The Best Southwest Salad Recipe Ever
This Southwest salad is quick, easy, and delicious! It’s loaded with fresh veggies and a hearty drizzle of a delicious creamy homemade dressing that is a McDonald’s copycat!
You Will Love This
- It’s so quick and easy! No fancy kitchen gadgets and barely any prep work are required for this southwestern dressing. If you’re into simple meal prep and effortless lunches, then this recipe is for you! If you loved this southwest salad be sure to check out my Walking Taco Casserole, my 20 Minute Instant Pot Taco Soup, or my Crispy Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas.
- The flavor combo is classic, but the dressing really makes this salad unique. If you’ve ever had the Southwest salad from McDonald’s, you’re going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this dressing. It is a copycat version of Newman’s Own dressing that McDonald’s serves but with a little Midwest Foodie flair.
Dressing Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sour Cream – Don’t use light or fat-free sour cream for this southwest salad dressing recipe. There is no fat in the dressing other than from the sour cream, so you want a regular full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt for the best flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – The apple cider vinegar in this flavor really adds a distinct tangy flavor that is found in the McDonald’s version of this dressing. You could use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar in its place, but it will change the flavor slightly.
- Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice is going to give this dressing its signature lime flavor. Do not omit this ingredient!
- Honey – If you don’t have honey on hand, feel free to use agave or your favorite sweetener in its place. Honey is going to balance out the acidity from the vinegar and lime juice and also add a deliciously sweet note to this dressing.
- Spices – The ground cumin in this southwest dressing gives it that classic Mexican flavor that ties everything together. Chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder are going to layer more delicious flavors into the dressing.
Salad Ingredients and Substitutions
- Mixed Greens – I like to use mixed spring greens but you could use romaine lettuce or spinach if you like.
- Black Beans – I am obsessed with black beans, but this salad also taste great with pinto beans as well.
- Red Onion – If you don’t have any red onion on hand, try thinly sliced green onion instead.
- Avocado – You can leave the avocado out if you don’t have any on hand, but I love the creamy little bites that it adds.
- Corn – If you can find frozen, fire-roasted corn at your local grocery store, snag a bag of that! You’ll have to cook it from frozen according to package directions, but that extra fire-roasted flavor is worth the effort! Otherwise canned corn or even fresh corn off the cob will work too!
- Tomatoes – I like to use grape or Roma tomatoes for this salad. You could also add diced green or red bell pepper instead of tomatoes too.
- Cotija – I love the salty flavor that crumbled Cotija cheese brings to this salad. If you can’t find Cotija, try using feta in its place.
- Tortilla Strips – My homemade tortilla strips are the tastiest way to add a little crunch to your Southwest salad.
- Cilantro Lime Chicken – This is an optional but very delicious way to turn this into a Southwest chicken salad and add some extra protein. You could also use grilled shrimp or salmon.
Instructions
Add sour cream, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper to a large measuring cup.
Whisk until completely combined.
Add greens, sliced Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken (optional), black beans, red onion, and avocado to a serving platter or large bowl.
Add corn and tomatoes.
Then add homemade tortilla strips, Cotija cheese, and a hearty drizzle of that creamy homemade dressing. Toss and enjoy!
Tips
- This southwestern salad dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to a week so you can prep a batch over the weekend and enjoy it for quick and easy lunches all week! It will separate as it sits in an airtight container in the fridge, so just give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients again and also season to taste with salt and pepper.
- If you want to add a kick to your southwestern dressing, add a ½ teaspoon of chipotles in adobo, a little extra chili powder, or a couple pinches of cayenne pepper!
FAQ
My copycat version of McDonald’s southwest salad has most of the same ingredients – greens, corn, black beans, tomatoes, cheese, tortilla strips, cilantro, and a creamy southwest dressing. McDonald’s version also includes roasted poblano peppers. Skip the drive-thru line and save some cash by making my simple southwest salad at home!
I try not to think of foods as healthy or unhealthy and instead prefer to enjoy all foods in moderation. This southwest salad dressing is filled with real ingredients which makes it a more desirable option than the bottled dressing you might find at the grocery store that has a laundry list of ingredients. Build your southwest salad with chicken breast, lots of veggies, and this creamy southwest dressing and you’ve got an easy lunch that will fill you up and fuel you through your day!
This southwestern dressing is made with just a handful of simple ingredients including sour cream, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. This is a quick and easy dressing recipe that can be throw together in just minutes!
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The Best Southwest Salad
This 5 minute creamy Southwest Salad Dressing is a McDonald’s copycat loaded with fresh Mexican flavors. It’s super quick and easy to throw together and stays good in the fridge for up to a week. Drizzle it over a simple Southwest salad and dinner is done!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American/TexMex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 8 oz. your favorite spring green mix
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 avocados, thinly sliced
- 1 can corn kernels, drained
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup Cotija, crumbled
- 1 cup tortilla strips
- fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Add all dressing ingredients to a large measuring cup and whisk until combined.
- Add greens to a large serving platter. Top with sliced Cilantro Lime Chicken, black beans, red onion, and avocado.
- Top with corn, tomatoes, Cotija, and homemade tortilla strips.
- Pour dressing over salad just before eating. Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy!
Notes
- This southwestern salad dressing will stay good in the fridge for up to a week so you can prep a batch over the weekend and enjoy it for quick and easy lunches all week! It will separate as it sits in an airtight container in the fridge, so just give it a good stir to combine all the ingredients again and also season to taste with salt and pepper.
- If you want to add a kick to your southwestern dressing, add a ½ teaspoon of chipotles in adobo, a little extra chili powder, or a couple pinches of cayenne pepper!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 336
- Sugar: 5.5 g
- Sodium: 396.5 mg
- Fat: 21.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.5 g
- Fiber: 9.1 g
- Protein: 12.7 g
- Cholesterol: 30.4 mg
This recipe was originally published in May 2018. It was updated in February 2021 to include process shots, step-by-step instructions, and tips for making the best Southwest salad every single time!
Dressing is amazing!! I used avocado mayo instead of sour cream though
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Sarah! Avocado mayo sounds like a delicious substitute!
I made this tonight!!! So glad I did. It was absolutely perfect. This will be a regular at my house from now on. My husband said this is good company food!
I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed this salad, Jeanette! This is one of our family’s favorites as well 🙂 Thanks for leaving a review!
So easy and delicious! Will be making this again soon!!
I I followed the recipe exactly as written. This salad was a big hit with both my husband and me. Thank you for this great recipe!
So good! My family loved this salad. I used 4 oz olive oil instead of sour cream in the dressing and roasted thicker slices of onion (along with strips of red and yellow pepper). Otherwise made just as written. Thanks for this recipe. Will be making it again.
YUM – your adjustments sound DELICIOUS! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Jeanne. This is one of our family’s favorites too 🙂 Thank you for leaving a review!
Made this for a staff luncheon and it was a hit! Loved the dressing recipe! There was a lot of ingredients to prepare but worth it in the end.
I’m so glad you liked this recipe, Laurie! There are several components, but I totally agree – in the end, it’s worth it when all the flavors come together. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
10 minutes is all it takes to throw together this quick and easy Southwest salad loaded with fresh Mexican flavors and a super easy homemade dressing!
Could I have the recipe.
Of course! The recipe card is located at the bottom of the post. You can click the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the post as well!