Frito Cowboy Cabbage is a vibrant and crunchy southwestern-inspired salad featuring coleslaw mix, black beans, corn, and a zesty chipotle dressing. Topped with Chili Cheese Fritos for a spicy, crispy twist, this salad is perfect as a refreshing side dish or light meal.
Total Time:15 minutes
Yield:6 servings
Ingredients
Salad
1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ cups canned corn kernels (247.5 g), drained
1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
3 green onions, finely sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 bag (9.75 ounces) Chili Cheese Fritos, reserving a handful for topping
Chipotle Dressing
½ cup sour cream (115 g)
½ cup mayonnaise (116 g)
¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons chipotle sauce from canned chipotles in adobo (just the sauce, not the peppers)
Instructions
Combine Salad Ingredients. In a large bowl, add the coleslaw mix, black beans, corn, jalapeño, red bell pepper, green onions, cilantro, taco seasoning, and ground cumin. Toss all ingredients together until evenly combined to ensure a flavorful base.
Prepare Chipotle Dressing. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, fresh lime juice, and chipotle sauce until the mixture is smooth and well blended, forming about 1 ¼ cups of creamy dressing.
Dress the Salad. When ready to serve, pour the chipotle dressing over the coleslaw mixture. Add all but a handful of the Chili Cheese Fritos to the bowl and gently stir so that every ingredient is coated with the dressing and the chips are incorporated.
Add Topping and Serve. Just before serving, sprinkle the reserved handful of Chili Cheese Fritos on top to add an extra crunchy texture. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the crispness of the ingredients and chips.
Notes
For a spicier kick, leave some jalapeño seeds in the mix or add extra chipotle sauce to the dressing.
You can substitute mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter dressing option.
If you prefer a gluten-free version, check the taco seasoning and chili cheese Fritos for gluten content or use gluten-free alternatives.
To make this recipe vegan, replace sour cream and mayonnaise with plant-based alternatives and use vegan corn chips.
The salad tastes best served immediately to maintain the crunch of the Fritos and fresh vegetables.
