Fresh and flavorful Southwestern Chopped Salad tossed in the most delicious creamy avocado cilantro-lime dressing! So crisp and refreshing. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free option)
This Southwestern Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing is our all-time favorite salad. It's colorful, nutrient-packed, delicious, and so fresh. Plus it's also great for picnics, potlucks, and meal prep!
If making ahead of time, store the dressing and salad separately, and then toss together before serving to keep it fresh and crisp.
Ingredients for Southwestern Salad
For the salad portion, you will need:
- Romaine lettuce
- Black beans
- Orange bell pepper (or other color)
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Sweet corn (cooked, canned, frozen, fire-roasted, etc. )
- Green onion (scallion)
You could also top it with avocado chunks or tortilla strips for crunch and texture.
Ingredients for Southwest Salad Dressing
For the creamy cilantro-lime dressing you will need:
- Fresh cilantro*
- Avocado (or plain & unsweetened vegan yogurt)
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Olive oil (or substitute water for oil-free)
- White wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- Salt
- Ground cumin & agave (optional but recommended)
*Not a fan of cilantro? Readers have reported success with substituting fresh parsley instead. (And some who don't normally like cilantro said they actually end up enjoying it in this dressing!)
We think the creamy, flavorful cilantro-lime dressing and salad are a perfect match. So crisp and refreshing together.
For us, one recipe of the cilantro dressing is a great match for the amount of salad below. Hope you enjoy as much as we do!
Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 10 oz. cherry/grape tomatoes (about 1 pint)
- 2 cups sweet corn, cooked
- 5 green onions
For the Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing:
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro (stems removed and roughly chopped)
- 1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime, more to taste)
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup olive oil (for oil-free, sub a little water to thin)
- 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- Recommended: agave & cumin to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing: blend all dressing ingredients in a food processor/blender until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. (I love the addition of a little cumin, and also agave to sweeten.)
- Chop romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Rinse and drain black beans.
- Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Toss with desired amount of dressing.*
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
If you're enjoying this Southwest Salad with Cilantro Dressing, also check out:
- Vegan Taco Salad with Creamy Southwestern Dressing
- Corn & Black Bean Fajitas
- Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing
Come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and then share a photo if you make this recipe. (Also please leave a review & star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated - thank you!)
Rebecca
OMG! I love cilantro and any recipe that calls for this aromatic delight! This is such a simple salad and dressing to make it’s now going to be a staple in my household! Did I mention how delicious this recipe turned out?
Kaitlin
So happy to hear that, Rebecca! Thanks for giving the recipe a try and sharing your very kind feedback. Hope you continue to enjoy it! -Kaitlin
Marcia
Delicious salad and the dressing is amazingly yummy. I am not a fan of cilantro or limes however I tried this anyway. I was pleasantly surprised after making this. I have a new favorite dressing now.
Kaitlin
Hi Marcia! That's wonderful. So great to hear you gave it a try and enjoyed. 🙂 Thank you so much for reporting back! Wishing you a lovely weekend.
Kartheek Hegde
As I started making lunch and not eating out, I am always researching new recipe and this looks amazing and so simple to make! And the fact there are hundreds of comments, it must mean something 🙂
Cheers!
Kaitlin McGinn
Thank you! Hope you enjoy if you give it a try 🙂
Nika
Love it, except for the evil devil weed cilantro. That just makes everything taste like detergent. Skipped the dressing completely to avoid the poison.
Kaitlin McGinn
Hi Nika! If you make it again, you could try substituting parsley for the cilantro. (Many people have reported success with that version as well!) 🙂
debbie gorton
I expanded on this fabulous salad! I added 1/2 lettuce 1/2 romaine,4 sliced persian cucumbers, sliced radishes, no tomatoes, and big handful of pepitas!
Kaitlin McGinn
So great! Love your wonderful additions, Debbie. Thanks for giving it a try and sharing your inspirational feedback!
Mirza Zubair
Salad dressing is awesome and looks delicious. You're doing well job. Keep sharing good stuff.
Kaitlin McGinn
Thank you!
kcbeenab
The salad dressing is fantastic!!
