The first bite of this salad reminded me so much of Mexico all that was missing was a shot of tequila and a Mariachi band. I have vacationed in Mexico three times in nine years and the fondest memories I have, besides the sun and sand, are the food (so fresh) and the people who live there. They were always so welcoming, kind and especially patient every time I tried and failed to speak Spanish. At least I tried but I’m sure there were times when they wished I hadn’t bothered.
I want to bring to your attention that everything you see pictured here came from my refrigerator. What I mean is I did not have to go out to the store to pick anything up. These are the groceries I normally have on hand which makes it really easy to put a quick salad together. When it comes to making a salad I find it’s easiest if you decide what you’re protein is going to be and then let your creative kitchen juices flow from there. For instance, this all started with leftover Instant Pot Mexican Beef that I had made the night before. Before I knew it I had this on my plate.
I did have to come up with a tangy, fresh tasting vinaigrette for the cabbage slaw but that didn’t take long. A little lime juice, some chili powder, a splash of red wine vinegar and just like that I was transported back to a little Mexican sidewalk cafe eating fresh tacos.
Did you know you can ‘cook’ raw vegetables like cabbage in lime juice and salt? You can. I learned that from an episode of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives when they filmed in Mexico. Is it just me or does it sound like I need to book a vacation to Mexico? Well, until I can go back I will live vicariously through this salad.
Author: Cassie Elliott
Prep time: 10 minutes Assembly time: 5 minutes
- 1 cup Mexican Beef (link above)
- 1/2 avocado
- 5 – 6 cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cabbage or pre-cut coleslaw mix
- 1 cup carrots
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Green onions
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place shredded cabbage in a small bowl. Add lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Set aside to marinate while you are preparing the rest of ingredients for the salad.
- Make the Mexican Beef ahead of time. I like to make it the day before and use the leftovers for this salad.
- Slice avocado and tomatoes. Set aside.
- Cut carrots into match sticks (or buy them pre-cut).
- Chop green onion.
- Throw all of the above ingredients into a bowl. Toss and serve.
This literally tastes like a taco in a bowl with guacamole and salsa once you’ve mixed it all together without the added effort of making both separately.
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