Antojo Taco Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce

Core the iceberg lettuce, separate leaves and thinly slice or chop into roughly 1-inch pieces. Dry thoroughly in a salad spinner or with paper towels and transfer to a large mixing bowl or platter.

Roast or slice red peppers

If using jarred roasted red peppers, drain and slice into strips. If roasting fresh: broil or char 2 red bell peppers until skin blackens, place in a covered bowl 10 minutes, peel, seed and slice. Add peppers to the bowl with lettuce and toss lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt to coat.

Prepare corn tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut tortillas into 6 wedges each. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake 8–12 minutes until crisp and golden, flipping once. Alternatively, shallow-fry in 1/4 inch oil until crisp. Let cool, then place chips in a small bag or between towels and gently smash some to create irregular 'smashed' pieces; reserve several whole pieces for garnish.

Add beans and cheese

Fold the drained black beans (1 cup) into the lettuce mixture. Crumble the fresh cheese over the top and gently toss to distribute.

Combine the diced tomatoes, diced white onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and minced jalapeño (if using) in a small bowl. Taste and adjust salt or lime. Let sit 10–15 minutes at room temperature to marry flavors. Hold until assembly.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice (1.5 tbsp), olive oil (1 tbsp), honey (1/2 tsp) and 1/2 tsp salt. Add the shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup black beans, thinly sliced red onion (1/4 cup), chopped cilantro and the finely minced habanero (use caution; adjust quantity to heat desired). Toss thoroughly to coat. Let sit 5–10 minutes to soften the cabbage slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning. This slaw should be bright, crunchy and spicy.

Place the thinly sliced red onion (1/2 cup) in a jar or small bowl. Warm the apple cider vinegar, water, sugar and salt just until sugar dissolves (about 15–30 seconds in microwave or in a small saucepan). Pour the pickling liquid over the onions, press down to submerge, and let cool to room temperature. Quick-pickling takes 15–30 minutes for a bright tang; for best flavor refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Drain before using or add a spoonful as garnish.

Whisk together the sour cream (1/2 cup), Greek yogurt (2 tbsp) if using, lime juice (1.5 tbsp), lime zest (1/2 tsp), honey (1/2 tsp) and 1/4 tsp salt. If too thick, thin with up to 1 tablespoon water to reach a pourable drizzling consistency. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness.

On the prepared bowl or platter of lettuce, arrange the pico de gallo in a central mound or scatter in spoonfuls around the salad. Add generous spoonfuls of the black bean habanero slaw in a few sections around the bowl. Nestle pickled onions in small clusters. Scatter roasted red pepper slices and additional whole or smashed corn chips across the top for crunch.

Drizzle the citrus crema over the salad in a thin stream, or serve crema on the side. Finish with a sprinkle of crumbled fresh cheese, a grind of black pepper and a pinch of coarse salt to taste. Garnish with extra cilantro leaves and reserve a few whole tortilla chips on the side for presentation.

Serve immediately so the chips retain crunch. If preparing components ahead, keep chips separate and assemble just before serving.