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    Home » Recipes » Salad Recipes » Vegetable Salads » Make Ahead Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing

    Make Ahead Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing

    Published: Jan 12, 2021 · Modified: Jun 1, 2021 by Jenna Passaro · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing for a party or football appetizer

    This make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing is packed full of delicious, colorful vegetables and can be ready in just 10 minutes! It’s one of my favorite make ahead Mexican side dishes for a potluck or party because it’s unexpected and different, but is also very simple to make. Plus, this easy dish can be used as a side, a dip, or a mouthwatering topping for a burger or tacos.

    This Sip Bite Go recipe was featured on Portland’s KGW News.

    Corn, black beans, peppers and other Mexican salad ingredients in large mixing bowl

    Make ahead Mexican salad is always a favorite football party appetizer or potluck side dish. If you’re making this to bring to an event, don’t forget to make extra for your own fridge. Leftovers last up to 5 days — though they never make it that long!

    Whether you are looking forward to potlucks and barbecues or you’re just craving a refreshing and flavorful snack, this easy Mexican salad recipe is the perfect, versatile side dish. Ready in just 10 minutes, I love to serve this as a side salad, a dip with tortilla chips, or as an extra topping with my weeknight proteins, like chicken or pork.

    Two stacked images of Mexican corn salad in clear bowl and on a spoon

    Ingredients for make ahead Mexican salad

    The ingredient list can be modified for your particular tastes.

    • For the base of this make ahead Mexican side dish, I recommend using frozen corn, black beans, red pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, carrots, finely diced jalapeño, and a smokey mozzarella cheese.
    • For the dressing, I use a store-bought ranch dressing and kick it up a notch with a few additions: chili powder, fresh chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

    This salad doubles as a dip, so I like to have our favorite tortilla chips on hand to enjoy it.

    mexican corn salad side dish in a party bowl

    How to Make Mexican Salad

    Step 1: Prep the corn

    The corn gives the salad a sweet bite. Skip the cob and use frozen corn to make this dish fast — simply pull it out of the freezer to thaw in a strainer while you prep the other ingredients.

    • If you’re making the salad 1+ hours ahead, you can add frozen corn directly to the salad and it will thaw in the fridge.
    • If you’re serving the salad immediately, thaw the frozen corn in the fridge ahead of time (can be done overnight) or cook the corn and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.

    TIP: Want fresh corn? Check out this recipe for sous vide corn on the cob.

    small bowls of ingredients for Mexican corn salad

    Step 2: Choose your cheese

    Any Mexican-appropriate cheese will do (cheddar, pepper jack, queso fresco, cojita), but I like using smoked mozzarella. I buy it fresh on the block and chop it into bite-sized pieces.

    chopped cheese, onions, corn and other ingredients for Mexican salad in glass bowl

    Step 3: Time for black beans

    To prepare the black beans, drain them in a strainer and rinse off the bean juice. If you don’t wash the beans first, the bean juice will take away from the beautiful fiesta colors in this chilled salad. 

    Diced red peppers and carrots for Mexican salad in glass measuring cup

    Step 4: Dice your produce

    The rest of the ingredients are diced and can be prepped ahead of time.

    TIP: Learn how to cut bell peppers into strips for a quick and easy way to dice peppers.

    ingredients for mexican potluck dish in a bowl

    Step 5: Combine the ingredients

    In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables (corn, black beans, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, carrots, jalapeño) and mozzarella cheese.

    adding ranch dressing to the make ahead mexican salad

    Step 6: Add ranch dressing

    Slowly add in the ranch dressing. A little goes a long way, so start with just three tablespoons, toss to coat, then add additional tablespoons of ranch if needed.

    If you varied the quantity of any salad ingredients you may need more or less dressing. The vegetables should be lightly coated in ranch so the colors of the vegetables are still visible. Remember, less is more! I often use Toby’s Ranch Dressing for this make ahead Mexican salad.

