This fresh and crunchy Mexican-inspired side salad is the perfect accompaniment to any south of the border meal! Soft lettuces, sweet red onion, sautéed corn and crunchy tortilla strips are topped with creamy avocado slices and a spicy, Greek-yogurt jalapeño ranch.
If you’re looking for a fresh side dish to enchiladas, tacos, nachos or any other heavier Mexican-inspired dish, you have landed in the right corner of the internet.
This Mexican House Salad with Spicy Ranch takes inspiration from one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Dallas, Muchacho, and adds just the right amount of lightness to any Mexican main.
We often think of Mexican food as heavy, but using fresh ingredients with south-of-the-border inspired flavors, you can still serve a well-balanced meal to your family!
Here’s what goes into this Mexican House Salad with Spicy Ranch:
- Soft lettuces/spring mix
- Sliced red onion
- Cotija crumbled cheese
- Sautéed yellow corn
- Tortilla strips
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Spicy Ranch (greek yogurt, ranch seasoning, jalapeño, lime juice and a splash of milk)
I love to serve this salad with enchiladas (like my Lazy Girl Enchiladas Verdes or my Ranch Enchiladas), alongside tacos (like my Crispy Baked Chipotle Beef Tacos or my Weeknight Tacos al Pastor) or even with one pan dishes like my Low Carb Ground Chicken Taco Skillet and my Tender, Crispy Carnitas.
By the way, the spicy ranch is SO versatile! Aside from using it as a salad dressing, you can use it as a dip for fries and veggies (just hold the splash of milk to make it a little thicker), as a topping for burgers, even as a drizzle for pizzas.
I hope you enjoy this simple, elevated recipe! ¡Salud!
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Mexican House Salad with Spicy Ranch
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups soft butter lettuce or spring lettuce mix
- 1/4 red onion sliced thinly
- 1 tsp. butter or olive oil
- 3/4 cup yellow corn rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp. crumbled cotija cheese can sub feta cheese
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup tortilla strips
- 1/2 avocado sliced
spicy ranch
- 1/3 cup greek yogurt I use 2%
- 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning
- 1/2 jalapeño seeded for less heat
- 2 tsp. milk I used plain almond
- 1 lime juiced
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients for spicy ranch dressing together in food processor or blender until smooth. Add more milk to thin if needed. Taste for heat, can add jalapeño seeds for more. Set aside.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, add butter or olive oil. When warm, add corn and sauté until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Create salad by layering lettuce, sliced red onion, cotija cheese, cooled sauteéd corn, tortilla strips, cilantro and avocado. Drizzle spicy ranch over top, reserving any leftover. Toss gently and serve!