Texan Black Bean Salad
with Pepper Jack Frico, Pickled Red Onion & Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing
- Milk
- Eggs
Everything’s bigger in Texas and this salad is no exception. Our chefs pulled out all the colors and deliciousness for this hearty dinner! Red shines through with tomato and pickled red onion, you’ll get some yellow with crumbled pepper Jack frico on top. Green comes in with fresh, crisp romaine lettuce, and a dressing that includes cilantro and lime zest. Tex Mex-spiced black beans add a pop of protein and flavor. Pull up ‘yer boot straps... and a chair!
Ingredients
1 unit
Baby Lettuce
1 unit
Red Onion
4 tablespoon
Sour Cream
1 teaspoon
Cumin
½ cup
Pepper Jack Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Black Beans
2 unit
Tomato
1 unit
Lime
1.5 ounce
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
(Contains: Eggs, Milk)
1 unit
Tex-Mex Paste
¼ ounce
Cilantro
Not included in your delivery
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Sugar
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Halve, peel, and thinly slice half the onion (all for 4 servings). Zest and quarter lime. Finely chop cilantro. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; thinly slice leaves crosswise into strips until you have 4 cups (8 cups for 4); halve strips crosswise. Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces.
• In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine sliced onion, juice from half the lime, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. Microwave until onion is softened, 30 seconds. Set aside, tossing occasionally.
• Lightly oil a baking sheet. Sprinkle pepper jack into two 4-inch-wide circles (four circles for 4 servings) directly on sheet. • Bake on top rack until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Let frico cool until crispy, then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. TIP: Keep a close eye on frico to avoid burning.
• Meanwhile, drain and rinse beans; gently pat dry with paper towels. • In a medium bowl, combine beans, half the Tex-Mex paste (all for 4 servings), half the cilantro, half the lime zest, half the cumin (all for 4), and a big squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt.
• In a second small bowl, combine ranch dressing, sour cream, remaining cilantro, remaining lime zest, and 1½ tsp pickling liquid (3 tsp for 4 servings). (TIP: If dressing seems too thick, add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.) Season with salt and pepper.
• In a large bowl, toss lettuce and tomato with as much dressing as you like. Add half the bean mixture and half the pickled onion (draining first); toss to combine. • Divide salad between plates; top with remaining bean mixture and pickled onion. Crumble frico over top. Serve with any remaining lime wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the vibrant flavors, with some finding the Tex-Mex paste too spicy; adjust seasoning to taste 🌶️.
- Ease of prep: Some found it surprisingly involved for a salad; consider prepping components ahead for quicker assembly.
- Suggestions: Try adding protein like chicken or ground beef; avocado and corn boost flavor and heartiness.
- Leftovers: Beans and pickled onions improve overnight; store dressing separately to keep salad crisp.
- Frico: Cheese crisps were a hit, but tricky to make; oil pan well or use parchment paper for easier removal.
Reviews from our home cooks
Thought the frico were SO COOL and a very slick idea for added crunch and fat to salads! I found I did have to refry mine in the airfryer to get them really crispy but they were worth it. I found that doctoring up the included ranch dressing did little to change its overwhelming ranch flavor but it was certainly edible. Maybe this is hard to convey over a written recipe but there is an easier way to chop lettuce! I would advise cooks to leave the root intact while chopping (helps hold together) and then discard once done.
After making 25 Hello Fresh meals to date, this is one of our top 3 favs! I am not normally a big Tex Mex fan, nor do prefer lime or cilantro, but the flavor combinations in this recipe made everything absolutely delicious. *NOTE: We roasted 1 cup of frozen corn in our air oven until slightly crispy and mixed in with the black beans for enhanced flavor. Absolutely making this recipe again in the near future.
The pepper jack crisps, the marinated beans and onion all work to make the perfect, hearty salad! Couldn't get enough!
I loved it! The lime ranch dressing and the pickled onion made it more exciting than my average salad.
This was pretty yummy! Def a lot more beans than I would like so if you don't like a whole lot of beans versus lettuce ratio don't add them all in otherwise this was very flavorful and the pepper jack croutons were a yummy touch
I opted to: leave out the sour cream (too gooey), add one poblano - cooked the extra onion and the poblano in a pan, use all the spices and onion - not just half, and add one small avocado. Turned out great. I suggest less "goo" and more vegetables. Finally, I am sorry I mixed the beans into the lettuce - I would have put them all on top, and folks who like to mix/stir can do that after serving.
Wow, my family loved this salad. We added Chicken tenders to our salad. The crispy cheese was a big hit.
I've never marinaded black beans before. They were the highlight!
A really easy and interesting salad! Loved the Frico technique for a low-carb crunch
Great flavors! Lovely to look at! Directions might suggest not dressing the whole salad if the whole thing will not be consumed in one meal.
