1. Head romaine - 1 large
2. Black beans - 15 ounces (scant two cups)
3. Bell pepper - 1
4. Tomatoes, chopped - 1 ¼ cups
5. Cooked corn kernels - 2 cups (you can use canned corn)
6. Green onions - 5
7. Fresh cilantro leaves - 2 tablespoons
8. Avocado, halved, peeled, deseeded, and diced - 1 (optional)
FOR CREAMY CILANTRO-LIME DRESSING:
1. Cilantro stems removed and roughly chopped - 1 cup (loosely packed)
2. Plain yogurt - ½ cup
3. Lime juice, fresh - 2 tablespoons
4. Garlic cloves - 1 to 2
5. Olive oil - ¼ cup
6. Apple cider vinegar - 1 ½ teaspoon
7. Salt - â…› teaspoon
8. Cumin seeds, crushed - add to taste (optional)
Nutrition Facts
CALORIES: 370 kcal
CARBOHYDRATE: 44 g
PROTEIN: 11 g
FAT: 18 g
CHOLESTEROL: 2.4 mg
SODIUM: 388.2 mg
Directions
STEP 1: MAKE CILANTRO-LIME DRESSING:
1. Either use a food processor or blender and blend all the aforementioned ingredients, i.e., chopped cilantro, plain yogurt, lime juice, garlic cloves, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt.
2. Taste the dressing and adjust the flavorings if needed. You can also add a little bit of cumin if you desire.
STEP 2: PREPARE THE SALAD:
1. Begin your work by chopping the vegetables for the Southwestern chopped salad. Chop romaine lettuce, bell pepper, green onions, and tomatoes.
2. If you are thinking of using canned black beans, then rinse and drain. If not, then soak them for a few hours or overnight, and boil them.
3. Next, take a large-size bowl and add all the salad ingredients.
4. Toss all the salad ingredients with the desired amount of cilantro-lime dressing.
5. Dish the Southwestern chopped salad in a bowl and serve it immediately.
RECIPE NOTES:
1. Use onion in place of green onions. Make sure that the onion is finely chopped.
2. You can also divide this recipe into six to eight smaller servings if this salad is eaten as a side dish.
3. In place of cilantro-lime dressing, you can also make a vinaigrette. To make the vinaigrette, take ¾ cup cilantro, one garlic clove, juice of one lime, and one teaspoon of sugar. Blitz it together in a food processor. Add half cup olive oil slowly until you obtain a smooth mixture. Once the vinaigrette is prepared, season it with salt and black pepper.
4. If you are missing the heat and want to make it a little spicier, then add two chopped jalapeno peppers or hot sauce to taste.
5. In place of plain yogurt, you can add the same amount of mayonnaise.