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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Salads

    Southwest Salad

    Published: Jun 1, 2021 · Modified: Jun 27, 2022 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Southwest salad served

    When summer approaches, I crave refreshing salads. Chopped southwest salad, for instance, is one of my favorite salad recipes. Of course, my chopped southwest salad is vegan, full of vibrant vegetables and the southwest's tastes. To 'veganize' a typical southwest salad recipe and make it oil-free, I used the freshest ingredients and provided two options for delicious southwest dressing recipes. 

    So, let's make a fabulous chopped southwest salad full of veggies, beans, and everything nice! 

    WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CHOPPED SALAD AND A REGULAR SALAD? 

    There's no denying the fact that people get bored with salads. No matter how many combinations of greens, toppings, and dressing, a healthy salad competes with, well, everything else. But since we need to eat our veggies, I'm thankful for chopped salads to help mix things up.

    Chopped salads are just like regular salads, only with a different presentation; the ingredients are chopped, greens and all, and incorporated together instead of layered. Although this detail may not sound important, chopped salads taste better. 

    Because chopped salads cost a small fortune at salad shops, why not save some money and make your own?

    Chopped southwest salad, for example, tastes better chopped! 

    Southwest salad Ingredients

    WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE A VEGAN CHOPPED SOUTHWEST SALAD?

    • Romaine lettuce
    • Red onion
    • Cucumber
    • Red bell pepper
    • Grilled corn on the cob (canned or frozen corn can be used as well)
    • Jalapeno
    • Black Beans
    • Chopped Avocado
    • Air-fried oil-free tortilla strips

    Because I prefer to meal plan, I grilled additional corn on the cob for another meal during the week. Then, when the corn was cool, I cut it from the cob to use it in the chopped southwest salad recipe later. However, substitute canned or frozen corn if fresh corn isn't available.  But I love the taste of grilled corn. 

    corn on the cob grilled

    MY GRILLED CORN SECRETS REVEALED...

    First, I love to marinate my corn on the corn. Although this might sound odd, marinating corn provides deep flavors. Like my Mexican Street Corn, I marinated the corn with fresh cilantro, lime juice, garlic, and a little hot sauce overnight. 

    Once the corn is marinated, prepare the grill by preheating it to 500 degrees. Although most grilled corn recipes suggest leaving on the husks, you have marinated the corn, which prevents it from drying out. On the other hand, taking the husks off also gives the ears of corn beautiful charred grill marks. 

    Place the corn on a hot grill because you don’t want the grill to heat up while the corn is on the grill. If you don’t have a temperature gauge, a quick tip is to wait about 10 minutes to preheat the grill. 

    Then, cover the grill, turning the corn occasionally, about 15 minutes, rotating to make sure all sides of the corn are grilled. 

    Furthermore, grilling the corn gives it an added richness, and a little charring helps elevate the flavors.

    I also made the air-fried tortilla strips I use in my Vegan Tortilla Soup recipe. 

    Southwest Salad Presentation

    MAKING QUICK AND EASY NO-OIL TORTILLA STRIPS FOR A SALAD TOPPER

    Air-fried tortilla strips

    Even though tortilla chips are usually used in and on top of the chopped southwest salad, I wanted to make them oil-free.  Again, make oil-free tortilla strips ahead of time in the air-fryer to save time.

    For my Vegan Tortilla Soup, I used gluten-free corn tortillas. For my chopped southwest salad recipe, though, I decided to use flour tortillas. Regardless of your tortilla choice, they cook the same way, crispy, delicious, and oil-free. 

    First, I chose flour tortillas and a pizza cutter; I cut the tortilla into thin strips. Then, I added the cut tortillas into a bowl and tossed them in lime juice, chili powder, salt, and garlic powder. The key is to toss in the lime juice, wetting the tortillas so that the seasoning will stick. 

    Once seasoned, I add to my air-fryer basket and cook at 370 degrees for 10 minutes, tossing once at the 5 minutes mark. 

    air-fried flour tortilla strips

    OTHER POSSIBLE TOPPINGS FOR CHOPPED SOUTHWEST SALAD RECIPE

    Recently, I  reviewed Alpha Strips Grilled Chik'n Strips, which my boys loved! Since southwest salads usually include chicken, these faux chicken strips are an option. 

    Another idea is to include your favorite grilled tofu recipe for added protein. BBQ Tofu, for instance, would be a perfect topping for chopped southwest salad. 

    southwest salad dressed

    TWO DIFFERENT DRESSING OPTIONS FOR CHOPPED SOUTHWEST SALAD RECIPE

    Salad dressing, for instance, makes or breaks a salad, in my opinion. Because some people don't like to use nuts in cooking, I provide different southwest dressing I love.

    First, my vegan southwest dressing is a perfect option and easy to make. 

    SOUTHWEST DRESSING (SIMPLE AND EASY)

    • Raw cashews
    • Fresh salsa (your favorite salsa)
    • Lime juice
    • Water

    Or, I love my nut-free avocado cilantro dressing from my Vegan Coleslaw with Avocado-Cilantro Dressing.

    AVOCADO CILANTRO DRESSING

    • Avocados
    • Cilantro 
    • Lime, juiced, and zested
    • Garlic
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Water
    • Garlic powder
    • Cumin
    • Sea salt
    • Fresh ground pepper

    Both dressing options, however, are simple to make and only require a high-speed blender.  Then, it would be best if you decided what flavor you are feeling. My husband, who likes both, used a combination of both dressings on his salad.  On the other hand, I chose the southwest dressing because it was new, and I have to make sure it’s good before suggesting you try it. 

