What Salad Goes With Mexican Food? 15 Best Salads

If you’ve been wondering what salad goes with Mexican food, then you are in luck!

I’ve rounded up 15 of the best salads to serve with Mexican food.

From light and refreshing cucumber salads to hearty bean salads, there is sure to be something on this list that you’ll love.

So the next time you are making Mexican food for dinner, be sure to try one (or all!) of these salads!

What Salad Goes With Mexican Food? 15 Best Salads

A salad can be a great way to add some freshness and crunch to your Mexican meal.

But with so many different flavors and textures in Mexican food, it can be tough to know what salad goes with what.

Fortunately, there are a number of great salads that pair well with Mexican food.

Here are 15 of the best salads for Mexican food:

1. Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

This Mexican-inspired chopped salad is the perfect mix of fresh, crunchy and zesty flavors.

I love the honey lime dressing – it’s sweet, tangy and a little bit spicy.

This salad is awesome as-is, but here are a few ways you can change it up:

• Swap out the lettuce for kale or spinach
• Add in some grilled chicken or shrimp
• Top with avocado, cilantro and jalapeño for extra flavor

2. Mexican Street Corn Salad

This salad turns the classic Mexican street food into a light and refreshing dish.

It’s perfect for a summer BBQ or potluck, and it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan.

The best part?

It only takes about 15 minutes to make!

Pro Tip: For an extra-smoky flavor, grill the corn before adding it to the salad.

3 Changes You Can Make To This Salad:

• Swap out the mayo for Greek yogurt to lighten it up.
• Add some diced avocado for creaminess.
• Use cotija cheese instead of feta for a more authentic flavor.

3. Cilantro Lime Slaw

This slaw tastes extra fresh and light, and it can work great as a side dish or a topping.

I love the zingy lime dressing and the addition of cilantro.

And, it’s so easy to make!

The hardest part is chopping up the cabbage, but you can always buy it pre-shredded to save time.

Pro Tip: For extra flavor, add a pinch of cumin to the dressing.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Swap out the cabbage for kale or spinach
• Add diced avocado for creaminess
• Use fresh lime juice instead of bottled

4. Cilantro Lime Mexican Quinoa Salad

Loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado, this vegan and gluten-free salad is a delicious and healthy option for any meal.

The cilantro lime dressing is simple to make and adds the perfect amount of zesty flavor.

I love to top mine with some extra lime juice, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro.

Pro Tip: If you want a little bit of crunch, try adding some tortilla chips to the mix.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Omit the black beans for a lighter salad.
• Swap out the quinoa for brown rice or another grain of your choice.
• Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak for some extra protein.

5. Salad Caprese

If simplicity is your thing, you’ll love this salad.

It’s literally just fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and basil, but the flavors come together so perfectly that it doesn’t need anything else.

It’s light and refreshing, making it the perfect side dish or appetizer.

Pro Tip: Use balsamic glaze instead of balsamic vinegar for a sweeter flavor.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Swap out the mozzarella for another type of cheese like feta or goat cheese.
• Add some protein like grilled chicken or shrimp.
• Toss in some chopped up avocado for some extra creaminess.

6. Nicoise Salad

This salad goes well with Mexican food for a few reasons.

1. First, the lime juice in the dressing helps to cut through the richness of dishes like enchiladas and tacos.
2. Second, the crunchy texture of the salad pairs nicely with soft tortillas.
3. And lastly, the black beans add a much-needed dose of protein.

Pro Tip: If you want to make this salad ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until right before you’re ready to eat.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Swap out the black beans for chickpeas
• Add diced mango for sweetness
• Use cilantro instead of parsley

7. Cobb Salad

Full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, this salad will leave you feeling satisfied and energized.

I love the combination of salty and sweet in this salad, and the avocado dressing ties everything together perfectly.

Pro Tip: To make this salad even more filling, add a hard-boiled egg or some grilled chicken.

3 Changes You Can Make to This Salad:

• Swap out the avocado dressing for a lighter vinaigrette.
• Add some chopped nuts for extra crunch.
• Use rotisserie chicken instead of grilled chicken.

8. Caeser Salad

Although this salad looks complicated (and admittedly, it is a bit of a pain to make), the end result is so worth it.

