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Fresh Southwest Chopped Salad Recipe with Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing

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A quick and easy chopped salad featuring crunchy veggies and a creamy avocado ranch dressing, perfect for refreshing summer meals with a Southwest kick.

Ingredients

  • Romaine lettuce, chopped
  • Cherry tomatoes, halved
  • Black beans, rinsed and drained
  • Fresh corn kernels (grilled or boiled; frozen works too)
  • Red bell pepper, diced
  • Red onion, finely chopped
  • Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
  • Ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • Buttermilk (or dairy-free milk with lemon juice for dairy-free version)
  • Mayonnaise
  • Garlic clove, minced
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Dried dill
  • Dried parsley
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Rinse and dry the romaine lettuce, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, dice red bell pepper, finely chop red onion, and seed and dice jalapeño. Rinse and drain black beans thoroughly.
  2. Cook the corn: boil for about 5 minutes or grill for 8-10 minutes until tender. Let cool and cut kernels off the cob. If using frozen corn, thaw and drain well.
  3. In a blender or food processor, combine ripe avocado, buttermilk, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lime juice, dried dill, and parsley. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more buttermilk if dressing is too thick.
  4. In a large bowl, combine chopped romaine, tomatoes, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro. Toss gently to mix evenly.
  5. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over the salad if using, then drizzle the creamy avocado ranch dressing on top. Toss lightly to coat without crushing ingredients.
  6. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding extra lime juice or salt as desired.
  7. Serve immediately for best freshness. Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours before serving to keep crisp.

Notes

Dry black beans and corn well to avoid sogginess. Chop veggies uniformly about 1/2 inch pieces for balanced texture. Blend dressing until silky smooth. Dressing can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored refrigerated. For dairy-free, use almond milk with apple cider vinegar and vegan mayo. Serve salad immediately or within 2 hours refrigerated for best texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: Southwest salad, avocado ranch dressing, chopped salad, summer salad, healthy salad, easy salad recipe

Find it online: https://pokirecipes.com/fresh-southwest-chopped-salad-recipe-with-creamy-avocado-ranch-dressing-easy-and-perfect-for-summer-meals/