Fresh and flavorful Southwestern Chopped Salad tossed in the most delicious creamy avocado cilantro-lime dressing! This southwest salad is so crisp and refreshing, plus simple to prepare. (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free option.)
This Southwestern Chopped Salad with Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing is our all-time favorite salad. It's colorful, filled with plant-based nutrients, delicious, and so fresh.
Plus it's great for picnics, potlucks, BBQ sides, etc. because it seems to be a real crowd-pleaser. We also enjoy it for meal prep and lunches or a light dinner.
Ingredients For Southwestern Salad
For the salad portion, you will need:
- Romaine lettuce
- Black beans
- Orange bell pepper: Or yellow or red if desired.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes: I like these best, but you can also use roma tomatoes or other garden tomato. Just be sure they are ripe and flavorful.
- Cooked sweet corn: Either cooked fresh, canned, frozen, fire-roasted, etc.
- Green onion: Or you can try finely diced red onion for a stronger onion flavor.
You can also top it with fresh avocado chunks or crumbled tortilla chips for crunch and texture.
Ingredients for Southwest Salad Dressing
For the creamy cilantro lime dressing you will need:
- Fresh cilantro*
- Avocado: Or substitute plain and unsweetened vegan yogurt.
- Lime juice
- Garlic
- Olive oil: For an oil free version, simply substitute water to help thin.
- White wine vinegar: Or apple cider vinegar.
- Salt
- Ground cumin and agave: Optional but recommended. Cumin adds great flavor, and the agave (or other sweetener of choice) helps to balance the flavors.
*Not a fan of cilantro? Readers have reported success with substituting fresh parsley instead. (And some who normally do not care for cilantro said they actually enjoy it in this dressing!)
Serving
For us, one recipe of the cilantro dressing is a great match for the amount of salad below. We think the creamy, flavorful cilantro-lime dressing and salad are a perfect match. So crisp and refreshing together.
If making ahead of time, store the dressing and southwestern salad separately, and then toss together before serving to keep it fresh and crisp.
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 are 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 and star rating below if you give it a try. Your feedback is greatly appreciated - thank you!)
Amanda
Dressing is delicious! We made it ahead of time and added 1/2 jalapeno for some spice. Everyone loved it. Will definitely make again!
Kaitlin
Great addition. Thanks for sharing!
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 great to hear, Rebecca!
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
That's wonderful. Thank you so much for reporting back!
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
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.
kcbeenab
The salad dressing is fantastic!!
Kaitlin McGinn
Thank you for the feedback!
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 for chiming in with your kind feedback. I like your addition of quinoa, and especially the burrito variation. It never occurred to me to try it burrito-style, so thank you for sharing!
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 sharing!
Michael
Thank you!
Sherry
Is it best served right after you toss with the dressing or can it be made ahead of time?
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer
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.