I’ve pulled together this list of ten exceptional Mexican salad recipes because Mexican salads are entirely underrated!
When it comes to Mexican food, people go for tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, or plain old chips and salsa.
Occasionally, they’ll even enjoy Mexican desserts like fried ice cream or sopapillas.
But other than a taco salad here and there, most people don’t usually ask for Mexican salads.
And frankly, that’s a shame, because there are some phenomenal Mexican salad recipes.
Whether you’re looking for something chunky and filling, like the black bean salad, or something with a bit of seafood in the mix (Mexican shrimp salad), this list has you covered.
Easy Mexican Chopped Salad and More!
1. Mexican Chopped Salad
The first time I had authentic Mexican tacos – the kind made from a dear friend who’d moved here from Mexico – they blew my mind.
People from Mexico put all kinds of great things on their tacos – carrots, radishes, small chunks of lime, and more – and they are the best tacos I’ve ever had.
This Mexican chopped salad is like one of those tacos but in salad form.
You’ll use radishes, black beans, avocado, feta cheese, and so much more. And the honey-lime vinaigrette is amazing!
2. Mexican Shrimp Salad
If you want your Mexican salad to have a little more umami in it, try this shrimp salad instead.
The combination of peeled shrimp, black bean salsa, corn, and more tastes fantastic.
There’s also somewhat of a bite from the chili powder, especially if you use hot powder instead of mild.
3. Mexican Street Corn Salad with Avocado
Mexican street corn salad is for anyone who enjoys shoe peg corn salad or any dense, chunky salad with lots of fresh veggies and tons of flavor.
It’s also an excellent option for bringing plenty of color to the table.
There’s white and yellow from the corn, purplish-red from the onion, green from the cilantro, avocado, and jalapenos, and white from the Cotija cheese.
Despite its chunky heartiness, it has a light, refreshing taste with just a hint of spice from the chili powder.
4. Chicken Quesadilla Salad
If you love the Quesadilla Explosion salad from Chili’s, then you’ll go crazy for this quick and easy homemade version.
It takes only 30 minutes to make, though you’ll need to marinate your chicken for at least 3 hours ahead of time.
Doing so gives it a tender, succulent texture and an exquisite flavor.
The combination of cool, crisp garden veggies, warm, soft chicken, and hot, gooey quesadillas is incredible, and your tastebuds will thank you for that flavor explosion happening on your tongue.
5. Cucumber Tomato Salad
This salad is for those who prefer their appetizers to be cool, refreshing, and supremely zesty.
The salad itself is simple and uses only five ingredients – cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, Cotija cheese, and cilantro. It has a wonderful, fresh flavor and is perfectly healthy.
Most of the work (which is still very little) goes into making the salad dressing.
It’s tangy and zesty, but there’s also a slight sweetness to it that’s hard not to love.
For it, you’ll need olive oil, red wine vinegar, Mexican oregano, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and just a little bit of sugar to help tone down the zing.
6. Taco Salad
I debated adding taco salad to the list because most people already have their own recipes for it. Everyone loves taco salad!
In the end, though, I just couldn’t have a list of Mexican salad recipes without adding taco salad.
And who knows? Maybe someone out there doesn’t have the perfect recipe for it already.
Well, guys, this recipe is for you.
And while you can vary up the salad ingredients however you like, trust me when I say you’ll want to stick to that recipe for the beef filling.
Adding the chili powder, fire-roasted salsa, cumin, pepper, and fresh cilantro gives it the best flavor and takes the whole salad to another level.
7. Mexican Fruit Salad
So, you may be thinking that fruit salad is pretty much fruit salad wherever you eat it, and to a certain extent, you’d be right.
However, Mexican fruit salad uses tropical fruits (watermelon, mango, pineapple, papaya) and features chili lime seasoning and lime juice for a totally unique sweet, tart, and spiced taste.
Plus, using the hollowed-out pineapple as the serving dish is just awesome; it makes the whole thing look striking and chic.
8. Black Bean Salad
Black bean salad is a lot like black bean salsa, except it’s chunkier, heartier, and less saucy.
If you clicked on the link, saw that enormous ingredients list, and ran back here screaming, stop! Take another look.
You’ll see this tasty salad is extremely easy to make, taking only 20 minutes.
There’s also no cooking involved, just a lot of mixing and stirring.
If you love black beans and fresh veggies (corn, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc.), then you’ll love this recipe.
And don’t worry. Basically, the entire bottom half of the ingredients list contains only spices, oil, seasonings, etc.
9. Tomato and Tomatillo Salad
This simple recipe is quick and easy to prepare. Other than the dressing, it uses only five ingredients: vine-ripened tomatoes, tomatillos, avocado, Cotija cheese, and cilantro.
You’ll need a few more things for the cilantro-lime dressing, but it, too, isn’t challenging to make.
It has a wonderfully fresh but tangy taste that pairs perfectly with all the salad’s ingredients.
Just be sure you don’t go overboard on the lime juice. If you do, it overpowers the cilantro and messes up the entire balance of the salad.
10. Ensalada Navideña
Ensalada Navideña, also known as Mexican Christmas fruit salad, is a sweet and fruity dessert salad traditionally served at — you guessed it — Christmas.
It’s full of various tastes and textures and is truly delightful.
The sweet, creamy dressing is absolutely drool-worthy, and between the apples, pineapples, pecans, coconut, raisins, and maraschino cherries, it’s hard to decide what you love most!
Best of all, it’s light and not too bad for you, especially for a dessert. If you like, you can also add mini-marshmallows for extra fluffiness and sweetness.
10 Mexican Salads To Brighten Your Table
4
servings10
minutes15
minutesEach one of these Mexican salad recipes is better than the last! From shrimp to quesadillas to this gorgeous quinoa salad, you’ll love these salads with a kick!
Ingredients
- For the Salad
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup water
3/4 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced
1-2 large tomatoes, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 (8.75 ounce) can corn, drained
- For the Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon agave
1-2 teaspoons taco seasoning
Instructions
- Combine the quinoa, water, and broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
- While the quinoa cooks, drain and rinse the black beans and dice the pepper, avocado, tomatoes, and red onions. Add everything to a large bowl with the drained corn and set aside.
- In a medium bowl or mason jar, combine the olive oil, lime juice, agave, and 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. Whisk or shake, taste and add more seasoning, if needed.
- When the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and add it to the bowl with the vegetables and beans. Add the dressing and mix until well combined.
- Serve warm. Alternatively, cook and cool the quinoa, combine the ingredients, and chill until ready to serve.
Why is the picture (used more than once) of a salad that wasn’t included in the list of recipes?
Hi Mimi!
I’ve added the recipe to the recipe card at the bottom of the post 🙂