Kaitlin McGinn
Thank you for the feedback! Very appreciated 🙂
Ben Brown
The number of comments on this recipe is testimony enough...but I will add my own. This is amazing! Thank you! I’ve been eating mine with quinoa and also just wrapping up a big bunch of the salad with dressing in a tortilla and eating like a burrito haha (much easier to eat on the go if needed). Overall this salad ranks as one of the best I’ve made at home.
Kaitlin McGinn
Hey Ben! Thanks a lot for chiming in with your kind feedback, very appreciated. Really dig your addition of quinoa, and especially the burrito variation! Never occurred to me to try it burrito-style but I absolutely will now thanks to your inspiration haha 😀 Thank you! Have a great weekend! -Kaitlin
Hannah
I am thinking I could eat the salad dressing with a spoon. But the salad looks fantastic too so I guess I'll make it all;).Thanks for sharing, looking forward to trying it.
Kaitlin McGinn
Haha, awesome. Hope you enjoy Hannah! 🙂
Allison W
Great salad and the dressing was amazing. You’ll be extremely full after you eat this, it’s loaded with everything you need
Kaitlin McGinn
Thanks for the kind feedback Allison! So glad you gave it a try and enjoyed 🙂
Michael
It will be interesting to try this recipe. Thanks for the detail.
Sherry
Is it best served right after you toss with the dressing or can it be made ahead of time?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Sherry! We like it both ways 🙂 If you make it far in advance I'd wait to toss it with the dressing until closer to serving otherwise it may soften the veggies more than desired. Though I do like it tossed beforehand because it gives it a chance to "marinate" a bit and becomes even more flavorful 🙂 Hope you enjoy! -Kaitlin
Shahla Werner
Thanks for this great recipe! I added quinoa to the salad and used fresh garlic from our CSA and Potawatomi maple vinegar, along with avocado from the store for the dressing - which made it extra declicious. I'm making this for a potluck, but it will be hard to give it away 🙂
Terri S
First of all, I discovered your blog about 3 weeks ago, when we had a Healthy Potluck at work. A co-worker had pinned your Ultimate Chopped Greek Salad and made it for the lunch and I couldn't stop eating it! I made it a few days later! Since I found your blog I've made about 5 recipes, every single one is delicious! I made this salad tonight, as it's 92 degrees outside right now and I just wanted something cold and fresh. Great salad, LOVED the salad dressing. I made mine with avocado. I'm not vegan but my daughters are and I love preparing your healthy vegan meals for them! I love how you avoid processed foods!
MaryAnn
Your salads and dressings sound yummy! Could they be made without the oil? Trying to go WFPB so no oils. What would be a good sub?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi MaryAnn! Love that you're going WFPB & no oil! We've since done that as well. For no oil, thin it with a little water instead, and maybe add a little more lime juice 🙂
.
This dressing is seriously one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. I have it almost memorized. I had to hunt down this page to leave a comment.. Sooo good.
shacie dadal
Hi.. What is the alternative for white wine vinegar? Coz here in my place there is no white wine vinegar. Thanks
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! If you have apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar, that works great too. Otherwise you can just leave it out and tweak the other flavors as needed (more lime juice, etc.) It's a fun recipe to play around with and is very forgiving!
Janine Evenson
I used red wine vinegar instead
Unknown
This salad had so many flavors and was GREAT on the pallet even for the little ones! I made this salad with a family bbq and the whole family loved ! The fresh vegetables brought a needed fresh crunch and tied the whole meal together, definitely will be making this treat again!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Yay! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Gluten free with a garden
Hi Kaitlin! I recently made this, and added grilled chicken rubbed with paprika. It was amazing, and my family has dubbed it a new "10" (aka family favorite).
Thanks a lot!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Great to hear!
Karen Rivas
My husband cannot get enough of cilantro dressing. And I'm trying to stay vegetarian. I'm in desperate need of finding flavorful meals that will satisfy us both. I'm excited to make this one for him. Looks wonderful.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Karen! Hope you enjoy!
Jenny
Hi! I was wondering if you could make the dressing the night before? I was thinking it would intensify the flavors, but didn't want it to go bad or anything. Sometimes avocados (even blended) can get that brown color. Thanks!
