Southwestern Salad

Southwestern Salad, with garbanzos, and chipotle, lime and roasted garlic dressing has a bit of a kick from the chipotle in the dressing. Load it up with fresh veggies and you have a colorful, delicious summer salad!

I wanted to come up with a different side dish for all of our summer picnics. You know how you always end up making the same stand by dishes (mostly, because they are requested) such as macaroni salad, potato salad, coleslaw, etc. You know the feeling, right? Well I wanted something different! This is it! Saouthwestern Salad with chipotle, lime and roasted garlic dressing.

It takes less than 10 minutes to put together if you have roasted garlic in the freezer (which, luckily I did) and couldn’t be easier!

I will make this later in the summer when corn is in season and roast the corn on the grill too. I think it will add a great smokiness that will compliment the chipotle dressing. Although it’s fab with canned corn! And easy too!

What you need

• garbanzo beans (chick peas) canned
• corn – either use a good quality canned corn (I like DelMonte select) or roast fresh corn on the grill when it is in season.
• black olives- I like using large, pitted black olives. (Buy sliced olives to save a step and make this salad even easier.
• fresh tomatoes- I use different varieties of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes for added color but chopped large tomatoes, like roma tomatoes will work too.
• cucumbers – use small cucumbers or cut large cucumbers into bite sized pieces.

for dressing

• mayonnaise – use a good quality mayonnaise. Don’t use salad dressing.
• roasted garlic – make multiple heads of roasted garlic and freeze some for easy use later.
• canned chipotle in adobo sauce – either homemade chipotle in adobo or store bought (freeze leftovers for future use.
• lime – use fresh lime so that you have some lime zest to add to the dressing.
• cumin
• salt
• pepper

How to make Southwestern salad

1. To roast garlic, Cut the top off of the head with a sharp knife.
2. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Roast in oven or on a grill on the top rack at 400°F for 30-40 minutes until golden and very soft.
3. Drain garbanzo beans and rinse well.
4. Drain corn and olives.
5. Chop tomatoes and cucumber into bite sized chunks. Slice olives (or by sliced olives and skip this step.) Toss beans, corn, olives tomatoes, cucumber in a large bowl.
6. Mince chipotle peppers. Measure adobo sauce and add to a small bowl for the dressing.
7. Squeeze garlic out of papery casings.
8. Paste roasted garlic with the side of your chef’s knife. Add to the bowl.
9. Add the mayonnaise to garlic and chipotle Add lime juice, cumin and lime zest to dressing.
10. Blend well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Mix a couple tablespoons of the dressing to the salad until desired amount of dressing for your tastes.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Optional additions

• black beans or pinto beans
• avocado
• torn romaine lettuce
• cilantro
• add tortilla strips or crumbled tortilla chips for extra crunch and texture

Can this salad be made ahead?

One of the beauties of this salad is that it can be made a day or two before you serve it.

Salad will last about 4 days in the refrigerator.

Pro tips for your success

• Drain and rinse the chick peas well before draining the olives and corn.
• Roast several heads of garlic when you are roasting them and freeze any leftovers for faster recipe preparation in the future.
• Use fresh corn when it is in season.
• If using fresh corn, think about roasting it on the grill.
• Use more or less chipotle in adobo, depending on your family’s heat tolerance.
• This recipe for the dressing will probably make more than you will use. Use the leftover for salads or on sandwiches.

This Southwestern salad is easier and faster than any of the other summer salads. Not to mention healthier and gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian! Here are some other tasty salads from BCC Broccoli Salad, Ten Minute Tomato Cucumber Salad, BLT Pasta Salad, Fresh Fruit Salad and Jello Salad.

If you love fresh veggies, why not grow your own? I’ve got some help for you. These posts are packed full of information about how to get that big harvest by the end of the season! Don’t miss my How to Start a Garden Series! The first part is Planning Your Garden!

Second is Preparing the Garden Site.

The third is Choosing Plants and Planting Your Garden.

The fourth is Garden Maintenance, and the last is Harvesting a Garden and Preserving the Harvest, this post has over 100 FREE recipes for preserving your harvest!

Tools I use

• extra large bamboo cutting board
• mixing bowls
• colander
• chef’s knife

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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

Originally Published 6/6/2016 Updated 8/31/2021.

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