Mexican Chopped Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Last year I was lucky enough to be invited by Frigidaire to go to Hollywood with my kids so we could be in an event hosted by Jennifer Garner for Save the Children to kick off their Kids’ (good-for-you) Cooking Academy campaign. It was a fantastic experience that my whole family enjoyed and we still talk about–you can see the pictures from our trip here. While we were there, the kids made a terrific Mexican chopped salad with a cumin vinaigrette recipe from Chef Mary Sue Millikan that was so delicious–both of my kids LOVED it. This chopped salad paired nicely with a Cilantro-Lime Marinated Flank Steak and some cilantro and lime rice.
Mexican Chopped Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Cumin Vinaigrette:
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tbsp honey
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Salad:
- Romaine lettuce, finely chopped
- Several grape tomatoes, diced
- 1 green onion, diced
- ½ small poblano pepper, diced
- 4 small baby bell peppers, diced
- 1 avocado, diced
- ¼ cup garbanzo beans
- 2 tbsp toasted pepitas
- ¼ cup of frozen corn, thawed
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup of tortilla chips, crushed
- Cotija cheese, diced
How to Make a Mexican Chopped Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Place the whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes.
Place into a small shallow dish and add the canola oil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
Blend with an immersion blender until thoroughly combined and the cumin seeds are crushed about 3-4 minutes. Set aside for flavors to mingle, until ready to use.
Toss the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, poblano pepper, bell pepper, avocado, garbanzo beans, pepitas, corn, avocado, cilantro, crushed tortilla strips, and the cotija cheese together in a large serving bowl.
Drizzle the cumin vinaigrette on top of the salad, to taste, then toss to coat evenly.
Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
Cumin Vinaigrette:
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds toasted
- 3 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tbsp honey
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Salad:
- Romaine lettuce finely chopped
- Several grape tomatoes diced
- 1 green onion diced
- ½ small poblano pepper diced
- 4 small baby bell peppers diced
- 1 avocado diced
- ¼ cup garbanzo beans
- 2 tbsp toasted pepitas
- ¼ cup of frozen corn thawed
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup of tortilla chips crushed
- Cotija cheese diced
Instructions
- Place the whole cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, about 3 minutes.
- Place into a small shallow dish and add the canola oil, olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Blend with an immersion blender until thoroughly combined and the cumin seeds are crushed about 3-4 minutes. Set aside for flavors to mingle, until ready to use.
- Toss the chopped lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, poblano pepper, bell pepper, avocado, garbanzo beans, pepitas, corn, avocado, cilantro, crushed tortilla strips, and the cotija cheese together in a large serving bowl.
- Drizzle the cumin vinaigrette on top of the salad, to taste, then toss to coat evenly.
- Serve immediately. Enjoy.
Side Note: I have been nominated for the Top 25 Foodie Moms for 2012 on Circle of Moms! Please feel free to vote for me here (no pressure). Thanks for your support!!!
Great summery salad. That’d be perfect with a little cotija cheese. It’s one of our favorite Mexican cheeses!
I love the sound of your dressing and the alad looks very appealing too. I am thinking the dressing might be nice with roast vegetables and quinoa.
Gave up on circle of mons ages ago, I found it clunky to use. Good luck with the vote. I will go have a look x
I have been anticipating this recipe since you mentioned it, Pam! I am going to a BBQ tomorrow and plan to take a chopped salad- how did you know? 😉 I served your Italian Chopped Salad at a BBQ last month, and it was a huge hit! I wanted to change up the flavors for the party tomorrow, since it’s basically the same crowd. I spent several hours yesterday searching the web for Mexican Chopped Salad recipes. I was going to make up my own recipe based on several recipes that I found, but now I am going to make this salad! Your timing posting this recipe today couldn’t be better for me. Have I ever told you how AWESOME you are? Thanks, Pam! 🙂
Ooops…I was so excited about the salad recipe that I forgot to say I voted for you again, and will vote everyday until the contest deadline! Your blog is the best, Pam!
This salad looks so delicious, Pam! I’m always looking for something similar to serve with a spicy grilled chicken and this is perfect. Thanks for sharing! Have a great weekend with your family!
delicious, healthy, and Mexican is my kinda meal. Looks so good. I would also add grilled shrimp, so yummy!
My husband would totally eat this and I adore cumin, one of my favorites. I have pinned this for later!
It looks like a great salad!
I hope you win, because you are a great blogger and a great mom!
Looks amazing, I love the Mexican flavors in the salad!
Looks delicious. Nice, bright, summer salad.
I love this salad and the vinaigrette. I eat a lot of salads so I would love to try this.
Wow, Pam, this salad is packed with such fun goodies! And that cumin vinaigrette sounds divine!
The dressing sounds so good and it pairs so well with this colourful and fresh salad.
This sounds delicious Pam and I’m impressed you had all that stuff on hand. I always notice but don’t believe I’ve ever commented that I really like the way you post pics of your ingredients.
I love chopped salads! That looks so good! And how awesome to get to travel to Hollywood with your kids! Sounds fun!
I have never used cumin in a salad dressing. Beautiful salad! All the flavors sound great!
Wow So delicious…like it
this is by far the finest chopped salad ive ever seen–i love that vinaigrette! the ingredients in mexican foods get me every time.
I can’t get enough of cumin and eat it as often as possible! Love how prominent it is in this vinaigrette!
I love cumin, so I’m very intrigued by the cumin vinaigrette – sounds great!
Dear Pam Have a nice day have a happy mom day!!!
Pam- this salad was AMAZING and huge hit at the BBQ on Saturday! Gorgeous and delicious…thanks for sharing this recipe!
Made the dressing tonight and it was a hit!
I used black beans instead of garbanzos and substituted sweet peppers for poblano.
It was so good! Thanks!
Just made this last night for dinner and it was so delicious – loved the salad dressing. I doubled recipe so I would have extra!!!
Made this salad yesterday and it was delicious. Used one ear of corn instead of the frozen. Remove kernels from cob and cooked them over medium heat (do not use any oil) and toasted until lightly browned. Omitted the garbanzo beans and pepitas. Used cool ranch tortillas chips. Great salad, great flavors.