Jenny
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Jenny! Yep, you can definitely make it the night before! It stays good for a few days and I've never had an issue with avocado browning (thanks to the acidity from the lime juice). Hope you enjoy 🙂
Avtar Ram Kaur
Lunch today. And dinner. And tomorrow's breakfast... basically: GET IN MY MOUTH.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Haha, yes!
Olga
I just saw this recipe on facebook, one of my friends shared it. I'm dying here, I'm at work and I can almost taste this 🙂 I'm totally going to the store after work to buy all the ingredients. This will be my dinner tonight for sure. I'm really excited that I saw your website. Checked out some recipes and they look totally amazing and yummy. My husband only eats chicken out of meat, and I'm tired of cooking chicken. So nice to finally find some recipes that are with protein and it doesn't need chicken 🙂 Can't wait to try these recipes. Thanks 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful to hear, Olga! Hope you enjoy any recipes you try!
DIANAHAINES
This salad looks AMAZING but my Mom doesn't like cilantro. Can I use parsley or is there another dressing I could use?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Diana! I haven't personally tried it, but a couple people have left comments that basil works well (I bet parsley would too!) Or if your mom is feeling brave, I've also gotten comments that people who don't normally care for cilantro actually enjoy it in this dressing since it's not too overpowering! 😉 I hope you find a way for you both to enjoy it!
kim
OMG!! Just made this for dinner. INSANE!!! I absolutely LOVE this recipe! Thank you Kaitlin <3
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great, Kim! Thanks for the super sweet message, hope you have a great week!
Leanna Birge
I made half the dressing; left out the romaine, and spooned the mixture into endive blades. Fantastic! A new favorite recipe. Thank you!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
What a creative idea, thank you for sharing!
Tina Dulany
Kaitlin I'm sorry if you answered this question before but I didn't see it in the comments. Do you add 1/2 avocado and the yogurt or just add either one? Thank you!!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Tina! No problem at all 🙂 Either option works (or both!) It's a pretty forgiving recipe you can play around with. Now I always use 1/2 of an avocado and thin it out if necessary. But you could use 1/4 of an avocado and 1/4 cup yogurt if you wanted! Hope you enjoy!
Kimberlee
I just made the dressing so it could chill for a few hours to let the flavors meld - it's delicious! I added about a tsp of agave and used half a large avocado, thinned with a bit of water. For those who thought the garlic is too strong, try roasted garlic next time. I love garlic, but raw gives me the WORST heartburn. I love making homemade salad dressings, and any time a recipe calls for garlic I use roasted instead. I typically keep separated cloves in the freezer.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Kimberlee! Great tip with the roasted garlic - thanks for sharing! Awesome to hear you enjoyed!
Jane Bazyn
Katlin, I want to take this to a dinner tomorrow. Do you think I can assemble the salad today and then add the dressing before the dinner tomorrow, or do I need to do the entire work in the morning.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Jane! Yes! You can definitely make it today, and add the dressing right before serving tomorrow. It's a great make-ahead meal 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Lauren W.
This recipe is unbeatable. I made it for my meat-eating roommates and they all loved it 😛 This is definitely being added to my list of winners! Thank you!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great, Lauren! Thanks so much for your sweet message!
Anonymous
Oh my gosh! SO good! I don't make my own salad dressing typically, but I think I'll make this from now on and put it on EVERYTHING! I felt like a chef but it was really easy! Thanks for sharing. Going back for seconds now... 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So fun to hear you enjoyed!
Petunia
This was incredible, and better than other salads of a similar nature I've had while eating out at restaurants. Definitely a keeper for our family!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
What a sweet compliment, thank you Petunia 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
rachelle j
Absolutely delicious. My new favorite salad! <3
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear, Rachelle! Thank you!
Crystal Miller
Just made this dressing and mine is pretty thick. I used olive oil and exact ingredients. Is it supposed to be that way?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Crystal! Mine is thicker now that I use avocado, but you can definitely tweak it (or add a touch of water) to thin it out if you prefer! 🙂
Crystal Miller
I did use the avocado. Thanks, I just wanted to make sure. I ended up adding a little more lime juice and it looked better. I'm letting it sit overnight for my lunch tomorrow. The little taste that I did take did taste good 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Great to hear! More lime juice is always a great call with this 🙂
ANN
I love salads and I'm always looking for new recipes! Absolutely refreshing and delicious! My family loved it definitely a keeper thanks Kaitlin!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear, Ann! Thank you!
