Description
This Layered Mexican Salad is a colorful, zesty dish packed with fresh veggies, creamy avocado, and bold Mexican flavors. Perfect for potlucks, parties, or a fun family dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- Salad Layers:
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed (or canned corn, drained)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 large avocado, diced (tossed with 1 tsp lime juice to prevent browning)
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Dressing:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional Topping:
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- Layer the Salad: In a large glass bowl or trifle dish (for presentation), layer ingredients in this order: romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, cheddar cheese, avocado, red onion, and cilantro. Spread each layer evenly.
- Add Dressing: Spoon the dressing over the top layer, spreading it to cover evenly. (For a lighter option, serve dressing on the side.)
- Top and Chill: Sprinkle crushed tortilla chips over the top just before serving for crunch. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors meld (or serve immediately if preferred).
- Serve: Scoop into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a bit of every layer.
Notes
- Customize with extras like grilled chicken, ground beef, or jalapeños for spice.
- For a vegan version, use dairy-free sour cream and cheese alternatives.
- Best served within 4 hours to keep chips crunchy; store leftovers without chips in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 25mg