Best Southwest Salad with Spicy Ranch Dressing

“Eating vegetables doesn’t have to be boring”

me to my husband

This salad was inspired by a salad my husband ordered on a recent trip to San Diego. Just before the trip we began switching over to focusing on plant based foods so once I noticed he liked something I immediately took note. 

As former athletes, now working desk jobs as we age, we’re starting to really notice the impact our diets have on our wellbeing. We want to live long, healthy lives and feel good while doing it. Over the next few months you’ll start to see that many of my recipes are focused on being plant based, healthier and in many cases gluten-free! 

What you'll need for this Southwest Salad

I said it once and i'll say it again. I think this is the best southwest salad, and the star of it for me is the street corn and spicy ranch but those are just a few of the ingredients you'll need. Let's look at the rest.

Mixed Greens: Any mixed greens will do, we buy the organic salad green mix from Costco so we never run out during the week.

Fresh Pico de Gallo: While you can buy this pre-made at any store, I recommend you checkout my recipe to see just how easy it is to make, it takes under 5 minutes and goes on everything.

Bell Pepper: Nothing like a nice crisp green bell pepper, but if you're feeling like you want a pop of color you can easily swap for an orange or yellow variety. You'll need 2 for this recipe.

Avocado: You'll need 1 perfectly ripe avocado, not to hard, not to soft just right!

Black Beans: 1 can of black beans will do, be sure to drain and rinse.

Street Corn: In this recipe I used the Alexia Street Corn, it is super delicious and quick to microwave but if you're dairy free or looking for something simpler there are many other frozen corn or street corn mixes on the market that will do.

Spicy Ranch: For this recipe I used 365 Spicy Ranch from Whole Foods.

How to make it

Step 1 - Start by making my Fresh Pico de Gallo, bonus points if you already prepped this for the week, I promise you won't regret it!

Step 2 - Chop your green pepper and dice your avocado.

Step 3 - Prepare your Alexia Street Corn, follow the instructions on the box. You can also sub this for canned corn, frozen corn or street corn from scratch if you're feeling fancy.

Step 4 - Drain and rinse your black beans.

Step 5 - Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and drizzle with Whole Foods 365 Spicy Ranch dressing.

Step 6 - Enjoy right away or store for the week! - See meal prep tips below!

Salad Variations

Looking to make your own best southwest salad? Checkout these variations to make it your own.

Switch up: Change the dressing, try a different type of corn, swap black beans for pinto

Add in: Queso fresco, roasted peppers, more onions, or if you dare jalapeño!

Tips for Meal Prep

I love to make this salad for myself and my husband during the week. It has been our go-to for the last month but there are a few things i'd recommend switching up if you're making this for the week.

• Hold the dressing, either in the bottle or in a small to-go container. No one likes soggy lettuce when you go to eat this later

• Wait to put the avocado on until you're ready to eat, otherwise it will brown and be bitter

• Glass containers are my favorite for storage. They're leak proof, giving me peace of mind if I take this salad to-go. They also lock in the smells so I can keep my fridge fresh.

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