Name: Southwestern Chopped Salad
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes); 1 shallot, minced; 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder; Salt and pepper; 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed; 8 ounces grape tomatoes, halved; 1 cup frozen corn, thawed; 2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), cut into ½-inch pieces; 4 ounces pepper Jack cheese, shredded (1 cup); 1 ripe avocado, cut into ½-inch pieces; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Why This Recipe Works

We started our chopped salad with an important step: marinating the tomatoes, black beans, and corn in a flavorful combination of extra-virgin olive oil and lime juice. Then we tossed the lettuce and other stir-ins with that mixture for a fresh, assertive, and memorable chopped salad.

Before You Begin

You can substitute cherry tomatoes for the grape tomatoes, if desired. To cut the romaine lettuce hearts into ½-inch pieces, cut each heart in half lengthwise and then cut each half lengthwise into quarters. Finally, cut each quarter crosswise into ½-inch pieces.

Instructions

Whisk oil, lime juice, shallot, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Add beans, tomatoes, and corn to bowl and gently toss to coat with dressing; let bean mixture sit for 10 minutes.

Add lettuce, pepper Jack, avocado, cilantro, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to bean mixture and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to platter and serve.