Tex-Mex Chopped Salad
This is the Tex-Mex answer to a chopped salad: crisp romaine loaded with black beans, charred corn, tomato, and avocado, the kind of bowl a taco filling wants to be. The dressing is nothing but lime juice sharpened with toasted cumin and fresh jalapeno, so it skips the oil and the salt that a bottled ranch or Catalina would bring. Charring the corn in a dry pan is the one step worth not rushing; it turns plain frozen kernels smoky and sweet. Toasted pepitas give the crunch instead of fried tortilla strips. Toss the sturdy parts ahead and add the avocado and pepitas at the last minute so nothing goes soft.
Ingredients
- 1 whole Romaine, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Black beans, cooked, no-salt-added
- 1 1/2 cups Frozen corn
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 whole Bell peppers, diced
- 1/2 whole Red onions, finely diced
- 1 whole Avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cup Pumpkin seeds
- 1 whole Jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1 tsp Cumin seed, toasted and ground
- 4 tbsp Lime juice
Method
- Char the corn in a dry skillet over high heat, stirring only occasionally, until dark spots appear across the kernels, about 6 minutes. Dry-charring frozen corn drives off its water and caramelizes its sugars, which is where a plain kernel gains the smoky sweetness that carries this salad. Let it cool.
- Toast the pepitas in the same dry skillet until they puff and pop, about 2 minutes, and set aside. They are the crunch that a bag of tortilla chips usually provides, with fiber and fat instead of fried oil.
- Whisk the dressing: the lime juice, ground cumin, minced jalapeno, and 2 tablespoons water. That is the entire dressing, no oil. Lime and toasted cumin are sharp and deep enough that the salad tastes seasoned with no salt, and the water just loosens it to coat.
- In a large bowl combine the romaine, black beans, charred corn, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and cilantro. Pour over the dressing and toss well so every leaf is coated.
- Fold in the avocado last, gently, so it does not smear, and scatter the pepitas over the top. Serve right away while the romaine is crisp and the corn still has some warmth.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 230 calories, 8 g protein, 9 g fiber, 90 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