    Close up of corn, black beans, peppers and other Mexican salad ingredients

    Step 7: Final seasonings

    Like any great Mexican dish, this salad calls for cilantro. To chop the cilantro, cut the leafy parts off the stems, then loosely dice them.

    Next add chili powder, a squeeze of lime juice, salt and pepper to finish off your delicious Mexican vegetable dish. 

    cilantro added to make ahead mexican side dish

    Step 8: Toss and serve

    Lightly toss the salad to combine the dressing and ingredients. I always like to save a pinch of cilantro to sprinkle on top. Serve as a dip with chips or enjoy this dish as a salad.

    TIP: The vibrant colors of the vegetables should still be visible – less ranch is more. If serving as a dip, you can add chopped avocado right before serving to change this recipe up a bit.

    mexican side dish to serve with chips and dip for a football game with toby's ranch dressing

    Tasty tips for make ahead Mexican salad

    • Corn: If serving immediately, use thawed (or cooked) corn. If making ahead, add the frozen corn directly to the salad. It will thaw in about an hour in the fridge.
    • Beans: Keep this salad bright and beautiful by rinsing the black beans before adding them to the salad. Otherwise the bean juice will discolor the salad.
    • Make it a dip: Serve it with tortillas.
    • Add avocado: Add chopped avocado right before serving.

    Storage and Leftovers

    This simple make ahead Mexican salad will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container and use the leftovers throughout the week to top tacos, burgers, or this delicious sous vide pulled pork.

    make ahead mexican dish with serving spoons

    Add an appetizer

    If you’re in the market for an appetizer to serve with this salad, see this bacon wrapped jalapeño appetizer – it’s so tasty – there will be no leftovers if you make them!

    Love Mexican food and always end up with leftovers? Check out this article which answers the question “can you freeze refried beans“?

    Make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing for a BBQ or potluck

    Some kitchen staples for quick pasta salads

    • Save time by using a mandoline or food processor to chop pasta salad vegetables. 
    • Work on your home chef skills with something like my 8″ Shun chef’s knife and one of these bamboo cutting boards or my beautiful Acadia wood cutting board.
    • These are my favorite mixing bowls. They come with lids so the salads can be made, stored in the fridge, and served in one bowl. Plus, they’re good looking. 
    • Beautiful wood serving spoons are always within arms reach in my utensil drawer. I don’t just save them for “special occasions”. Use them to make any weeknight meal feel fancy.
    • Mini tongs can be handy for serving sides and salads, too.

    Readers also love these easy salads…

    • Mexican Pasta Salad with Chili Lime Dressing
    • Creamy Pesto Pasta Salad
    • Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad
    • Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing
    • Best Caprese Salad Recipe

    Let me know when you make this make ahead Mexican salad. Be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe. It means so much to hear from Sip Bite Go readers and I love seeing photos of your food! Don’t forget to tag me @sipbitego on Instagram so I can see how the recipe turned out. And sign up for the Sip Bite Go newsletter.

    party size salad recipe for make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing for a BBQ or potluck

    Make Ahead Mexican Salad with Ranch Dressing (Sip Bite Go)

    This make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing is packed with vegetables. It’s one of my favorite party recipes, because it’s unexpected and different – but very simple to make! Whip it up in ~10 minutes and serve it as on it’s own or as a side dish or a dip with tortilla chips. 
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Mexican, tex mex
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 155kcal
    Author: Jenna Passaro

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup corn frozen
    • 1 can black beans
    • 1 red pepper diced
    • 1 red onion diced
    • 2 cups cherry tomatoes sliced in half
    • 1 cup carrots diced
    • 2 tbsp jalapeño pith and seeds removed, diced
    • 1 cup mozzarella cheese smoked flavor, cubed
    • 3-5 tbsp ranch dressing
    • 2 tsp chili powder
    • 3 tbsp cilantro diced
    • ½ lime for juice
    • Salt to taste
    • Pepper to taste
    • Tortilla chips optional for dip

