Southwest Salad Dressing

Super easy homemade southwest salad dressing that pairs perfectly with any salad! This creamy dressing is flavored with smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic, and has just the right amount of kick. Best of all, you can mix it up right in a mason jar in under 5 minutes!

The best way to add variety to a salad? Switch up the dressing! We have a salad every night, and rotating our favorite dressings depending on the season keeps it fun and flavorful. This southwest salad dressing is always a HUGE hit, and pairs perfectly with Santa Fe Salad. I also love it on Classic House Salad or my favorite Healthy Burger Bowls!

Even though this dressing is great for adding classic Southwest flavors to any salad, it’s also great as a dip, marinade, and finishing sauce! You can customize the kick by increasing or decreasing the amount of chili powder, or change the consistency depending on what you like.

And best of all? You can blend it right in a mason jar and store it in the fridge! It mixes up in under 5 minutes, and there are no extra bowls or containers to clean.

Want more dressing ideas? Check out my Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing, and my Honey Lime Dressing. You’ll never get bored!

Ingredient Notes

• Mayo – I like to use avocado oil mayo for the best texture and flavor.
• Greek yogurt – Any Greek yogurt will work, including dairy free yogurt. My favorite is Culina plain coconut milk yogurt.
• Lime juice – One lime will give you about two tablespoons of lime juice.
• Freshly chopped cilantro – Chop the cilantro leaves finely since they’re simply folded into the dressing.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Greek yogurt – Any thick and creamy plain yogurt will work for this recipe.
• Freshly chopped cilantro – Not a fan of cilantro? Just leave it out!
• Want more of a kick? Add an additional ½ teaspoon chili powder.

How to Make Southwest Salad Dressing

1. Blend: Add the mayo and greek yogurt to a glass jar or bowl and fold until combined. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.

2. Store: Stir everything together until smooth. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Recipe FAQs

Ways to Use

Salad dressing made with Southwest flavors pairs perfectly with any kind of salad. Because it’s creamy and has a bit of a kick, it can be used in a variety of ways! Here are my favorite ways to use it:

• Dressing: Use it as a rich and creamy dressing to give a nice kick to salad, like Santa Fe Salad, Classic House Salad, or Healthy Burger Bowls.
• Dip: Because it’s on the thicker side, you can use is as a dip for raw veggies or chips.
• Sauce: Spread it on sandwiches or drizzle on cooked vegetables or meat! You can also use it on top of grains and bowls like my Quinoa Cucumber Tomato Salad or Chicken Quinoa Bowls.

Blending Tips

• No blender needed. Just add everything to a large bowl and whisk, or mix it right in a sealable mason jar and store it in the refrigerator!
• Chop it up. Remove the stems and chop the cilantro leaves so you don’t have large flakes in your dressing. For a visual guide, check out how to clean and chop cilantro.
• Thin it out. Southwest dressing can sometimes end up a bit thick for pouring onto salads. If you want to adjust the consistency, slowly add water one tablespoon at a time until it’s slightly thin and pourable.

More Salad Recipes

• Honey Lime Dressing
• Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Classic House Salad Recipe
• Healthy Burger Bowl with Special Sauce
• Easy Quinoa Cucumber Tomato Salad

Recipe by: Noelle Tarr / Coconuts and Kettlebells | Photography by: Casey Colodny / The Mindful Hapa