Mexican Chopped Salad Recipe

top view of a Mexican chopped salad in a wooden bowl, on a colorful placemat.

5 from 6 votes

Chopped Mexican Salad with Spiced Pepitas has a Honey-Lime Chipotle Dressing and a hearty festival of fresh Mexican flavors. It's fantastic on its own or with almost any main course.

Prep Time35

Cook Time5

Total Time40

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: salad for a buffet, great for a crowd, Mexican dinner recipes

Servings:

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Valentina K. Wein

Equipment

Ingredients

For the spiced pepitas:

½ cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), hulled
2 teaspoons olive oil
1½ teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 to 2 pinches cayenne
¼ teaspoon salt

For the dressing:

⅓ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 teaspoons chipotles in adobo sauce, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad (everything "chopped," should be cut into about ¼ to ½-inch dice):

3 large Poblano peppers (about 5-ounces each)
4 cups (about 5-ounces) packed arugula or mixed baby greens (or a combination of both), roughly chopped
½ cup cilantro, washed and dried, finely chopped
1½ cups jicama, chopped
1½ cups tomato, seeds removed, chopped
1½ cups avocado, chopped
½ cup red onion, chopped
½ cup Manchego Or Iberico cheese, grated or chopped

Instructions

For the pepitas

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, combine the pepitas with the oil and honey. Once they are well-coated, add the spices and salt and stir to blend. Spread the pepitas on the foil-lined baking sheet and roast them in the preheated oven until they begin to brown and are very aromatic, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.

For the dressing

In a small mixing bowl, combine the lime juice with the chiptoles, honey, cumin, and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil and set aside.

For the salad

First, roast the peppers. Place them, one at a time, directly on top of a high flame on the stove. Use kitchen tongs to turn them as each side chars. Place them in a brown bag, fold over the top and let them steam for 10 minutes. When they're cool enough to touch, use your hands to peel off the skin.
Remove the seeds and membranes, and then chop them, along with the other ingredients -- if you haven't yet -- into about ¼ to ½-inch dice. (You will need about 1 cup of the chopped roasted peppers.)
In a large serving bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the cheese. Just before serving, add the cheese, spiced pepitas and the dressing. Toss to combine.

Notes

Nutritional information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an estimate.

Nutrition