Salads You May See On An Authentic Mexican Restaurant Menu

When visiting a Mexican restaurant, you might expect to see a taco salad on the menu. But in fact, the taco salad is more of an American invention. If you're at an authentic Mexican restaurant, you are more likely to see one or more of the following salads, which are typical of actual Mexican cuisine.

Berros Regionales

Berros regionales is a watercress salad that's common across Mexico. It starts with fresh watercress leaves, which are washed and chopped roughly. Then, the watercress is topped with walnuts, bacon, and pine nuts. The salad may then be dressed in plain lemon juice, or sometimes with a dressing made with lemon juice. Berros Regionales is crunchy, fresh, and nourishing. It's delicious as a side dish on a bright, summer day.

Betabeles

If you enjoy beet salads, then give this Mexican version a try. The base, of course, is beets, which are generally cooked until barely tender before being topped with a sweet, orange-flavored dressing. The dressing is thickened with cornstarch, which enables it to stick to the beets. Betabeles is a great choice for a small lunch. You may want to pair it with a taco or two for a more filling and complete meal.

Salpicon de Res

This filling salad can be a whole meal in and of itself. It consists of chopped tomatoes, chile peppers, avocados, and onions. All of these vegetables are mixed with seasoned, shredded beef. Add some lime-flavored salad dressing over the top, and you have quite a treat. Many Mexican restaurants serve salpicon de res with some tortillas on the side. You can use the tortillas to pick up the salad and create little wraps, if desired.

Pico de Gallo

People often think of pico de gallo as a sauce or topping, and it certainly can be. However, a different version is often served as a side salad. When pico de gallo is served as a salad, the pieces of vegetables are generally left a little larger. But the main ingredients are still fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, and lime juice. You may see the salad served with some tortillas or chips on the side.

If you visit an authentic Mexican restaurant and see a salad section on the menu, check it out. There is a good chance it will include some or all of the salads above. They are all delicious and worth giving a try.

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