salpicón

Salpicón is a traditional dish in many Spanish-speaking countries, typically a cold salad made from shredded cooked meat or seafood mixed with vegetables and a tangy dressing. The name derives from salpicar, meaning to sprinkle or speckle, a reference to the speckled look of the mixed ingredients.

Common forms include salpicón de carne (with shredded beef or other meat) and salpicón de mariscos (seafood such as shrimp or crab). Ingredients often include onion, bell pepper, tomato, and sometimes cucumber, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and herbs.

Preparation involves cooking and cooling the protein, shredding or finely chopping it, dicing vegetables, and tossing everything with olive oil and an acidic component such as vinegar or lime juice, plus salt and pepper. Some regional versions add potatoes or avocado.

Served cold, salpicón is typically eaten as a main course or starter, accompanied by bread, tostadas, or lettuce leaves; in some places it is used as a filling for sandwiches.

Although most commonly a meat- or seafood-based dish, the term salpicón is sometimes applied to fruit-based salads in certain locales.