Nikki
I made this salad and dressing for my son's 1st birthday party, doubled, for 30 guests. It was the biggest hit!! For the past week everyone keeps asking me for the recipe, I direct them straight to your site, and hopefully they search around website at other recipes! Thank you.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Nikki! That's amazing to hear! And thank you so much for sharing the site with people - very appreciated! Happy 1st birthday to your sweet little boy! 🙂
Lavender and Lime
This is one of my favourite salad dressings! I just love the flavour combination 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful to hear!
Ahad Ammar
I have made this salad and dressing several times and they are both amazing! It is a summer favorite in my house!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great!
Anonymous
LOVE this salad, but I plan to try it without the raw garlic in the dressing next time. Don't get me wrong, it tasted wonderful, but I was tasting garlic still the next day. That doesn't happen when I cook with garlic. Hopefully the omission will not take away too much from the flavor. Have you ever tried it without garlic?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! Glad you loved the salad - but yes, raw garlic can definitely leave a taste in your mouth! It'd be great without it too!
Donna
Have made this salad twice! It's sooooooooooooo yummy and sooooooooooo pretty!!! <3
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear, Donna! Thank you!
Anonymous
Well, I read the recipe wrong and put the green onions in the food processor with my dressing, the dressing was delish as was the salad!!! Loved it!!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Haha - so glad it still worked out and you enjoyed it! Green onions are great in any form 😉
VaQueenBee
We made this today and it was delicious!!!! We used only 2 tbsp of olive oil, and it was perfect. I also cooked up some chicken and added "Mexican" spices. I know it's not vegan any longer, but it was so good! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
My family loves this salad....even my two young boys. I always put 2-3 chicken breast in a crock pot with taco seasoning and once its cooked, I shred the chicken and add it to the salad. The dressing and seasoned chicken go so well together. We also serve with tortilla chips sometimes. You mentioned in the recipe you recommend cumin or agave......how much do you recommend?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks for sharing! I usually add cumin and agave by taste, but a rough estimate is probably about 1/8-1/4 tsp. cumin, and 1-2 tsp. agave.
ZT
Yumm! So delicious and colorful. Made this today for mothers day and it was a hit! I added a yellow bell pepper and a whole bag of frozen sweet corn. Also made a double batch of the dressing which is incredible. I used 5 cloves of garlic and most of my family thought it was spicy. I love garlic but I want to taste the veggies and not let the dressing overpower the natural flavors.
If you are making a single batch of dressing and your garlic cloves are tiny, use two, if not, one is plenty!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thank you for sharing!
xtaski
I am making this tomorrow and had a thought for those of you who do not like cilantro. Why not try salsa as the dressing? I love cilantro so will be using the spec dressing. Looks fabulous!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Never thought to use salsa as the dressing - thanks for sharing!
Eileen Anglin
I made the vegan version of it. It was soooo good. Thank you!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Eileen! Yay! That's the only way I make it now too 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it!
Anonymous
I just made this for dinner today ...beautiful day for it !!!
this salad is so fresh and delicious and scrumptious... omg love this !!! This is a perfect dish for the summer!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Great to hear!
Patricia
I've just made this! Looks fabulous! I made the dressing with avocado since I'm vegan and I don't care too much for coconut yogurt. I tasted the dressing and it's delish!!! Thank you so much for the wonderful, colorful healthy salad. Oh, I'm being naughty tonight and putting the salad and dressing in a taco bowl 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great!
Ruveen Stogryn
I had this salad for lunch today and it was so delicious!! I think it would also be a great salad to put into a mason jar too! I loved the dressing, it had so much flavor. I added cumin and a touch of honey. Next time I think I will only do one garlic clove. I did 1.5-2ish and its pretty garlicky but still amazing. I didn't even miss the cheese or tortilla chips. So glad I came across your site!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi again Ruveen! That is awesome to hear. I'm so happy you're finding recipes here you enjoy, thank you!
Andi
Found your recipe on Pinterest. LOVED IT ~ SO YUMMY!!
