This Cuban Crunch Salad was inspired by a delicious dinner I had at the gorgeous Boston restaurant, Mariel. I loved the way their chef paired charred flavors with creamy cheese and toasted nuts, plus tons of fresh cilantro. It made me want to create something similar at home, and this light summer salad was born! The key is to grill (or broil) the corn and add the avocado, Marcona almonds, and fresh cojita cheese just before eating. It pairs perfectly with grilled steak or shrimp, and lots of fresh lime. I love light, crunchy, summer salads like this. The garbanzo beans and mix of flavors create a super bright flavor combination perfect for summer eating.
I also love my new kitchen towels from Crate and Barrel and Acacia Serving Spoons from Hearth and Hand. I’m always on the hunt for good serveware, bright white platters, and pretty kitchen towels! I love the way beautiful summer ingredients pop on simple serving dishes.
I hope you love this light, healthy, family-friendly summer salad as much as we do. If you make it, I’d love to know what you think!
Cuban Crunch Salad
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 medium limes, juiced
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2/3 cup olive oil
Salad
- 3 15-oz cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ears corn on the cob, husked
- 1/2 large red onion, minced
- 4-5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large English seedless cucumber, cubed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch cilantro, minced
- 2 large avocados, diced
- 1/2 cup marcona almonds, chopped
- 1/2 cup cojita cheese, grated or cubed
Instructions
For the Vinaigrette
- In a medium bowl, combine all the spices, the fresh lime juice, and the red wine vinegar. Stir to combine. Then, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while wisking steadily. Mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
For the Salad
- Prepare the corn: bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add the husked corn and cook until the kernels become bright golden-yellow, about 15 minutes. Then, over a hot grill or under the broiler in the oven, cook each side of the corn until it just starts to char. This should take about 2-5 minutes per side, depending on the grill. The corn should be very golden-brown. Set aside to cool completely, then shave the kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Add them to a large bowl.
- To the same large bowl, add the rinsed and drained garbanzo beans. Then add the diced red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and stir gently but thoroughly. Cover the bowl and let the ingredients marinate for approximately one hour in the refrigerator.
- When ready to eat, add the diced avocado to the vegetables. Stir gently to combine. Then top with the chopped Marcona almonds and the grated cojita cheese. Enjoy!