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Home » Recipe Index » Lunch/Dinner Entree

The Best Southwest Salad

Modified: May 6, 2025 · Published: May 6, 2021 by Gigi & Sersie · This post may contain affiliate links.

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What makes The Best Southwest Salad the best? It checks all the boxes. Delicious, check! Healthy, check! Satisfying, check! Allergen-friendly, check! Easy to prepare, check! This tasty salad is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.

side view close up of southwestern salad with mixed salad greens, tomatoes, peppers, tortilla strips and black beans in a white bowl
the oven-baked tortilla strips adds a nice crunch to this tasty salad

This recipe presumes two servings, however, I've eaten the entire salad as a filling and satisfying dinner. Don't be shy with the leafy greens—load up!

The southwest salad dressing used in this recipe is the 5-Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing. However another option—provided you don't have a nut-allergy—is the Green Goddess Dressing.

Make it TexMex night by pairing this beautiful salad with Jalapeño Poppers.

The Best Southwest Salad 8 key ingredients:

  1. Mixed baby salad greens
  2. Black beans, cooked or canned (drained and rinsed)
  3. Sweet bell pepper
  4. Tomato
  5. Corn
  6. Purple cabbage
  7. Corn tortilla
  8. 5 Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
top view of the ingredients in the best southwestern salad: mixed baby salad greens, bell pepper, black beans, corn tortilla, corn, cherry tomatoes, purple cabbage
key ingredients: mixed baby salad greens, bell pepper, black beans, corn tortilla, corn, cherry tomatoes, purple cabbage

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Other wonderful toppings and additions to this salad

  • thinly sliced onion
  • jicama, peeled and chopped
  • raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • hemp hearts (seeds)

How to make this salad

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Slice corn tortilla into ½-inch strips. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes until crispy. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.

Prepare 5 Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing by placing all ingredients into a mini food processor or mini-blender and blending until smooth and creamy. Salt to taste. Add to a large mixing bowl.

sprouted corn tortilla being cut into ½ inch strips
Oven-Baked Corn Tortilla strips
side view of avocado, cilantro lime dressing in a small white dish with fresh cilantro, lime, and avocado blurred in the background.
5 Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing

Put salad greens into the large mixing bowl. Carefully toss greens with southwest salad dressing.

Serve dressed salad greens in large bowl(s), and top with beans, chopped sweet bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, purple cabbage and corn tortilla strips. Enjoy!

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a day. If you're meal prepping this, keep salad dressing separate for storage for up to 3 days. Or consider checking out this Southwest Salad in a Jar—developed specifically for meal prep.  

top view close up of southwestern salad in a white bowl with mixed salad greens, black beans, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and tortilla strips
this beautiful and delicious salad makes a wonderful lunch or light dinner

We hope you love this southwest salad recipe. Please rate and leave a comment below. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram and tag us @danielsplaterecipes so we can see your creation!

Southwestern salad in a bowl topped with corn tortilla strips.

The Best Southwestern Salad

5 from 1 vote
Course: Lunch/Dinner Entrée
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 235kcal
Author: Gigi & Sersie
Print Pin Rate
What makes The Best Southwest Salad the best? It checks all the boxes. Delicious, check! Healthy, check! Satisfying, check! Allergen-friendly, check! Easy to prepare, check! This tasty salad is vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.  

Ingredients  

  • 1 sprouted corn tortilla thawed
  • 1 cup 5-Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
  • 5 oz mixed baby salad greens about 4 to 5 cups
  • ½ cup cooked black beans if using canned, drain and rinse
  • ½ cup chopped sweet bell pepper orange, red, yellow, or green
  • ½ cup corn fresh or frozen then thawed
  • 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • ½ cup shredded purple or green cabbage
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Slice corn tortilla into ½-inch strips. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes until crispy. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
  • Prepare 5 Minute Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing by placing all ingredients into a mini food processor or mini-blender and blending until smooth and creamy. Salt to taste. Add to a large mixing bowl.
  • Put salad greens into the large mixing bowl. Carefully toss greens with southwest salad dressing.
  • Serve dressed salad greens in large bowl(s) and top with beans, chopped sweet bell pepper, corn, tomatoes, purple cabbage, and corn tortilla strips. Enjoy!
  • Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a day. If you're meal prepping this, keep salad dressing separate for storage for up to 3 days. Or consider checking out this Southwest Salad in a Jar—developed specifically for meal prep.  

Notes

EQUIPMENT / SUPPLIES

  1. Oven (or air fryer) for corn tortilla strips
  2. Mini-blender or mini-chopper (food processor) for salad dressing
  3. Knife
  4. Cutting board
  5. Measuring cup
  6. Measuring spoons
  7. Mixing bowl
  8. Tongs

Nutrition

Calories: 235kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 955mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 2752IU | Vitamin C: 132mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Share a photo and tag us @danielsplaterecipes — we can't wait to see what you've made!
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Gigi & Sersie

Gigi Carter and Sersie Blue have over 25 years of combined experience in plant-based nutrition and health coaching. Their passion for healthy eating inspired them to create Daniel’s Plate, a recipe site focused on whole food, plant-based meals.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gigi & Sersie

    May 19, 2025 at 12:57 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and tasty. I love the added crunch of the tortilla strips.

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

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