This Southwest Chopped Salad is loaded with a ton of flavor and satisfying crunch in every bite. Crisp romaine, bell peppers, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and jicama served with a drizzle of jalapeño Ranch dressing and crushed tortilla chips.
If you love Southwest flavors, you’ll also love my Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad.
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After our move to Oregon, we quickly discovered the thriving food truck scene. Nearly every town has it’s own collection of mobile eateries serving up an eclectic fusion of flavors from around the world. Even the small town we call home opened a new food cart pod last summer. There are so many choices and everyone can grab what looks good and meet back at a table to dine together. So fun!
I was introduced to Southwest Chopped Salad at a food truck called The Chop Spot and I was hooked! I’m a sucker for chopped salad, especially one that features Southwest flavors. And, just like the BBQ Chicken Salad from CPK, I crave this salad so frequently, I had to make my own version at home.
Table of contents
The Best Southwest Chopped Salad
To create the best chopped salad, the lettuce and veggies should all be finely chopped so you get a little bit of everything in each bite. The combination of fresh ingredients, variety of flavors, and the right dressing will result in the most satisfying chopped salad experience.
In this recipe, colorful vegetables including bell peppers, tomatoes, and corn are combined with sweet and crunchy jicama, black beans, pepper Jack cheese, and creamy avocado. To complement the Southwest flavors, this salad is drizzled with creamy jalapeño Ranch dressing and topped with crushed tortilla chips.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lettuce – A romaine heart is the center-most part of a head of romaine lettuce. It’s crunchier and sweeter than the outside leaves so it’s perfect for a chopped salad. I really like the bagged variety sold as Artisan Romaine.
- Black beans – A can of black beans, rinsed and drained well.
- Corn – Make it easy with frozen corn, thawed and drained well. If you use canned corn, I recommend rinsing it well to remove the excess sodium. Fresh sweet corn should be blanched in hot water to soften it slightly before slicing it off the cob.
- Tomatoes – I usually choose tomatoes on the vine or Roma tomatoes, which both seem to be consistently ripe and deep red.
- Bell pepper – I like to use orange bell pepper to contrast the red tomato and yellow corn.
- Jicama – This ingredient adds SO much crunch to salads! You might be able to find peeled and sliced jicama in the produce section. Or, buy a whole jicama and peel and slice it yourself. Try sprinkling leftover jicama sticks with a little Tajin for a healthy, delicious snack.
- Red onion – For color and flavor! If you prefer a milder onion flavor, substitute thinly sliced green onions.
- Cilantro leaves – I love the flavor of fresh cilantro but it is always optional!
- Cheese – Either shredded pepper Jack cheese or plain Monterey Jack cheese. Shredded sharp cheddar would also be delicious.
- Avocado – A large Hass avocado.
- Salad dressing – Make it easy with store-bought salad dressing. Check the refrigerated salad dressing area of the produce section for a high quality jalapeño Ranch dressing, like Litehouse brand. It’s not spicy but has great flavor. Prefer homemade? My Homemade Ranch Dressing or Basil Buttermilk Dressing would both be delicious on this salad.
- Garnish – Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips are a great for adding even more crunch and flavor. We also like to shake on a little hot sauce, like Cholula.
How to Make Southwest Chopped Salad
- Chop the romaine well and rinse and spin it in a salad spinner. Then, add it to a large bowl with the remaining ingredients, through the cheese.
- Toss until well combined and garnish the salad with the avocado. Serve with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, jalapeño Ranch dressing, and hot sauce.
Make it a Meal
For me, this salad is hearty enough on its own. But, add a little protein and you’ve got a super satisfying meal.
- Chicken – Add my copycat Chipotle Chicken, sliced grilled chicken, or chopped rotisserie chicken breast.
- Taco Meat – Top the salad with the ground beef mixture from my Easy Ground Beef Tacos or Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing. Or keep things light with the ground turkey mixture from my Turkey Tacos.
- Shrimp – Simply seasoned cooked shrimp would make a delicious addition to this salad.
Storage Tips
Leftover Southwest Chopped Salad holds up quite well. Just transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly. If you’re planning on leftovers, reserve the avocado to use as a garnish on the individual servings since it will brown if stored for more than a few hours. The remaining ingredients should hold up well and be delicious for a day or two if stored properly.
More Easy Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- BBQ Chicken Salad (CPK Copycat)
- Easy Chicken Cobb Salad
- Mexican Three Bean Salad
- Southwest Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad
- Check out my entire collection of delicious salad recipes.
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Southwest Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 1 artisan Romaine heart, very well chopped (½-inch pieces) about 3 ½ to 4 cups
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained
- 2 small tomatoes, like tomatoes on the vine or Roma, diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced (about ¾ to 1 cup)
- ½ cup peeled and diced jicama
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 1 large Hass avocado
- ½ cup jalapeño Ranch salad dressing, like Litehouse brand
- Crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, optional garnish
- Hot sauce, like Cholula, optional for serving
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the chopped romaine well and add it to a large salad bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, through the cheese. Toss until well combined. Garnish the salad with the avocado
- Serve with crushed tortilla chips or tortilla strips, jalapeno Ranch dressing, and hot sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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