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 any salad is with the dressing. I’m a huge fan of nightly salads, and I love rotating dressings. Whether it’s my coconut oil dressing, honey lime vinaigrette, or this amazingly creamy southwest dressing, it’s always fun to change up the flavor profiles.

While this dressing pairs perfectly with southwest or Santa Fe salad, it’s also a fantastic 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.

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

This simple southwest salad dressing pairs perfectly with any kind of salad, of course. Because it’s creamy and has a bit of a kick, it can also 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 any type of salad.

Dip: Because it’s nice and thick, 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 pasta or for pasta salad.

Blending Tips

• You do not have to use a mixer to blend the ingredients. Just add everything to a large bowl and whisk, or mix it right in a sealable mason jar and store it in the refrigerator!
• Remove the stems and chop the cilantro leaves finely so you don’t have large flakes in your dressing. For a visual guide, check out how to clean and chop cilantro.
• Southwest salad dressing can sometimes end up a bit thick. If you want to adjust the consistency, slowly add water one tablespoon at a time until it’s slightly thin and pourable.

More Health Recipes

• Honey Lime Dressing
• Classic House Salad Recipe
• Orange Chicken Sauce Recipe
• Healthy Baked Orange Chicken

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