalks green onions, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
1 cup chopped tomatoes
3 cups tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

Make the dressing by whisking together the lime juice, honey, paprika, ground cumin, and salt. Add ½ cup of oil and whisk well until evenly combined. (Alternatively, you can just combine all of these ingredients in a well-sealed jar and shake it well.)
Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tablespoons of oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the corn kernels in a single layer. Let the corn cook, without stirring, until deep golden brown on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes. (If it starts to pop and jump out of the pan, it’s probably ready.) Season the corn with ½ teaspoon of salt and stir it once. Add the beans and stir until heated through.
Transfer the corn and beans to a large mixing bowl. Pour about ¼ cup of the dressing over top and stir everything together. (This will help cool the corn and beans down.)
To the mixing bowl, add the bell pepper, cheddar cheese, romaine, green onions, avocado, and tomatoes. Gently toss everything together.
Crumble the tortilla chips / strips over the top of the salad or fold them in right before serving. They’ll add some great crunch, but be sure not to let the salad sit for long after adding them or they won’t stay crispy.

Notes

Note: If you want to save time, you can use frozen corn and skip the step to sear it in the skillet. This step cooks raw corn but it also adds a great caramelized flavor to frozen corn. It's a flavor-building step, but you'll still have a great salad even without searing the corn and beans.

Nutrition