Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
A crisp and refreshing southwestern salad tossed in a delicious creamy avocado cilantro-lime dressing.
Servings: 4 medium bowls
Ingredients
- 1 large head romaine
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 1 orange bell pepper
- 1 pint grape tomatoes*
- 2 cups sweet corn, cooked
- 5 green onions
- 1 batch Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Instructions
- Make dressing: Prepare the Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing. (Or make this ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready. It can be made and stored for a couple days in advance.)
- Prepare veggies: Chop the romaine, bell pepper, tomatoes, and green onions. Cook the corn if needed. Rinse and drain the black beans.
- Assemble: Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Finish: Pour the desired amount of dressing over the salad. (I use the full batch for a heavily-dressed salad, but you can use less if desired.)
Notes
*Tomatoes: One pint of grape tomatoes equals about 10-12 ounces.
Romaine: One large head romaine equals about 6-7 cups chopped.
Servings: Recipe yields about 4 main dish servings, or 6-8 smaller side servings.
Updated version: This recipe was originally published April 2013, and updated December 2025 with a slightly modified dressing. (Using no refined oil and more balanced flavors.) If you're looking for the original, here it is:
Original dressing recipe: 1 cup loosely packed cilantro + 1/2 avocado (or 1/2 cup plain vegan yogurt) + 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice + 1-2 garlic cloves + 3 Tbsp. olive oil (or water) + 1.5 tsp. white wine vinegar + 1/8 tsp. salt. Add agave and cumin to taste.
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Calories: 265 kcal | Carbohydrates: 47 g | Protein: 12 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g | Potassium: 1059 mg | Fiber: 14 g | Sugar: 10 g | Vitamin A: 3197 IU | Vitamin C: 72 mg | Calcium: 98 mg | Iron: 4 mg
