Southwestern Layered Salad
Gluten Free Living – 2024
Southwestern Layered Salad is incredibly good. It’s everything you could want in a salad (except the kitchen sink!). And if you, like me, enjoy anything Tex-Mex, this fantastic salad is sure to please. It makes a lot, so it’s really good for a crowd or for company. This delicious salad includes two kinds of beans, corn, avocados, tomatoes, olives, bacon, bell peppers, Cheddar cheese, cilantro and Fritos corn chips! The salad dressing is made with either Spicy Ranch Dressing, or regular Ranch Dressing with picante sauce or salsa stirred into it to give the salad a little fire! Well, maybe not fire, 🙂 but certainly a little zest.
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We had a Tex-Mex night at our house the first weekend in March. I made a Spicy Nacho Bake, East Texas Mexican Cornbread, Beefy Taco Dip, my Chunky Homemade Guacamole, Chunky Maple Applesauce and this salad. Others brought dessert and additional appetizers. We all enjoyed every bite! I ate a huge plate of this salad.
While the salad is beautiful to look at, it’s so delightful to the palate. If you enjoy Taco Salads, then this one is amazing. It doesn’t include ground beef or chicken, but it does include bacon. Plus, the beans and corn add additional protein and heartiness to the salad. It’s practically a meal all on its own!
This is a crowd-pleasing salad for potlucks, backyard barbecues, family reunions or anytime you’re grilling out with friends. You can make it several hours in advance (just leave off the Fritos until serving. That’s extremely helpful if you have a lot of company coming for dinner and you have plenty of food on your dinner menu like I did. Even if you want to serve it for a salad luncheon or as a main dish salad for family dinners, everyone will rave over this scrumptious salad. Yum.
Southwestern Layered Salad is a fantastic Tex-Mex recipe!
Spicy Ranch Dressing or regular Ranch Dressing with Picante Sauce or salsa spice up this salad wonderfully.
Give me anything with avocados and Fritos!
I used these ingredients.
Microwave bacon on a paper-towel-lined plate about one minute per slice or until cooked through. Allow bacon to cool before crumbing into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
I could not find Spicy Ranch Dressing at the store, so I used Ranch Dressing and Picante sauce. Salsa can also be used.
Whisk ingredients to combine; set aside.
Layer salad greens or spring mix in a trifle dish or a large glass serving bowl.
Add dark red kidney beans.
Add black beans.
Add corn.
Add red bell pepper.
Add orange bell pepper.
Add cucumber.
Add tomatoes.
Add red onion.
Add olives.
Add green chilies.
Add salad dressing.
Add Cheddar cheese, then bacon pieces.
Pour lemon juice into a bowl. Peel and pit avocados. Slice and swish in lemon juice until well-covered with the lemon juice. Drain on paper towels.
Add avocados, tomato wedges and cilantro. Refrigerate several hours or serve immediately. Add Fritos scoops just before serving.
While you can refrigerate for several hours, I recommend trying to serve this within 6-8 hours of making it, or serve it immediately.
I also layered the salad over a plate and spooned the dressing over top. It’s good that way too.
The Tex-Mex flavors of this salad are wonderful. The beans, corn, green chilies, bacon, Cheddar cheese and avocados make it hearty and satisfying for a main dish meal.
I served it the next day with Coconut Orange Date Muffins for lunch. Yum.
Here’s the recipe.
SOUTHWESTERN LAYERED SALAD
(My own concoction)
Southwestern Layered Salad
Southwestern Layered Salad is a hearty, filling and satisfying Tex-Mex salad that's perfect for company or feeding a crowd. This one's packed with protein and fresh vegetables and can be made hours in advance of when you need it. Excellent choice for potlucks, backyard barbecues or Family Reunions. If your palate enjoys Southwestern and Tex-Mex flavors, this salad recipe is outstanding. Gluten free.
- large salad bowl
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- small bowl
- whisk
- plate
- microwave oven
- measuring cups
- colander
- 6 oz. pkg. salad greens (or spring mix (any combination will work))
- 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 16 oz. can black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 oz. can shoepeg corn (drained)
- 1 large red bell pepper (or green bell pepper)
- 1 large orange bell pepper (or yellow bell pepper)
- 1 cucumber (washed, quartered and sliced)
- 2 large tomatoes (chopped)
- 1/4 cup red onion (finely diced)
- 4 oz. can ripe olives (drained)
- 4 oz. can diced green chiles (drained)
- 1 to 2 cups Spicy Ranch Dressing ((see notes below))
- 1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 4 slices thick bacon (crisp cooked and crumbled)
- 1 or 2 avocados (sliced)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (to dip the avocados in)
- 2 tbsp. cilantro (finely minced, optional)
- 1 1/2 cups corn chips
Cook bacon over medium heat until browned but not scorched!
Remove bacon slices from skillet and place on paper towel-lined plate to drain.
You can also microwave the bacon on plate between layers of paper towels; plan on about one minute per slice for thick bacon, less time for thin bacon.
Continue cooking bacon until it's crisp cooked and not fatty.
When cool, crumble bacon into bite-sized pieces.
Set aside.
In large trifle dish or glass bowl, spread spring mix or greens on the bottom.
Layer with kidney beans, then black beans, then corn.
Sprinkle green and orange bell peppers over top (or whatever color you are using).
Add a layer of cucumbers, then tomatoes, then sprinkle with red onion.
Sprinkle a layer of ripe olives, then green chilies over top.
Spread spicy Ranch dressing over top of chilies and cover well.
Sprinkle a layer of cheese over top of the dressing.
Add a layer of bacon pieces.
Dip avocado slices in lemon juice.
Drain on paper towels and pat dry.
Place avocados over top of bacon.
Sprinkle the top with finely minced cilantro, if desired.
Place Fritos around the outside edge of the bowl (see note below).
Serve immediately.
Refrigerate leftovers.Â
NOTE: If you cannot locate Spicy Ranch Dressing, combine ½ cup picante sauce or salsa with 2 cups Ranch Dressing. Stir well to combine and use in place of Spicy Ranch Dressing in recipe.
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NOTE: Amounts given are approximates. If you have a smaller bowl, you won’t be able to fit all of these ingredients in it. If you prefer more of one ingredient, add more of it and less of another—as you desire.
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NOTE: You can make this up ahead of time – about 6 to 8 hours in advance. Leave off the corn chips until just before serving.
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© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
I ate a big plate of the leftover salad the next day and served it with Coconut Orange Date Muffins.
A little dab of cilantro on top of the salad also adds great Tex-Mex flavor. Southwestern Layered Salad can also be served in parfait dishes.
Avocados and bacon…what a combination!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Southwestern Chicken and Cornbread Salad
Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing
Steak Fajita Salad with Avocado Cilantro Dressing
4 Comments
pizza tower
August 5, 2024 at 8:19 pm
This Southwestern Layered Salad sounds absolutely delicious! I’m a huge fan of Tex-Mex flavors, and this salad has all the right ingredients. The combination of beans, corn, avocados, and Fritos corn chips sounds amazing, and the Spicy Ranch Dressing is the perfect touch. Definitely going to try this for my next gathering. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Teresa Ambra
August 6, 2024 at 3:40 pm
Hope you enjoy the recipe.
heardle decades
July 25, 2024 at 10:49 pm
I appreciate the creativity in your recipe. It takes familiar ingredients and transforms them into something extraordinary
Southwestern Layered Salad – Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen | My Meals are on Wheels
July 5, 2024 at 1:23 am
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