The lovely colors, textures and varied flavors all work in such harmony here. Followed the recipe exactly
and found the dressing a wee bit too tangy/tart for my taste so I just added some honey as you suggested and it came out perfect. I didn't dress the salad as it made so much, I just left the dressing separate. In my second helping (yup ~ had two big bowlfuls), I also mixed in a sprinkling of both cayenne and cumin....unbelievable.
My roommate loved it too and put some grilled chicken on top.
This is delicious. Thank you so much for the beautiful recipe presentation, too ~ great job and honestly, the pretty pictures are why I decided to try it in the first place. Keep up the good work! xo
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Andi! Loved your message - thanks so much for your sweet comment. So happy you and your roommate loved it. Thanks for the kind feedback!
Kim L.
This was delicious!!! Thank you so much! I'm excited to try more of your recipes 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Kim! Thanks for your sweet words. Glad you liked it! I hope you love any other recipes you try as well! 🙂
Lisa
I made this salad and dressing for a family gathering. I added avocado to the salad and a jalepeno with a few tsp. of agave to the dressing. It was fantastic and everyone loved it! I plan to make this again for an upcoming party. Thanks for posting the recipe. We love trying new ones.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Lisa! So great to hear, thanks for your feedback!
Anonymous
I mean buy them sorry 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
I've never tried lemons instead but I bet they would work really well too! Would love to hear how it went if you try it!
Anonymous
Can i use a lemon instead of limes i forgot to but them lol!
Amber's Reading Room
I am a sucker for a good salad. And this looks amazing. My grocery list just keeps on growing. lol
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thank you!
adriana bejar
Hello, I don't like black beans. What would you recommend instead it?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Adriana! You can leave them out altogether, or replace them with another bean. Garbanzo or kidney beans would work great! You could also add some avocado for extra creaminess 🙂
Anonymous
My new favorite dressing! Thank you for sharing!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful to hear!
Jennifer
Jan. 3rd. 2014 ~ Made this colorful salad & healthy dressing today! It was FABULOUS! I added avocado...because I am obsessed with avocado! Thanks for the pinspiration!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Jennifer! So great - thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
I made this salad last night for my boyfriend and I. I added chopped chicken to make it a dinner salad. The flavor of this salad and especially the dressing, was amazing!! I could eat this every day! Thank you!! My boyfriend is a big time carnivore and I think he was a little bummed that I made a salad for dinner, but once he tried it, he fell in love! He's a fan of cilantro and he just couldn't get enough of this vibrant salad! I love that the dressing is made with yogurt instead of mayo! I will be making this again and again!
Emily S.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Emily! So fantastic! I love that 🙂
Anonymous
Delicious Dressing I added Red cabbage to the Southwestern Salad & some blanched Brocoli & croutons It turned out to be a healthy meal Thanks
Ingrid Bangalore India
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Ingrid! I love your additions - I never thought to add red cabbage or broccoli to this salad. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
Samantha
I am eating this as I type. It is EXCELLENT. My dressing seemed really thin, but I used regular yogurt so maybe that's why? I also used regular white vinegar because I couldn't find the bottle of white wine vinegar that I thought I had. I added a little shredded Mexican blend cheese to the salad and I've eaten half the bowl by myself. I even doubled the dressing so I can make this again tomorrow night. Thanks for the recipe!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Samantha! So great, thanks for the feedback!
Anonymous
This sounds like the perfect dish for the Christmas lunch we are having at work. Do you think it would be ok if I chopped all the veggies the night before and just dressed it later? How soon before we eat should I dress it? Don't want to serve soggy salad if this gets soggy. Thanks!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Definitely! You can certainly do all the prep the night before and toss it with the dressing before serving (or a couple hours before). The lettuce is the only thing that would really get soggy. A reader left a comment that she let everything but the lettuce "marinate" in the dressing overnight, and added the lettuce right before serving and it turned out great. Either way works! Hope you and your coworkers love it!
Anonymous
So delicious!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks!
Anonymous
Going to try this dressing today 🙂 Possibility for another salad ingredient would be feta cheese.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hope you enjoy!
sarah
Can't wait to try this! Making a grocery list right now- Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
My pleasure, hope you enjoy!