The homemade dressing is light and creamy, and the croutons add the perfect amount of crunch.

I also love that this salad isn’t too heavy, but still filling.

Pro Tip: To save time, you can use store-bought croutons and Caesar dressing.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Add grilled chicken for some extra protein.
• Swap out the romaine lettuce for spinach or kale.
• Top with shaved Parmesan cheese instead of croutons.

9. Waldorf Salad

You HAVE to try this salad with your Mexican food – I’m talking tacos, enchiladas, burritos, you name it.

The sweetness of the grapes and apples pairs so well with the savoriness of the Mexican food, and the crunch of the celery and walnuts is such a nice contrast to all of the soft ingredients.

Pro Tip: If you want more of a grape flavor, use red grapes instead of green.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Use different nuts – almonds or pecans would be good substitutes.
• Add in some dried cranberries for an extra pop of sweetness.
• Swap out the mayo for Greek yogurt to lighten things up a bit.

10. Thai Chicken Larb Salad

How about something Thai-inspired alongside your Mexican-inspired dishes?

This salad is light, flavorful, and perfect for a summer night.

The ingredients are simple and easily found at your local grocery store.

I love the addition of mint and cilantro – it really brightens up the dish.

Pro Tip: If you can’t find ground chicken, you can use ground turkey or even ground pork.

3 Changes You Can Make to This Salad:

• Add some diced mango for sweetness and extra texture.
• Use red onion instead of green onion for a little bit more bite.
• Swap out the lime juice for rice vinegar for a different acidity level.

11. Tabbouleh Salad

Why not try serving this salad with your favorite grilled protein?

The combination of the fresh herbs, bright lemon juice, and salty feta makes for a flavorful and well-rounded dish.

Pro Tip: If you’re short on time, you can use pre-chopped parsley and mint.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Swap out the feta for goat cheese or mozzarella.
• Add in some chopped cucumber or diced avocado.
• Use quinoa or couscous instead of bulgur wheat.

12. Russian Olivier Salad

This salad goes very well with Mexican food such as tacos, burritos, or enchiladas.

It is also a good side dish for barbecued meats.

The salad has a mayonnaise dressing with diced potatoes, carrots, peas, eggs, and pickles.

Pro Tip: If you are making this salad for a party, it is best to make it the day before so the flavors have time to meld together.

3 Changes You Can Make To This Salad:

• Use different types of potatoes such as Yukon gold or red potatoes.
• Add in some chopped up chicken or turkey for extra protein.
• Substitute the mayonnaise dressing for a lighter vinaigrette made with olive oil and vinegar.

13. Greek Salad

Delicious, fresh, and healthy, this Greek salad is a winner in my book.

It’s packed with flavor from the herbs, feta cheese, and olives, and it’s so easy to make.

I love to bring this salad to potlucks and cookouts because it’s always a hit.

Pro Tip: If you’re not a fan of feta cheese, you can swap it out for goat cheese or blue cheese.

3 Changes You Can Make To This Salad:

• Add grilled chicken or shrimp for some extra protein.
• Swap out the romaine lettuce for spinach or arugula.
• Add roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes for some extra flavor.

14. Asian Slaw

Asian flavors are like my kryptonite.

I can’t resist anything with a good sesame-soy-ginger flavor profile, and this salad is no exception.

The best part about this dish is that it’s so versatile – you can easily swap out the cabbage for any other type of greens, the chicken for tofu or shrimp, and the rice noodles for any other type of pasta.

Pro Tip: If you want a little extra crunch, top this salad with chopped peanuts or cashews.

3 Ways to Change This Up:

• Use kale or spinach in place of the cabbage
• Add grilled salmon or shrimp
• Use soba noodles or vermicelli in place of the rice noodles

15. Broccoli Salad

Don’t worry, this salad isn’t all broccoli.

In fact, the broccoli is there more for texture than flavor.

The real stars of the show are the bacon, cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds.

They provide a nice salty crunch that takes this salad to the next level.

Pro Tip: For an extra bit of flavor, try roasting your broccoli before adding it to the salad.

3 Changes You Can Make:

• Swap out the cheddar cheese for blue cheese or goat cheese.
• Add in some chopped up red onion for a bit of sweetness and crunch.
• Use smoked bacon instead of regular bacon for a smokier flavor profile.