Southwestern Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing is Perfect for Summer

Healthy Southwestern Salad loaded with grilled corn, black beans, cilantro, red bell peppers topped with a creamy avocado salad dressing.

I am a big fan of the flavors of the southwest including the grilled corn, fresh peppers and of course cilantro. Yeah! for not having the cilantro tastes like soap gene. I love it on all the things (well,not dessert…. 😉 ).

This salad is delicious as is for a side salad with a nice steak or some grilled chicken or you can chop up some leftover steak or chicken and add it to the salad for a cook once eat twice meal. Gotta love planned leftovers!

Scrumptious Salads

We could all use some healthy salad recipes these days and the Our Family Table bloggers have some great ones for you.

• Alabama Cobb Salad by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Chicken Cobb Salad with Berries by Sweet Beginnings
• Chicken Fajita Salads with Queso by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Copycat Buddy’s Antipasto Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Easy Greek Salad by Making Miracles
• Fields of Naboo Salad by Simply Inspired Meals
• Mediterranean Cucumber Salad by Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Shrimp and Macaroni Salad by Palatable Pastime
• Smoked Fish Caesar Salad by Art of Natural Living
• Southwestern Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing by That Recipe
• Zucchini Salad with Queso Fresco by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

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Southwestern Salad

Southwestern Salad loaded with grilled corn, black beans, red bell peppers, cilantro and more with a creamy avocado dressing.

Ingredients

Creamy Avocado Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 large avocado
• ½ small shallot peeled and cut in half
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2-3 tablespoons water if needed
• salt and black pepper to taste

Chopped Salad Ingredients:

• 2 ears fresh corn husks and silk removed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
• 1 head romaine (or iceberg) lettuce chopped
• 2 cup fresh arugula chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper diced
• ½ medium medium red onion diced
• 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 large lime cut into quarters

Instructions

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Thin with water as needed to reach the desired consistency. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Preheat gas grill or an indoor grill pan to medium high heat.

3. Brush corn with melted butter and cook until kernels are slightly charred, rotating one-quarter turn every few minutes until each side is done. Remove from heat and slice kernels from cob with a sharp knife. Reserve kernels and discard cobs.

4. In a large salad bowl combine lettuce, arugula, and cilantro.

5. In a medium bowl, combine diced bell pepper, red onion, black beans, roasted corn kernels, lime juice, and ground cumin. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and toss gently to combine.

6. Add the seasoned black bean mixture to the bowl with the chopped lettuce and toss gently to combine. Serve with Creamy Avocado Dressing and extra lime wedges.