Anonymous
I have made this salad and dressing several times and they are both amazing! It is a summer favorite in my house! I have also used the dressing to marinate fish over night for fish tacos and it is awesome!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Great to hear, thanks!
Kelly
I have made this recipe countless times this summer and it is SO DELICIOUS! I've made it as lunch for guests, a side dish for dinner and even served it as a main course with grilled chicken cut up on top of it. My husband even enjoys it as a main dish and he is not a salad guy! The dressing is so flavorful and goes excellently with the rest of the salad ingredients. I always make the dressing in the morning so it has all day to let the flavors "soak" in. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! (Not to mention it also has great table presentation because it's so colorful).
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Kelly! Loved your message, thanks! So great to hear you've made this many times. And awesome idea making the dressing ahead of time!
Nicola Ellis
This came out fantastic. I put two tablespoons of vinegar because I doubled the recipe...next time I'm going to stick to one tablespoon. It's a little acidic but since I love anything with vinegar, it's still pretty good in my book. It's going to go great with the southwestern salad I made. Thanks for the recipe!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great, thanks for the feedback!
Michelle Ramey
This was a hit! I changed things up to fit what we had on hand and what I like, and my husband raved about it!
For the salad I used red onions, avocados and spinach. For the dressing I used low fat sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno (from our garden), minced garlic, sea salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Random measurements as I am horrible with it. Eating it for lunch right now. I am a teacher so having a NEW thing to bring to lunch is awesome before school starts. Thank you for the inspiration, I also shared it with a friend, who shared it with her mom and she is making it for a pool party this weekend.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Michelle! Loved your message, thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
You already got great comments. But just had to say how wonderful this salad is and how healthy it makes me feel! Thanks for your creative recipes!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! Thanks for adding your kind feedback!
Anonymous
A friend made this one night and offered it up to those of us that had just gotten done doing a crossfit/yoga workout and it was refreshing and super yummy, no one really talked while we ate it and I am so happy to have found the recipe and pin it to Pinterest so I can make it at home myself!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful to hear!
Anonymous
Made this for myself and hubby last night for dinner and had it again for lunch today...DELISH!! Added more black pepper and a dash of cayenne to the dressing to heat it up just a bit. Will definitely make this again. Thanks for the recipe!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear! Thank you!
jess.elise
Ok, this might be a dumb question...but did you just pour out the corn straight from the bag once it had thawed or did you cook it first?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Jess! Not a dumb question at all. There's no need to cook it if you're using frozen corn - just set it out on the counter to thaw (or heat in the microwave, etc.) Canned corn also works great!
Anonymous
Sooo yummy! Added some tortilla strips for a little more crunch. Yum yum!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Really great idea! Thank you for sharing!
Nicole
Made this salad for our dinner tonight. My husband likes salads but is not a fan of them as a main dish. I grilled some chicken and added it to the salad before serving. I also made the cilantro-lime dressing which worked great with the salad. My husband didn't have any of the cilantro dressing (he doesn't like cilantro) but put his own dressing on the salad and enjoyed it. Said he would eat it again for a main meal. Thanks for the great recipes! I'll be visiting your website often!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Nicole! Thank you for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback!
Carly
Tried this salad today with the Cilantro Lime Dressing... It was very very good... The dressing alone is noteworthy. I thought the cilantro might overwhelm the flavors, but it is just right and tastes incredibly fresh. Thanks for posting it for everyone!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Carly! Glad you enjoyed both the salad and dressing! Thanks for the sweet comment!
Anonymous
Don't have any fresh cilantro in my area but I do have the paste. Do u know how much I would need to use in replace of the fresh?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! I've never worked with cilantro paste before, so unfortunately I have no idea! If you try it, I'd start small and add more to your taste as you go along. Or, if basil or other herbs are available in your area, give them a try! A few people have tried basil in place of cilantro and enjoyed it. Good luck! 🙂
Unknown
I just made this and it was AMAZING! Thanks for sharing! I added shrimp lightly cooked in olive oil and sea salt and added jalapeno to the dressing. Definitely a keeper!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
Loved this salad...beautiful colors, great flavor! Only drawback was that I was still tasting the raw garlic at bedtime and the next morning. 🙁 Next time I may experiment and try it with the garlic either roasted or sauted before blending it. But would definately make again!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Absolutely! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Tomekia Mccoy
I just made this salad and it's so good, I ate the salad for lunch today, I added a little cayenne pepper to the dressing to make it a little bit spicy and I put a few cranraisins in there to so so good, I'm eating it for dinner tonight with some grilled salmon
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Tomekia! Thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
Oh my goodness. I just made this tonight. It was incredible! One of my guests said "I want to marry this salad." Well put. We are all raving. This will be my go-to salad for guests. Beautiful and delicious.
