Some salads are an afterthought. This Chopped Vegetable Salad with Tortillas is not one of those salads. It’s the one people ask you for the recipe for. It’s got black beans, avocado, corn, two kinds of fresh herbs, a creamy lime dressing, and crushed tortilla chips folded in right before serving — so you get crunch in every single bite. It’s a potluck MVP, a summer barbecue side, and a weeknight dinner that actually feels like dinner.

The dressing comes together in under two minutes. The salad takes maybe fifteen. And it genuinely gets better as it sits (minus the tortilla chips — those go in last, always).

Why You’ll Love This Chopped Vegetable Salad with Tortillas

• Entirely make-ahead. Everything except the chips can be prepped and dressed in advance. Add the tortillas right before you serve.
• Hearty enough to be a main. Black beans and avocado mean this holds up as a lunch or light dinner, not just a side dish.
• No cooking required. Unless you count opening a can, this is a completely hands-off recipe. It’s summer. The oven can stay off.
• The dressing is deceptively simple. Mayo, lime juice, a little sugar, salt — it sounds too easy to be good. It’s very good.

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Salad

• 1 can (540ml) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 2 cups corn kernels
• ½ cup roughly chopped basil
• ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro (or parsley)
• 4 cups crushed tortilla chips

Tips for the Best Chopped Vegetable Salad with Tortillas

Dice everything around the same size. This is a chopped salad — the goal is a bit of everything in every forkful. Aim for roughly ½-inch pieces across the board.

Use ripe avocado, but not overripe. You want avocado that holds its shape when tossed. Very soft avocado will dissolve into the dressing and you’ll lose that lovely chunky texture.

Fresh or frozen corn both work. If it’s peak corn season, cut it straight off the cob and throw it in raw — the sweetness is incredible. Thawed frozen corn is perfectly fine the rest of the year.

Cilantro-averse? Use parsley. The recipe already gives you this option. Flat-leaf Italian parsley is a great swap and keeps the herb freshness without the divisive flavour.

Hold the chips until the last minute. I know you know this, but it bears repeating. Dressed chips get soggy fast. Add half the chips and toss, then use the rest as a garnish on top when you plate it.

The dressing is intentionally punchy. Half a cup of lime juice sounds like a lot — it is a lot, and that’s on purpose. The creaminess of the mayo and the starchiness of the beans and chips absorb it perfectly. Don’t scale it back.

Make a double batch of dressing. It keeps well in the fridge for a week and is excellent on anything — tacos, wraps, grain bowls, slaws.

How to Make Chopped Vegetable Salad with Tortillas

Step 1: Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

Step 2: Build the salad. In a large bowl, combine the drained and rinsed black beans, sliced green onions, diced avocado, tomato, red bell pepper, zucchini, corn, basil, and cilantro (or parsley). Toss gently to combine.

Step 3: Dress the salad. Pour the dressing over the top and toss everything together until evenly coated.

Step 4: Add the chips. Add half of the crushed tortilla chips to the bowl and toss to incorporate.

Step 5: Plate and garnish. Transfer the salad to a large platter or serving bowl. Scatter the remaining tortilla chips over the top as a garnish. Serve immediately.

Internal Links

More salads and sides worth bookmarking:

• Honey-Roasted Peanut Slaw — crunchy, flavour-packed slaw that holds up well for entertaining
• 7 Easy Summer Salads and Sides for the Cottage, Cabin or Lakehouse — a full roundup if you’re building a summer spread
• Tomatillo Guacamole — pairs perfectly with this salad’s flavour profile
• Fennel Radish Slaw with Creamy Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing — another no-cook, creamy-dressed crowd pleaser

External Links

• The Kitchn: How to Cut an Avocado — quick technique guide for clean, evenly-diced avocado
• Bon Appétit: Everything You Need to Know About Corn — when to use fresh vs. frozen vs. canned corn and why it matters

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this salad ahead of time? Yes — with one caveat. You can prep and dress everything (including the avocado) up to a few hours ahead. The lime juice in the dressing helps slow avocado browning. Hold the tortilla chips until just before serving.

How do I keep the avocado from browning? The lime juice in the dressing helps significantly. If you’re prepping really far ahead, toss the diced avocado in a little extra lime juice before adding it to the salad.

What type of tortilla chips work best? Any sturdy, salted tortilla chip works. You want them to stay slightly crisp after tossing — thinner chips will disintegrate faster. Restaurant-style or thick-cut chips hold up best.

Can I add protein to make it a full meal? Absolutely. Grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak all work well sliced on top. Rotisserie chicken folded into the salad is a fast weeknight move.

Is this salad vegetarian? Vegan? It’s vegetarian as written. To make it vegan, swap the mayonnaise for a plant-based mayo (Vegenaise or Just Mayo both work well here). The rest of the ingredients are already plant-based.

What if I don’t have zucchini? Cucumber is a natural swap — same mild flavour, similar texture. English cucumber (seeds scooped out) is especially good here.

How long does leftover salad keep? Without the chips, the dressed salad keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days. The avocado will start to darken, but the flavour is still great. Don’t add chips until you’re ready to eat.

Chopped Vegetable Salad with Tortillas

Print Recipe

• Author: Andrea Buckett

Ingredients

For the dressing

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

For the salad

One can (540ml) black beans, drained and rinsed

3 green onions, sliced

2 avocados, diced

1 tomato, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

2 cups corn kernels

1/2 cup roughly chopped basil

1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro (or parsley)

4 cups crushed tortillas chips

Instructions

1. For the dressing whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, sugar and salt.
2. In a large bowl toss together the beans, green onions, avocado, tomato, peppers, zucchini, corn, basil and cilantro. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to combine.
3. Add half the crushed tortilla chips and toss.
4. Pour the salad onto a platter and garnish with the remaining chips.