    Furthermore, I plan to serve my Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread Recipe as a side and serve the chopped southwest salad recipe as an entree. 

    Vegan Cornbread Recipe

    CHOPPING AND PREPARING CHOPPED SOUTHWEST SALAD RECIPE

    Mueller Vegetable Chopper

    One of my favorite kitchen tools, my Pro Vegetable Chopper, saves me a ton of time in the kitchen.

    As a result, chopping vegetables for a variety of recipes takes minutes instead of hours.

    For instance, I used the larger chopping blade for the chopped southwest salad to chop my onions, cucumber, and red bell pepper.

    Then, I used the small blade to chop the jalapeno. 

    As a result, I made the entire salad when cooking the tortilla strips in the air-frier.

    Even though chopped southwest salad is for tonight's dinner, the salad can be made ahead of time and placed in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

    Also Read: Are There Jack In The Box Vegan Options?

    Chopped Southwest Salad Recipe

    FAQs

    Is Southwest Salad gluten-free?
     
    Yes. Southwest Salad is a gluten-free entree. It's refreshing, colorful, and healthy. 
     

    SALAD LOVERS, HERE ARE SOME SALAD IDEAS TO INCREASE YOUR GREENS

    • Antipasto Salad
    • Asparagus Salad
    • Chinese Chicken Salad
    • Spinach Pasta Salad
    • Roasted Vegetable Salad
    • Spinach Strawberry Salad
    • Tabouli Salad
    • Italian Chopped Salad
    • Vegan Taco Salad
    • Vegan Quinoa Salad
    • Quinoa Greek Salad with OMG Oil-Free Dressing
    Southwest salad served

    Chopped Southwest Salad

    Kathy Carmichael
    Chopped Southwest Salad Recipe is a vegan version of a popular summer salad loaded with vegetables and black beans, all chopped into perfect bite-sized pieces with two oil-free dressing options to meet your individual tastes.
    4.5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 375 kcal

    Equipment

    • Raw Cashews, 1 Pound – Deluxe Whole Nuts, Unsalted, Unroasted Fancy Snack, Size W-320, Kosher, Vegan, Bulk, A good source of Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper & Manganese
    • NutriBullet Pro - 13-Piece High-Speed Blender/Mixer System with Hardcover Recipe Book Included (900 Watts)

    Ingredients
      

    Air-Fried Tortillas Strips

    • 2 flour or 4 corn tortillas
    • 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder

    Chopped Southwest Salad Ingredients

    • 2 heads Romaine lettuce chopped
    • 1 15 ounce can of black beans rinsed and drained
    • 1 medium red onion diced
    • 1 English cucumber diced
    • 1 Red bell pepper diced
    • 3 ears grilled corn on the cob or 1 ½ cups cooked frozen or canned corn, cooled
    • 1 jalapeno diced small

    Easy Southwest Dressing

    • ¼ cup raw cashews soaked overnight and rinsed (if you have a quality high-speed blender, you can skip soaking)
    • ½ cup fresh salsa of choice
    • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • ½ cup water

    Avocado Cilantro Dressing

    • 1 large or 2 small avocados pit, and flesh removed
    • ½ cup cilantro
    • 1 lime juiced and zested
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon pepper

    Instructions
     

    • AIR-FRIED TORTILLA STRIPS
    • Cut flour or corn tortillas into thin strips
    • Place tortilla strips in a bowl and pour lime juice into the bowl.
    • Using your hands, todd tortilla strips in the lime juice until they are all covered.
    • Then, sprinkle with seasonings and toss again.
    • Place tortilla strips in the bottom of the air-frier
    • Set temperature at 370 degrees
    • Cook for 10 minutes; tossing at 5 minutes.
    • Remove from the air-fryer pan.
    • Let cool
    • If you don't plan to use the air-fried tortilla strips right away, place them in a bowl and leave them out on the counter. Do not put them in a plastic bag; they will get soggy.
    • CHOPPED SOUTHWEST SALAD
    • Chop the Romaine lettuce and place in the base of a large bowl
    • Drain and rinse black beans
    • Chop all other vegetables in uniform size
    • Chop jalapeno smaller, as it is stronger and needs to be more distributed
    • Chop avocado right before serving to avoid browning
    • Add all chopped vegetables to the bowl with lettuce.
    • VEGAN SOUTHWEST DRESSING
    • Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender.
    • Blend on high until smooth
    • Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve
    • AVOCADO CILANTRO LIME DRESSING
    • Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender.
    • Blend on high until smooth
    • Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve
    • OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
    • Add grilled tofu or faux chicken strips if desired.
    • Add vegan cheese

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 375kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 27gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 584mgFiber: 29gSugar: 10g
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anonymous

      May 26, 2020 at 2:07 pm

      5 stars

      Reply
    2. LouAnn

      May 27, 2020 at 4:09 am

      Do you think I could substitute sunflower seeds for the cashews in the dressing?
      Less fat and therefore less calories. ????????‍♀️

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        May 27, 2020 at 5:50 am

        Hii LouAnn, I have never tried that, but let me know if you do. The dressing only has 1/4 cup cashews for the whole recipe and only 1 gram of fat per serving. It is mostly salsa, so it isn't that high in calories or fat.

        Reply

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