This Brazilian Chopped Salad is great for picnics and barbecues, and it goes really well with a Thanksgiving turkey too!
If you need a salad that is ready in about 15 minutes, it's amazingly delicious, and you want to use the ingredients you already have at home, you came to the right place!
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🇧🇷 Why Brazilian Chopped Salad?
This salad is not a traditional Brazilian recipe but it's a tradition in my family. My mother doesn't cook a lot, but she has her specialties and this recipe is definitely one of them.
My mom adapted it from an old cookbook she had. The original name of this recipe is Million Dollar Salad, but since we always make it at birthday parties, Christmas Dinner, New Year's Eve, my family calls it Party Salad.
But I think the name party salad doesn't make much sense for anyone outside my family, so I decided to call it Brazilian Chopped Salad.
Brazilian because there is a salad in Brazil called salpicão de frango, which is a chicken chopped salad that is kind of similar to this one I'm sharing with you here. I could say this recipe a twist on salpicão de frango.
And chopped salad because most ingredients are chopped. And the ones that are not chopped, are already small, like peas, corn and raisins.
🥗 Is this chopped salad healthy?
Not really! I don't consider it unhealthy but it's not low in calories mainly because of the mayonnaise and heavy cream.
But it is AMAZING! Totally worth the calorie splurge 😉
🥘 What to serve it with
As I've said, in my family this chopped salad is mostly served in special occasions.
A Christmas meal here in Brazil usually isn't complete without a roasted turkey, and this salad is fantastic with turkey, or a pork roast.
It also goes really well with barbecue. As it is a little sweet, it reminds me a of a coleslaw.
📋 Ingredients
To make this chopped salad you will need:
- smoked turkey breast
- ham
- pickles
- Granny Smith apple
- canned pineapple
- sweet corn
- peas
- heavy cream
- mayonnaise
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
- white vinegar
🔀 Can I make substitutions?
Yes, you can! If you like ham, for example, but don't like turkey breast you can double the ham and don't use the turkey breast.
If you want to make the recipe healthier you can substitute the heavy cream for plain yogurt.
Don't want peas? No problem, leave them out!
Got dark raisins? Go for it - although I think this change impacts a lot on the final flavor. I do not like dark raisins! 😬
What I mean is, you are the boss of this salad!
🍳 How to make it
This salad couldn't be easier to make. You just have to chop the ingredients that need to be chopped and place them in a large bowl.
Add all other ingredients and mix well.
Then season to taste with salt, pepper, olive oil and white vinegar.
⏱️ Can I make it ahead?
Yes, but in this case leave the mayo, heavy cream, salt, pepper, oil and vinegar out and add just before serving for a really fresh flavor.
But you can leave it ready. Just store it in an airtight container. When serving, you could add a little extra mayo if needed.
📖 Recipe
I think you might also enjoy this Corn Chicken Egg Salad
Brazilian Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb smoked turkey breast finely chopped
- 1 lb ham finely chopped
- 1/2 cup pickles finely chopped
- 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 1 cup canned pineapple finely chopped
- 1 cup sweet corn
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil or more to taste
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or more to taste
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well and season with salt, pepper, olive oil and white vinager.
sounds like a good party salad!
It is 🙂
Can I make this the day before and refrigerate it overnight?
Hi Gail,
Yes, you can do that!