This Southwestern chopped salad is full of flavorful vegetables and plant-based proteins and topped with a creamy, vegan avocado cilantro dressing.

I’m not sure if I’ve told you this, but I’m so weird about my salads. I’m super picky about my dressings, and I normally opt for them to be tossed in the salad prior to eating. I really dislike eating bottled dressing. There are a few that I don’t mind, but for the most part I stay away from them. So, I’ve resorted to making my own.

The dressing for the Southwestern chopped salad is super easy. Everything gets thrown in a blender or food processor *affiliate link and it’s done. No chopping or whisking needed, which is good, because a chopped salad can require a bit more prep than your average bowl of lettuce. Luckily, the only about half of these ingredients need to be chopped, and the other half just get rinsed and/or dumped into the bowl.

But, regardless of the extra effort, this salad is worth it. There are so many flavors in each and every bite. And, I mean, there’s the cilantro. That makes it for me. If you don’t care for cilantro, try swapping some basil for it. You may also have a bit of extra dressing leftover, depending on how much you use. Feel free to store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Southwestern Chopped Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing

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Ingredients

For the dressing:

• 2 avocados
• 2 ounces fresh cilantro, stems and leaves
• 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

For the salad:

• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives

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Instructions

1. For the dressing: combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor *affiliate link. Process until smooth.
2. For the salad: combine all prepared ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with desired amount of dressing just before serving.

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Nutrition

• Calories: 0
• Sugar: 0 g
• Sodium: 0 mg
• Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 0 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg