Mexican or Latin-inspired meals have become so common in our kitchen that we created this simple side salad to accompany them. Peeling carrots into long ribbons makes them look elegant with minimal effort, and the cumin lime dressing can be whisked together quickly without any chopping or blending. This one usually gets high marks from our dinner guests and is a natural pairing with tortilla soup, loaded sweet potatoes, grilled fajitas, or red and green enchiladas. Rainbow carrots from the farmers’ market add a colorful touch.
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
- 8 cups mixed baby greens, loosely packed
- 2 medium carrots, orange or rainbow
- 4 radishes
- ¼ cup roasted salted pepitas
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbles (optional)
How to Make It
- Make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, mustard, honey, cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and whisk until fully combined. Continue adding the remaining olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until all 6 tablespoons are added and the dressing is creamy and emulsified.
- Prepare the fresh ingredients: Wash and dry the greens and chop or tear them into pieces, if necessary. Peel the carrots into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Thinly slice the radishes.
- To serve, place the greens on plates or in bowls. Top with the carrots, radishes, pepitas, and feta crumbles, then drizzle with dressing.
