Southwest Salad with Crispy Onion Straws (30 Minutes)

Send it straight to your inbox, and cook it when you're ready!

Print

Print Recipe

When you’re looking for something light yet satisfying, look no further than this delicious Southwest-inspired salad. The recipe is loaded with crisp romaine lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, black beans, and a tangy lime dressing. The star of the show, though, is the crispy onion straws, which add a crunchy and savory element to the dish. Let’s begin!

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup of corn kernels (fresh or canned)
  • 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 sweet onion chopped into straw-like pieces
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup of chopped red onion
  • 1/4 cup of lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk
  • 1 cup of panko bread crumbs
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the chopped romaine, black beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and red onion. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt, and pepper to make the dressing. Set aside.
  3. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
  4. In another shallow bowl, pour the buttermilk.
  5. In a third shallow bowl, add the panko bread crumbs.
  6. Dredge the sweet onion pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Dip them in the buttermilk, then coat them in the panko bread crumbs.
  7. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, fry the sweet onion pieces in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.
  8. Toss the salad with the dressing and divide it among four plates.
  9. Top each salad with a generous serving of crispy onion straws.

Notes

To save more time, feel free to use store-bought crispy onions though they aren’t quite as yummy in my opinion. You can also throw on some chicken or shrimp for extra protein if desired. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can always make your own by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 502 calories
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Sodium: 326mg
  • Fat: 22g
  • Carbohydrates: 68g
  • Fiber: 15g
  • Protein: 16g
  • Cholesterol: 3mg

Pair this with...

Homemade Tortilla Chips

Grab some store-bought corn tortillas and cut each one into 6 or 8 wedges. Heat up about an inch of vegetable or canola oil in a large frying pan until it's shimmering, but not smoking. Carefully drop the tortilla wedges into the hot oil in batches, so they don't overlap. Fry them until they're golden brown, which will take about 2-3 minutes per side. Once they're perfectly crispy, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. While they're still warm, sprinkle a bit of salt over the top. There you go!

Guacamole

Start with ripe avocados - when you give them a gentle squeeze, they should have a little give, but not feel mushy. Halve and pit them, scooping out their green goodness into a bowl. Now, add the juice of a fresh lime. This brightens the flavor and helps keep that vibrant green color. Toss in a finely chopped small red onion, a minced clove of garlic, a small diced tomato, and maybe a deseeded and diced jalapeño if you're in the mood for some heat. A handful of chopped cilantro leaves adds that distinct freshness, but if you're not a fan, it's okay to skip it. Sprinkle in some salt, and then mash everything together. You can use a fork or a potato masher, depending on how chunky you like your guacamole. Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve it up with tortilla chips or as a side to pretty much anything.

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Start by draining and rinsing a can of black beans, then combine it with a cup of sweet corn (frozen and thawed works great, or fresh off the cob). Dice up a ripe tomato, a red pepper, and a red onion for some juicy crunch. For that herbal freshness, chop up a handful of cilantro and toss it in. Mix everything in a large bowl and give it a good stir. For dressing, squeeze the juice of one lime, drizzle a bit of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix it all up, and voila!

For Tomorrow's Dinner

Apricot Chicken Drumsticks (30 Minutes)

Southwestern Shrimp Salad (20 Minutes)

Salt and Pepper Chicken with Zucchini Rice (40-45 Minutes)

Three Onion Tart with Butter Crust (28 Minutes)

Hi, I'm Alaina! As a busy mom of two, I'm tired of always wondering "what's for dinner?" That's why I created this website; to share easy and tasty recipe ideas the whole family will love. If you're not subscribed yet, join 47,098 others here - thanks for stopping by!