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This Southwest Chipotle Salad is calling out for a summer table to be set. It’s the kind of dish that belongs next to the grilled burgers, cold drinks, and evenings spent outside a little longer than expected.
The salad starts with a crisp base of romaine lettuce and fresh cilantro. The lettuce is then layered with chopped green onions, black beans, roasted corn, and juicy cherry tomatoes. Everything gets tossed in a chipotle vinaigrette dressing that brings enough heat and tanginess to tie the whole salad together. Lastly, it’s topped with sharp cheddar cheese and homemade seasoned tortilla crisps for a crunch.
Summer dinners should feel exciting, and this Southwest Chipotle Salad melds bright, smoky, tangy flavors that feel so refreshing in the warm weather! It’s the kind of meal that tastes like summer feels. It makes the perfect salad for summer cookouts, serving alongside tacos or grilled chicken, or even for meal-prepping lunches for the week!
Why You’ll Love this Southwest Chipotle Salad
- It’s a statement piece on the table! Not only does this salad present beautifully on a table, but it has restaurant-level taste.
- Perfect dish for Tex-Mex night! The charred corn and bright flavors of this salad will pair perfectly with tacos, enchiladas, or grilled chicken.
- It’s far from bland! Each forkful is a different experience. You have a crisp bed of romaine, fresh corn, black beans, peppery cilantro, and green onions. And the chipotle salad dressing and crispy tortilla take this salad to the next level! It’s delicious, slightly spicy, smokey and so refreshing.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the salad
- Romaine
- Cilantro
- Green onions
- Black beans
- Corn on the cob
- Tortillas
- Cheddar cheese
- Chipotle Vinaigrette Dressing
Baked corn Tortilla crisps
- Tortillas
- Olive oil
- Cumin
- Paprika
- S&P to season
chipotle vinaigrette dressing
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Lime juice
- Honey
- Olive oil
- Canned chipotle peppers in adobo
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Cumin
- S&P to taste
How to Make Southwest Chipotle Salad
Step 1: Preheat the oven and bake tortilla crisps and corn cobs.
Start by preheating your oven at a high temperature of 425ºF for roasting the corn cobs. You will place the corn cobs directly on the oven rack to roast for 20-25 minutes. When the corn is done roasting, allow it to cool for 10 minutes before removing the husks.
Using a sharp knife and a cutting board, slice the kernels off the cob.
Once the corn is done roasting, reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Slice the corn tortillas into thin strips and then into smaller pieces.
Toss the tortilla strips in some olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. These seasonings will give them a nice smoky, salty taste. Spread them on a foil-lined baking sheet to toast for 12-15 minutes until crispy.
Tip: If the corn has the husks still intact, it’s okay to keep them on to roast the corn in the oven. When they’re done cooking, let them cool before removing them.
Step 2. Make Chipotle Vinaigrette.
The easiest way to make a salad dressing is in a jar! All you need to do is measure and add your ingredients to a glass jar, seal the lid, and give it a good shake. The shake is going to emulsify the fats, blending them together so that the dressing tastes cohesive and creamier.
This is a super simple, quick way to make salad dressing. And it also requires less cleanup than using a blender. If you have any leftovers, you can seal the jar and chill it in the fridge to use later.
Step 3: Prep salad toppings and Assemble salad.
The last step is to prep the rest of your salad mix-ins before you assemble. Chop the greens – romaine, cilantro, and green onions- and rinse and drain the black beans.
Now the fun part: Assembling the salad!! Start by adding a bed of romaine lettuce, cilantro and green onions. Top the greens with your black beans, roasted corn, and cheese. Finish the salad with a healthy drizzle of dressing and the baked tortilla crisps. Give the salad a good toss and enjoy!!
Tips for Making Southwest Chipotle Salad
- Add a crunch to the salad with tortilla crisps. If you don’t have time to make tortilla crisps in the oven, we recommend crumbling some tortilla chips on top.
- Use fresh corn if you can! Fresh corn has a crisp texture to it. If it’s summer season, you should be able to find fresh corn cobs in the husks at your local store. If your local grocery store doesn’t have fresh corn, you can opt for canned or frozen corn.
- Add layers to make the salad interesting. Being mindful about the flavors and textures you add to a salad can elevate it from bland to something you’re excited to eat and recreate!
Recipe FAQ
More Southwest Summer Recipes:
Southwest Chipotle Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A base of crisp romaine lettuce and cilantro layered with black beans, roasted corn, cherry tomatoes, and green onions. Topped with cheddar cheese and spiced homemade tortilla crisps for crunch. Tossed in a smoky, tangy vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 head Romaine Lettuce
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/3 cup green onions, chopped
- 1 can black beans
- 2 corn cobs
- 1/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- Chipotle Vinaigrette Dressing
- Baked Corn Tortilla Crisps
Chipotle Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp Lime juice
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/3 cupOlive oil
- 2 Chipotle peppers in adobo
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Baked Corn Tortilla Crisps
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- S&P to season
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF for roasting corn cobs. Place corn with the husks on the oven rack and roast for 20-25 minutes. Remove corn from oven and cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Once cooled enough to handle, remove husks and slice corn kernels off the cob and set in a bowl to cool.
- Reduce the heat to 350ºF. Slice tortillas into thin strips and cut into smaller pieces. Add to a bowl, toss in olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake for 12-15 minutes until crispy. Once they are golden brown on the edges, remove them from the oven to cool.
- Make salad dressing. Add red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey, olive oil, chipotle pepper in adobo, and spices to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
- Prep salad toppings. Chop romaine lettuce, cilantro, and green onions. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and rinse and drain black beans.
- Assemble salad. Start with a bed of lettuce, cilantro, and green onions. Top with black beans, cherry tomatoes, corn, and corn tortilla crisps.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
