Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

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Southwest Salad with Cilantro Honey Lime Dressing has been a favorite at our house for years! Loaded with crunchy romaine, beans, corn, creamy avocado and some Pepper Jack cheese.

Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

Southwest Salad comes with a warning, it’s highly addictive. The first time I ate this salad, I took leftovers home from a family party and ate it several days in a row. My sister-in-law Sheri gave me the recipe years ago, and it’s been a favorite in our house ever since.

You won’t find any meat or fries in this salad, just veggies and cheese. And dress. This is probably the best dressing ever. Fresh, tart, sweet, a little spice. It’s life changing. OK, so maybe not For real change his life, but it’s a change from the usual cilantro-lime dressing. The honey gives it a sweet touch that got me hooked from the first bite. It will captivate you too, I promise!

Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

This salad is great for a healthy and light dinner. It’s full of tasty veggies and sprinkles of Pepper Jack and Colby cheese. You can even serve it as an accompaniment to a main course if you want a larger meal. I love it as an accompaniment to our Family Favorite Enchiladas. When you’re serving dinner and want to please everyone, make this salad, our favorite enchiladas, and a fresh fruit platter. If you want chips and salsa, whip up some Sheri’s Simple Salsa and Blue Corn Tortilla Chips for a colorful and deliciously memorable meal.
Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

I first posted this in 2011 and recently gave an update with some new photos and swapped out the canned corn for frozen because I always use frozen! Here’s a little tip, if you’re using frozen corn in a salad, never thaw it first, just toss it in. The small chunks of frozen corn help keep the salad cool!

I love this salad for lunch. It hits the spot at any time of the day. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to throw together. You can have lunch or dinner in about 20 minutes. Quick, easy, healthy, wonderfully delicious salad! For a woman’s lunch, make a batch of Lion House Rolls and this salad or fries and salsa with guac for a meal all ladies will love.
Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

I recommend using full heads of romaine lettuce – not romaine hearts. For this recipe, you need the beautiful dark leafy greens. Wash and dry the lettuce (I always spin it), then cut into small pieces and place in a large serving bowl. Layer all remaining ingredients on the chopped lettuce. You can also make this salad ahead of time without dressing. Simply layer the following ingredients in this order (start with lettuce at the bottom of the bowl):

  • lettuce
  • black beans
  • Corn
  • pepper
  • green onion
  • avocado
  • tomatoes
  • grated cheese

Then mix the dressing by whisking all the ingredients (except the cilantro) in a bowl. Then add the chopped coriander. Taste if you need to add more honey, lime, or cayenne pepper. Store in a container until ready to serve! Throw all the ingredients together just before eating/serving. If I’m doing this early in the day, I’ll layer per the instructions above. If I have to make it the day before, put the salad in one bowl, but put all the remaining ingredients in separate containers or ziplocks. Wait until just before serving to peel and slice the avocado.

This Southwest Salad is one of my absolute favorite recipes. I love its beautiful color and delicious taste. I hope you like it too!

Southwest Salad with Coriander Honey Lime Dressing

Southwest Salad is the perfect salad for any occasion. Stuffed with lettuce, black beans, cheese, veggies and topped with a fresh cilantro honey lime dressing.

portions 12 as main dish
author A rich cuisine

ingredients

Salad:

  • 1 1/2
    Big Head Romaine Lettuce (about 15-18 cups)
    washed and dried
  • 1
    small bag of frozen corn
    white or yellow, or fresh, 3-4 large cobs boiled and cut off
  • 1
    Can of black beans
    washed and drained
  • 2
    avocados
    choose chopped (not too soft) avocados that are fairly firm
  • 1
    Bunch of green onions
    cut
  • 4-5
    Roma tomatoes
    chopped, or about 3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1
    Red pepper
    chopped
  • 1 1/2
    Cup
    Pepper Jack Cheese
    grated
  • 1 1/2
    cups
    Colby cheese
    grated

Dressing:

  • 1
    Cup
    coriander
    rinsed, remove stems
  • 1
    Cup
    mayonnaise
  • 4-6
    tablespoon
    fresh lime juice
  • Lime zest from one lime
  • 2
    tablespoon
    Honey
  • sea-salt
  • pepper
  • 1/8 to 1/4
    teaspoon
    cayenne

For the salad:

  • Cut lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Place the salad in a large serving bowl.

If you don’t use it right away, layer in the following order:

  • lettuce
  • black beans
  • Corn
  • pepper
  • green onion
  • avocado
  • tomatoes
  • grated cheese

instructions

  1. For the dressing: chop the cilantro. Whisk together remaining ingredients in bowl, add fresh coriander. Add more lime, honey, or cayenne pepper to taste.

  2. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving, or serve the dressing alongside the salad. If serving on the side, double the dressing.

recipe notes

  • Use full romaine heads, not romaine hearts (Costco). You will be happier with the dark green color.
  • It is important to drain the vegetables well and spin the salad dry. If you take your time, the salad will keep for up to three days if you don’t season it with dressing.
  • Layering in the order listed ensures the cheese doesn’t get mushy and the avocados stay fresh(er) with the tomatoes layered on top. Romas or grape tomatoes work best in this salad.
  • I love the look of hand chopping some of the cilantro for the salad. You can put all the ingredients in a blender or use an immersion blender to prepare the dressing and then hand chop a few tablespoons to preserve the appearance of the larger leaves in the dressing.
  • If you want more of a taco-style salad, add some chopped cooked chicken and tortilla or corn chips.
  • If you want to make a salad for the main course, cook the chicken breast halves, cool and slice when completely cool. Add to salad with vegetables.

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