Charred Cowboy Cabbage Recipe

If you're a fan of cowboy caviar, you'll love this upgrade that transforms it into a full-on salad — a twist that elevates a popular appetizer into a satisfying meal. We're using coleslaw as the base and we mix it with corn that is freshly charred in a cast-iron skillet, as well as earthy, protein-packed black beans, red pepper, and jalapeño. The homemade chipotle dressing, made with tangy sour cream, mayonnaise, smoky-hot chipotle, spices, and a touch of lime juice, turns this vibrant, spicy salad into something truly special. The dressing, which is creamy and loaded with bold flavor, is the perfect complement to all of the fresh and crunchy salad ingredients. This is one of those salads that you just can't get enough of.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this salad and says, "One of my favorite things about this salad is how well it holds up. Because cabbage is the base instead of lettuce, you can make it ahead of time and it won't get wilted. This salad pairs well with so many entrees, and the leftovers are perfect to have the next day."

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and grab corn on the cob, coleslaw mix, red bell pepper, jalapeño, green onions, cilantro, limes, and an optional avocado. From the dry goods area, pick up a can of black beans, mayonnaise, and a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Stop by the dairy aisle for sour cream, then check your pantry for avocado oil, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. If you want to add some extra crunch to the salad, add some chili cheese Fritos to your cart.

Add the oil to a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed stainless-steel pan and bring the heat to medium-high.

Add the corn cobs and cook for 15 minutes, rotating so all sides get lightly charred.

Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle pepper, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to a blender.

Blend until smooth.

When the corn is done, stand the corn cobs up in your serving bowl and cut off the kernels into the bowl.

Add the coleslaw mix, black beans, red bell pepper, jalapeño, green onions, and cilantro to the serving bowl. Toss until evenly combined.

Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat before adding optional toppings and serving.

• Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Recipe
• Twice-Fried Salt and Pepper Tofu Recipe
• Decadent French Onion Burger Recipe
• Hearty Black Bean Burgers Recipe
• Simple, Classic Blackened Salmon Recipe

Should you want to make some ingredient substitutions in this salad, here are some easy swaps you can try. For the cabbage mix, you can easily make your own slaw by shredding the cabbage yourself. A mandoline slicer is very helpful for getting thin and uniform slices. For a pop of color, mix in some purple cabbage. To save a step, instead of charring the corn in a skillet, use a bag of frozen fire-roasted corn. Instead of boiling it on the stove, cook it in a hot skillet. If you can't find fire-roasted corn, you can always use regular corn, which will still add a little sweetness despite the lack of smokiness. 

Depending on how much spice you want, you can choose another type of chile pepper. Poblanos are milder, and serrano peppers will add more heat. For the chipotle pepper, you can use chipotle powder for a smokier taste, or ancho chile paste for a less smoky, slightly deep and fruity flavor. If you don't have black beans, pinto or kidney beans would work and both add their unique texture to the salad.

For the dressing, instead of the sour cream, you can use unsweetened Greek yogurt. To make the salad vegan and dairy-free, use dairy-free sour cream and mayonnaise.

Once you try this chipotle dressing, you'll probably want to slather it on everything. It is a great topper to use on all sorts of Mexican food dishes. Try it on any type of taco; it will work on everything from beef to fish, shrimp, or veggie. Serve it as a topper for bean and rice burritos, cheese enchiladas, bean taquitos, or any type of sizzling fajitas. It makes a great sauce if you want to give your burgers a Tex-Mex flair, or use it instead of mayo on your favorite sandwich.

If you love grain bowls, you can use the chipotle dressing as your sauce. Try it with cooked quinoa, black beans, roasted vegetables, and avocado, or with rice, pinto beans, fajita peppers, and corn. For simple dinners that need an upgrade, drizzle the sauce over grilled chicken, salmon, or steak. To level up roasted vegetables, toss it with roasted cauliflower, sweet potatoes, or corn. It would make a great potato salad dressing, and you could add diced jalapeño and red bell pepper to lean into a Tex-Mex potato salad. It also works well as a dip with tortilla chips, jicama slices, or nachos.

• Super Green Grain Salad Recipe
• Show-Stopping Dinner Party Salad Recipe
• Moroccan Chickpea Salad Recipe
• Riced Broccoli Salad With Salmon Recipe
• 3-Ingredient Cucumber Salad Recipe