Crunchy Tex Mex Salad with Pinto Beans
and honey-adobo dressing
A classic taco salad is one of our favorite back-pocket meals. This version is vegetarian with spiced pinto beans, corn, and a sweet and spicy dressing. It's a great meal if you're cooking for one or two, but also works well to customize if you're serving a crowd. Set everything out like a taco bar and let everyone assemble their own bowl. This meal was last featured in 2019.
Ingredients
- Vinegar, red wine - 1 1/2 Tbsp
- Adobo sauce - 1 Tbsp (usually found with canned chipotle peppers)
- Honey - 1 Tbsp
- Paprika, smoked - 1/2 tsp
- Oil, cooking - 3 Tbsp
- Cumin - 1 tsp
- Coriander, ground - 1 tsp
- Paprika, smoked - 1 tsp
- Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Bell peppers, any color - 1, diced
- Lettuce, any crisp variety like iceberg or Boston leaf - 8 oz, shredded
- Tomatoes, Roma - 4, chopped
- Avocados - 1, diced
- Olives, black and sliced (4 oz / 113 g) - 1 can, drained and rinsed
- Beans, pinto (14 oz / 397 g) - 1 can, drained and rinsed
- Corn kernels, frozen - 1 cup
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Cheese, Colby Jack or cheddar - 4 oz, shredded (look for pre-shredded to save time)
- Tortilla chips - 4 cups
Nutrition Facts
Prep
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Make honey-adobo dressing - Whisk together vinegar, adobo sauce, honey, paprika (portion for dressing), and oil (portion for dressing). (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Make spice mix - Combine cumin, coriander, paprika (portion for salad), garlic powder, and salt. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Bell peppers - Dice bell peppers. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Olives - Drain and rinse.
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Beans - Drain and rinse.
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Corn - Defrost corn.
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Make
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Heat a skillet with oil (portion for taco salad) over medium heat. Add beans and corn. Saute for 1 minute to heat through. Add spice mix and saute for 1 to 2 minutes more, until spices are fragrant.
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Assemble salads by forming a bed of lettuce and topping it with bell peppers, tomatoes, avocados, and olives. Top with beans, corn, and cheese.
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Dress salads with honey-adobo dressing. Serve with tortilla chips (you can crumble these over the top or use them to scoop up the other ingredients). Enjoy!