I have a salad almost every day for lunch and I’m always looking for a way to make them more exciting. This southwest chopped salad is packed with veggies, topped with crunchy tortilla strips, and all tossed in a homemade jalapeno cilantro lime ranch. I read somewhere that there are three ways to make your salad restaurant-quality. First, chop everything into small enough bites. A chopped salad is the perfect way to do this! Second, assemble your salad and toss it with the dressing in a large bowl. This makes sure that every bit of your salad is coated with your delicious dressing, and frequently you end up using less than if you drizzled it on the top without tossing it. Finally, add a sprinkle of salt after dressing. A little sprinkle of salad after the dressing has been added will give you a pop of flavor.
The jalapeno cilantro lime ranch is a breeze to make. I whip it up in my food processor, but I imagine if you have a high-speed blender that would work as well! This southwest chopped salad is full of veggies: romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, and red onion all give you flavor and crunch. I use black beans as a protein here, but you can also add chicken if you’re looking for something more. Finally, the homemade crunchy tortilla strips are perfection. In a pinch, you can use store-bought, but making them at home is a breeze. Heat your oil in a large skillet and cut corn tortillas into strips. Fry over medium-low heat until golden brown on both sides, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt. Try not to eat all of them before the go on your salad!
Another protein that would be excellent on this salad is leftover steak! I love a steak salad that has a lot of crunch, and there is no shortage of that in this easy chopped salad recipe!
- 1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 1 can corn, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- Tortilla strips for topping
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- In a large bowl, place lettuce, tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, onion, corn, and black beans. Toss and set aside.
- In a food processor, blend cilantro, jalapeno, yogurt, lime juice, salt, and garlic. Taste and add more salt if needed
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. If making this salad in advance, wait to add the dressing until immediately before serving.
- Add the tortilla strips to the top and serve immediately, enjoy!
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Fabulous! So many of my favorite ingredients, and I love that you included cilantro in the salad! Love the dressing, too.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!