This light and refreshing salad is the perfect balance to a bowl of chicken tortilla soup or any hearty Mexican dish. The tangy pickled pink onions, creamy avocado, crisp pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and sweet tangerines blend perfectly with the lime-chimichurri dressing. Prep the pickled onions and chimichurri the day before and store in a tightly sealed container to enjoy the rest over the next week in many other dishes. With this pre-prep done, this beautiful salad can be assembled in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
1 head Butter Lettuce, washed and torn
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and torn
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro and oregano leaves
½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
4-6 small tangerines or mandarins, peeled and pulled into segments
½ cup green Castelvetrano olives, pitted and sliced
½ cup pickled red onion slices (recipe below)
1 avocado, cubed for garnish
2 oz. Mexican queso fresco (crumbling cheese) or sheep feta cheese or vegan cheese as optional garnish
Prep Pickled Red Onions
1 red onion
1 cup white vinegar
a pinch of sea salt
a pinch of sugar
Cut a red onion in half, lengthwise, then cut in 1/8-inch-long slivers and place in a 12–16-ounce glass jar with a lid. In a small saucepan, bring the white vinegar to a simmer and stir in a pinch of salt and sugar. Stir to dissolve then allow to cool a bit. Pour the vinegar mixture over red onions and allow to soak for at least 3 hours. Then refrigerate and use as a garnish for salads, bowls, and more in the next 10 days.
Dressing
Mix ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously then refrigerate and use within 10 days.
2 oz. Mexican crema, vegan mayonnaise, or plain yogurt
2 oz. chimichurri (recipe below)
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
½ teaspoon on sea salt
Salad preparation:
Toss the greens and fresh herbs with the lime-chimichurri dressing and place them on individual salad plates. Arrange the pink onions, olives, tangerines, pumpkin seeds, and cheese on each salad. Enjoy!