    Instructions

    • Prepare the corn. If you’re making the salad at least an hour ahead, you can add frozen corn directly to the salad and it will thaw in the fridge. If you’re serving the salad immediately, thaw the frozen corn in the fridge ahead of time (can be done overnight) or cook the corn and let it sit at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. 
    • Drain the beans and rinse them with water. 
    • In a large bowl, combine the chopped vegetables (corn, black beans, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, carrots, jalapeño) and mozzarella cheese.
    • Add ranch dressing. Start with 3 tbsp ranch, then toss, and add more as needed. The vegetables should be lightly coated in ranch so the colors of the vegetables are still visible. Less is more. 
    • Add chili powder, cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, salt and pepper. Lightly toss to combine. Serve as a dip with chips or enjoy this dish as a salad. 

    Video

    Notes

    • See how to cut bell peppers for a quick and easy way to dice the peppers.
    • Notes on corn… If serving immediately, use thawed (or cooked) corn. If making ahead, add the frozen corn directly to the salad. It will thaw in about an hour in the fridge. 
    • Keep this salad bright and beautiful by rinsing the black beans before adding them to the salad. Otherwise the bean juice will discolor the salad.
    • Slowly add in the ranch dressing. A little goes a long way. Start with three tablespoons, toss to coat, then add additional tablespoons of ranch if needed. The vibrant colors of the vegetables should still be visible – less ranch is more. 
    • If serving as a dip, you can add chopped avocado right before serving to change this recipe up a bit. 
    • This salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge. 
    • Use leftover Mexican salad to top tacos or burgers. I love this salad on top of sous vide pulled pork.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3675IU | Vitamin C: 31.9mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @SipBiteGo or tag #sipbitego!
    Make ahead Mexican salad with ranch dressing for a party or football appetizer
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda says

      December 17, 2018 at 5:42 pm

      I’m always a sucker for a salad with lots of creamy dressing. This sounds delicious! I’ll be making this soon.5 stars

      Reply
    2. Marie says

      December 17, 2018 at 3:31 pm

      This salad looks so delicious and colourful! Can’t go wrong with a one-step recipe! Love how quick and easy it is to make.5 stars

      Reply
    3. georgie says

      December 17, 2018 at 2:34 pm

      this salad looks so fresh and healthy! I love that it’s make ahead, it’s such a busy time of year I need all the help I can get!5 stars

      Reply
    4. Jillian says

      December 17, 2018 at 2:29 pm

      This salad looks amazing! I could eat it breakfast, lunch and dinner! Just in time for holiday parties too – thank you for posting!5 stars

      Reply

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    jenna passaro food blogger from Portland Oregon

    Hey, I’m Jenna Passaro.

    I develop easy recipes that can transform your kitchen into a restaurant – and you into a true home chef.

      

    Where to start?

    Learn the secrets to smoking tasty Traeger recipes and making pizza at home. And cook amazing tri tip steak dinners.

    Or, fall in love with something new to cook with your air fryer, pellet smoker, BBQ grill, sous vide cooker, and more…

    You’ll notice, I kind of geek out over new cooking trends and tools!

    Instagram me @sipbitego & chef hubs @handmodelpatrick

    My story. Growing up, I didn’t learn to cook.

    (I was actually banned from cooking for years)

    And then in my 20’s I didn’t have to cook because my job as an event planner involved a lot of travel and it was easier to eat out. At the time, I was 100% positive that restaurant food would always taste better than cooking at home, and there was nothing I could do about it.

    Until I fell in love with a chef. He would come over and cook me delicious meals right in my own kitchen. My mind was blown.

    Since then, I’ve been on a mission to figure out easy ways to make restaurant style food at home and share it here on Sip Bite Go.

    Love to eat out and travel? I can totally relate. See my guide on where to eat in Portland, OR.

    jenna passaro the home chef's sous vide cookbook

    Never in a million years did I imagine I’d ditch the 9-5 lifestyle in my late 20’s, move across the country on a whim, start a new life, start a food blog, and write a book.

    But here I am!

    See my book on Amazon: The Home Chef’s Sous Vide Cookbook.

     

       

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