Mexican Shredded Beef Salad
When you're craving a light, refreshing salad, look no further than salpicón, a cold Mexican salad made with shredded beef. Our salpicón recipe is based on the way they prepared it in the school cafeteria at the Instituto Sanmiguelense in San Miguel de Allende. They didn’t offer it every day but I ordered it every time that they did. It was one of my favorites.
You can serve salpicón as a main dish on tostadas, or on the side of your favorite Mexican meal. I prepared this dish live with Jenn Sharp from Roux & Choux. You can watch the video here to see how simple it is to prepare.
What to Expect from This Recipe
The recipe combines shredded beef, pickled chili peppers (or chiles en vinagre), lettuce, tomato, avocado, panela cheese and a squeeze of lime for just the right tang. Just cook and shred the beef, chop the veggies, and toss it in a bowl. It's an impressive dish without too much prep time or effort.
Learn How to Make Salpicón
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ¼ pound skirt steak
- 4 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- ½ head iceberg or Romaine lettuce
- 3 limes
- 2 avocados
- ½ cup pickled chilis (chiles en vinagre)
- 4 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- ⅓ red onion, finely chopped
- 4 ozs panela cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
What Beef to Use
We used skirt steak for this recipe because we like the beefy flavor and texture. Any cut of meat that shreds well like bottom round, chuck, or brisket will all give great results.
Prepare the Beef
Slice the beef against the grain into 1-inch chunks.
Fill a pan halfway with water and add the sliced beef. Cook over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes or until tender.
Chop the Veggies
While the beef is cooking, finely chop the garlic and put in a small prep bowl.
Finely chop the red onion and set aside.
Finely chop the parsley and place in a separate prep bowl.
Chop the lettuce and place in a large mixing bowl. You'll use this bowl to mix the salad.
Chop the tomatoes and place in a separate prep bowl. Do the same with the pickled chilis.
Chop and Shred the Remaining Ingredients
Cut the avocado in half, around the pit. Score each half into squares.
Scoop the avocado into a bowl.
Shred the panela cheese into a plate and set aside.
Shred the Beef
After cooking the beef, the water will reduce and the broth will darken. It should look like this in the pan.
Remove the beef from the broth and shred using a knife and fork. You can let it cool and shred with your hands, but it will be easier to shred while hot.
Assemble Your Salad
Start with your large bowl of shredded lettuce.
Add the shredded beef.
Add the chopped onion.
Scoop in the avocado.
Spoon in the chopped tomatoes.
Sprinkle on the shredded cheese.
Add the pickled chilis.
Sprinkle in the parsley.
Then the garlic.
Top With Spices, Lime and Oil
Sprinkle in the pepper.
Then the salt.
Squeeze in the limes.
Finally, pour in the olive oil.
Toss and Serve
Carefully toss all ingredients in the mixing bowl, being careful not to crush the avocado.
Mmmm! Can't wait to taste that salpicón!
Serve as a side salad or on your favorite tostadas for a crunchy, tasty treat!
Mexican Salpicón de Res Recipe
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowls
- Cheese Grater
- Plate
- Serving spoon or tongs
- Large pot
- Fork and Knife
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 1 ¼ lb Skirt steak
- 4 Roma tomatoes Finely chopped
- ½ head Iceberg or Romaine lettuce
- 3 Limes
- 2 Avocados
- ½ cup Pickled chilis (chiles en vinagre)
- 4 tablespoon Parsley Finely chopped
- ⅓ Red onion Finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic Finely chopped
- 4 ozs Panela cheese Grated
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Beef
- Slice the beef against the grain into 1-inch chunks.
- Fill a pan halfway with water and add the sliced beef. Cook over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes or until tender.
Chop the Veggies
- While the beef is cooking, finely chop the garlic, red onion and parsley and put into separate prep bowls.
- Chop the lettuce and place in a large mixing bowl. You'll use this bowl to mix the salad.
- Chop the tomatoes and place into another bowl. Do the same with the pickled chilis.
Chop and Shred Remaining Ingredients
- Cut the avocado in half, around the pit. Score each half into squares and then scoop the avocado into a bowl.
- Shred the panela cheese into a plate and set aside.
Shred the Beef
- After cooking the beef, the water will reduce and the broth will darken.
- Remove the beef from the broth and shred using a knife and fork. You can let it cool and shred with your hands, but it will be easier to shred while hot.
Assemble Your Salad
- Start with your large bowl of shredded lettuce.
- Add the shredded beef, then the chopped onion.
- Scoop in the avocado and spoon in the chopped tomatoes.
- Sprinkle on the shredded cheese.
- Add the pickled chilis, then sprinkle in the parsley and garlic.
Top with Spices, Lime and Oil
- Sprinkle in the pepper and salt.
- Squeeze in the limes.
- Finally, pour in the olive oil.
Toss and Serve
- Carefully toss all ingredients in the mixing bowl, being careful not to crush the avocado.
- Serve as a side salad or on your favorite tostadas for a crunchy, tasty treat!
Notes
Nutrition
Common Questions
It’s best to enjoy this salad the same day you make it, as it doesn’t keep very well.
Salpicón is a dish made of chopped or shredded meat, chicken, or seafood mixed with seasoning like vinegar, oil, onion, and pepper, often served cold. Salpicón is derived from the Spanish verb salpicar and is related to the idea of "splashed" or "mixed," which fits the way the ingredients are tossed together.
"Salpicón" has a few main types, and the meaning of salpicón changes by country. Mexican salpicón de res: shredded or chopped beef with onion, tomato, herbs, chiles, and lime or vinegar. Seafood salpicón: made with seafood such as shrimp, octopus, or crab. Colombian salpicón de frutas: a sweet fruit drink or fruit salad mix, often with watermelon and other fruit. Central American meat salpicón: minced beef or other meat with seasonings like onion, mint, radish, garlic, and lime.
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Sylvia says
I love Salpicón ! Your recipe is good.. yet in Mexico we do not add cheese , I add cooked small sliced round potatoes and peas or chopped green beans .oregano and. chopped cilantro .(.half a bunch).
It’s a family summer tradition!