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5 from 18 votes

Southwest Salad Recipe

Our favorite Southwest Salad recipe is healthy and hearty and topped with a delicious homemade cilantro ranch dressing.
Prep Time15 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Lil' Luna

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 large orange bell pepper chopped
  • 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
  • 2 cups corn
  • 1 avocado sliced or cubed
  • 2 chicken breasts seasoned to taste, cooked and cubed
  • diced green onions optional
  • chopped cilantro optional

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

  • 1 packet Ranch dip or dressing mix (or 3 tablespoons)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1-3 teaspoons diced jalapeños
  • ⅓-½ cup milk

Instructions

  • For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender, beginning with ⅓ cup of milk. Blend until smooth. Add more milk as needed until it is the consistency you like. Refrigerate dressing until ready to serve.
  • Place all salad ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
  • Drizzle with dressing before serving.

Video

Notes

Make Ahead: You can prepare the salad ingredients 1–2 days ahead of time, except for the avocados, which cannot be cut until right before serving. Store the ingredients in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve, cut the avocados and toss the salad ingredients together up to 30 minutes before serving.
Storing Leftovers: How long leftover salad will stay fresh depends on whether it has been tossed in the dressing or not. If you think you may have leftover salad, I recommend serving the dressing on the side so your leftovers will last longer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 549kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 861mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1936IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg