Chopped Salad with Jalapeño-Ranch Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing chopped salad featuring crisp romaine, fresh corn, radishes, and creamy avocado, all tossed in a zesty jalapeño-ranch dressing and topped with crumbled Cotija and lime tortilla chips for added texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 large scallions, trimmed and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño with seeds (or to taste)
- 1 lime, zested
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
Salad
- 3 romaine hearts (about 1 pound), trimmed and chopped into bite-size pieces
- 3 fresh ears of corn, shucked, kernels removed
- 8 radishes, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 2 large, ripe avocados, pitted and diced
- 5 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced at an angle
- 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (or grated Parmesan)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 2 cups crumbled lime tortilla chips (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, finely chopped scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime zest, onion powder, garlic powder, salt (¾ teaspoon) and pepper (½ teaspoon) until well combined. Note that the dressing will taste quite salty initially, which is intentional to complement the hearty vegetables.
- Toss the base salad: In a large shallow bowl or platter, combine chopped romaine with half of the corn kernels, radishes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, Cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add dressing and toss: Pour about ½ cup of the prepared dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything evenly. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Top and garnish: Arrange the remaining corn, radishes, avocado, scallions, Cotija, and cilantro on top of the tossed salad either scattered or in neat stripes or piles for visual appeal.
- Add crunch and serve: Sprinkle crumbled lime tortilla chips over the salad if using. Drizzle with an additional 1/4 cup of dressing and serve immediately. Serve any leftover dressing and tortilla chips on the side.
Notes
- The dressing tastes salty before mixing to ensure it flavors the vegetables adequately when tossed.
- Using fresh corn kernels adds sweetness and crunch but canned or frozen corn can be substituted when fresh is unavailable.
- For a vegetarian version, ensure Cotija cheese is made with microbial rennet or substitute with Parmesan as preferred.
- Lime tortilla chips add a nice texture contrast and bright flavor but can be omitted or replaced with your favorite crunchy topping.
- Serve immediately after tossing to maintain the crispness of the vegetables and chips.
Keywords: chopped salad, jalapeño ranch dressing, fresh corn salad, avocado salad, Cotija cheese, lime tortilla chips, summer salad, easy salad recipe
