Southwestern Salad

This Southwestern salad is like a fiesta in a bowl. It’s bursting with bold flavors and vibrant colors!

Crisp romaine lettuce is topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, hearty black beans, and crunchy tortilla strips.

But the real star of the show is the spicy avocado cilantro dressing. It’s like a little bit of Tex-Mex magic!

Why You’ll Love This Southwestern Salad

Vibrant Presentation: With its colorful array of greens, reds, oranges, and yellows, this salad is a feast for the eyes. It’s an impressive and visually appealing addition to any table.

Versatile Crowd-Pleaser: You can serve Southwestern salad as a main dish or a side. Either way, it caters to diverse tastes and is an excellent choice for potlucks.

Highly Customizable: This recipe is easily adaptable. You can swap out or add ingredients based on personal preferences or what you have on hand. 

Quick Preparation: This salad requires minimal cooking and can be assembled quickly. It’s ideal for busy weeknights or last-minute meals.

Ingredients

• Romaine Lettuce: The salad’s crisp, refreshing base.

• Black Beans: Hearty and protein-packed, these add substance to each bite.

• Corn Kernels: Either fresh or frozen is fine. They add bursts of sweetness throughout the salad.

• Orange Bell Pepper: Vibrant and crunchy, the peppers add a pop of color.

• Cherry Tomatoes: Juicy gems that provide a burst of freshness.

• Red Onion: Thinly sliced for a sharp, zesty bite.

• Avocado: Creamy and luscious, it’s the perfect complement to the other ingredients.

• Crumbled Cotija Cheese: Salty, tangy crumbles that add richness and depth.

• Chopped Fresh Cilantro: Bright, citrusy, and herbaceous, it ties all the flavors together.

• Crushed Tortilla Chips: The crunchy topping adds a satisfying textural contrast.

• Creamy Avocado Cilantro Dressing: A luscious blend of avocado, Greek yogurt, lime, garlic, and spices. It coats every bite with a tangy, cool flavor.

How to Make a Southwestern Salad

You can prepare this South-of-the-Border salad in as few as four steps: 

1. Make the dressing. Combine the avocado, yogurt, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. 

2. Thin it out. If needed, add a bit of water to the dressing to thin it. Then, taste it and make any necessary flavor adjustments. Chill it until you’re ready to serve the salad. 

3. Prepare the salad. Mix the lettuce, beans, corn, pepper, tomatoes, onion, avocado, Cotija cheese, and cilantro in a salad bowl. Toss gently to combine. 

4. Finish and serve. Drizzle the chilled dressing over the salad. Toss to coat, then add the crushed tortilla chips on top. Serve immediately and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Southwestern Salad

Follow these tips to make this salad truly shine.

• Get a step ahead. Make the dressing and chop the vegetables in advance. Doing so will save you some time when assembling the salad.

• Don’t forget to rinse. Canned black beans have a lot of extra sodium. Rinse and drain them thoroughly to remove as much as possible.

• Get grilling! Grill the corn. It’ll give the salad an extra smoky, slightly charred flavor. Delicious! 

• Play with the recipe. Try adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak for protein. Swap pepper jack or cheddar for the cotija cheese. Add pickled jalapeños for heat.

How to Store

Storing this salad is a breeze!

To Store: Store the salad components separately from the dressing. Place them in airtight containers in the fridge. It will keep for 2 to 3 days, and the dressing for up to a week. 

Avoid tossing the salad with dressing until ready to serve for maximum freshness.

More Fresh Salad Recipes For Summer

BBQ Chicken Salad
California Spaghetti Salad
Ruby Tuesday Pasta Salad
Cowboy Pasta Salad