Debbie
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Debbie! Haha that's fantastic. It's great to have those go-to recipes that please the crowds 🙂 Thanks for coming back and leaving a message!
Anonymous
What would you think about Green Goddess dressing as an option?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Absolutely! Great idea!
Kerry
I just made this, it was absolutely fantastic!! The dressing is incredible, definitely going to be a staple in my kitchen from now on. Thanks for sharing!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear!
Torry
Made this tonight. It was amazing! I used the avocado instead of the yogurt to make it vegan and halved the olive oil. Absolutely delicious! I think the only thing I will change is to add some Quinoa next time to make it a little more filling for the kids. BTW, they thought that I was trying to recreate Taco Bell's Veggie Cantina Bowl. And from them, that's a compliment! It actually reminded me of it as well, only I knew every ingredient that went into it, so felt good about them eating till their bellies were full. Thanks for yet another great recipe.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Torry! So awesome, thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
I have to tell you, I LOVE your cooking style. Everything I've seen here I have to make for myself. I'm so excited to try everything! And it looks so healthy too. Thanks so much for taking time to post these great recipes. AJ
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi again AJ! Thanks so much for the sweet comments - very appreciated 🙂 Hope you enjoy any recipes you try!
deb caputo
Great dressing . My husband who hates hates cilantro loved this dressing. I loved it too . I added a little sugar ,I think I added too much lime juice.
Thanks Deb
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Deb! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Nikki
I made your salad last night for dinner, we loved it! Even the husband! You'll find a review of your recipe in today's post on my blog. (I didn't insert the link in the comments because I didn't want this to look like spam) We're going organic and I've subscribed to your blog to keep the fresh recipes coming 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Nikki! That's awesome - so glad you liked it! Awesome to hear you're going organic 🙂 Thanks for the comment, take care!
Anonymous
Looks great... saddly my phone won't let me open the dressing recipe..please reply to me with the recipe? Would love to make...
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! Here's the link for the dressing: https://www.thegardengrazer.com/2013/04/creamy-cilantro-lime-dressing.html
melissa Losos
I see there are at least two variations of this recipe .. this one and the vegan one! That is great, do you have any recommendations ... to make it vegan with out the oil? and less salt?
I am vegan and try to stay low SOS (salt, oil, sugar)
Thanks! your recipes look great!!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Melissa! I first posted this recipe with Greek yogurt before I became vegan, but now I use avocado every time. To cut out the oil, you can just use water instead. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Anonymous
I added avocado and pureed it with the dressing and chopped some up and mixed in with veggies. It was so yummy. I took it to two Cinco de Mayo parties this weekend. Everyone loved it- yummy and healthy. Thanks for the recipe!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Wonderful to hear, thank you for sharing!
Anonymous
This dressing is absolutely amazing.....I could drink it from a cup! The salad is great too! Thank you.Everyone who ate it was asking for the recipe.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Haha, so great! Thanks for sharing!
Frajes
This looks like a yummy salad. I will make it soon, I like the corns in it.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hope you enjoy!
Anonymous
I made this salad for a Cinco de Mayo luncheon at work. Everyone loved it! I mixed the dressing with the veggies the night before and then with the lettuce when I got to work.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great to hear! What a good idea letting the veggies "marinate" in the dressing overnight without sacrificing the crunch from the lettuce. Thanks for sharing your helpful feedback!
Anonymous
Found this on pintrest and making for dinner tonight with some tilapia! Im so excited it looks delicious! Im sure I will be making this A LOT this summer!
Thanks!
Kerri
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks for sharing, Kerri!
Kate
So, ever since discovering your blog, I basically pin every recipe you post. This one is no exception -- it looks delicious!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Aw, thank you Kate 🙂 Hope you enjoy this one too!
ibeeflower
I made the dressing but it had way too much garlic. I had the taste in my mouth the entire day. Next time I'll make it without garlic. Thanks for the recipe though.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Sounds good - thank you for sharing your feedback!
Janelle T
so stumbled upon this via Pinterest and just made it today! YUM! I bought some thin steak to add to it for lunch and may add grilled chicken for a second day lunch! I like the dressing, but had to add in a tad of sugar just to take away some of the tang. Will def make again for summer salads!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thank you for sharing!
Martha A.
This looks so good!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks, Martha!
Katie
HI there,
I just saw this fantastic looking salad and dressing on Pinterest! This is a MUST try for me! Would you happen to know of a herb other than Cilantro that could be used? I am not good of thinking of other ideas...Dill maybe? I have no clue. Please let me know if you know or can think of something! For some reason I am just not a Cilantro fan 🙁
Thank you so much,
Katie
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Katie! So glad you're excited about the recipe. Cilantro is one of those funny things where it seems like people either love it or hate it 🙂 I bet you could use dill, parsley, or basil instead. Or a hummus dressing!
lissa grim
This looks so yummy, think I will add some avacado to it! Thanks for the recipe, I love your page.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Lissa! Thank you, and avocado is a great idea!
Anonymous
How far ahead can you dress this salad? Looks delicious!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! I usually add the dressing right before eating, so I'm not sure how far in advance you could do it without the salad getting a bit soggy.
Anonymous
Trader Joes also makes a delicious Cilantro dressing if you want to make it a bit easier. Can't wait to try this.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great! That was actually my inspiration for the dressing. I'ts so good I had to try my own variation at home 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Shana Moore
I was so excited when I saw this and only peeked at it when I saw it had cilantro salad dressing, because I love TJ's but never have time to go there....how does this recipe compare to TJs version? I can't wait to try it!
Shana Moore
I love TJs dressing that's what I thought of when I saw this recipe! How does this compare in taste? Also is this just enough dressing to use for this salad alone or does it make extra?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Shana! It's been so long since I've had TJ's cilantro dressing I can't even remember anymore! We find the dressing recipe is a good match for the salad, with not much (if any) leftovers. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Kiersten
What a gorgeous salad! I hate really fattening, rich salad dressings (kinda defeats the purpose of a salad, right?!), so this one sounds perfect to me. 🙂
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks, Kiersten!
Adrianne Chivers
I'm making this tonight for a meeting i'm hosting at my house! this is my first time making salad dressing homemade, so pray for me cuz I'm nervous! hahahaha!!! it's a beautiful salad packed full of vitas and other fun necessities... can't wait! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hey Adrianne! You can do it! Hope everyone enjoyed 🙂
Brittany Thompson
I like how U get back to all ur comments!! I like to see that... Also this salad looks DELICIOUS!!! my husband and I are getting into eating salads (again) so this will def be on the menu bcuz it looks BOMB... thanks for posting 😉
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi Brittany! Thanks for the sweet comments. So great to hear that - hope you and your husband enjoy this one! 🙂
Peggy G.
This looks so good! And perfect for a spring/summer picnic =)
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Thanks, Peggy!
trayci
how many servings does this make?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! I estimate about 4 medium bowls (or more if used as a side dish) 🙂
Anonymous
Beautiful! Can the salad dressing be made without the olive oil?
Anonymous
Love this!!! Eating it right now! I doubled the recipe and put 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup avocado instead of 1/2 cup oil- it is so good!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great - thanks for sharing!
Anonymous
How many calories for the dressing?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! The estimated nutritional content is now provided on the site! (You can find it below each recipe in the post.)
Michelle
This recipe is so fresh and delicious. I took it to a friend's house and everyone devoured it - even 4 very picky kids! Absolutely fabulous, thank you for sharing.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
So great, Michelle! Thank you for sharing!
Unknown
Best salad ever! Thanks so much.
Unknown
How much will this make? I am feed 5 men at the firehouse tomorrow and just wondering if i need to double or triple this recipe.
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
Hi! I would definitely double it for 5 hungry firemen 🙂 (Or triple to be on the safe side... leftovers are always awesome!) How nice of you to make them food - hope they enjoy!