Southwest Salad Dressing
This post may contain affiliate links.
Amp up the flavor of your next salad with this creamy Southwest Salad Dressing recipe! It’s easy to make with just 4 ingredients, in less than 5 minutes, and will add flavor, citrus and spice to any salad. It’s also great as a dipping sauce for veggies, chicken tenders and southwestern egg rolls!
Table of contents
Picture this, a vibrant salad bursting with colors and flavors, topped with a creamy, tangy dressing that takes each bite to the next level. That’s the magic of this creamy southwest salad dressing!
It’s not just any ordinary dressing. It’s a flavor-packed delight that elevates any salad from ordinary to extraordinary. From the delicious taste, to the versatile uses, to the simple joy it brings to every salad lover’s palate, it’s truly delightful. And the best part is, it’s so easy to make!
Using my flavor-packed southwest seasoning, and a creamy base of sour cream, this salad dressing is easy to mix up with only 4 ingredients. Simply stir everything together in a bowl and it’s ready to go!
This salad dressing is almost as easy to make as it is to open a store-bought bottle from the grocery store. (Almost!) But the flavor is so much better, which is what will have you coming back to this recipe over-and-over again!
Ingredients
- Sour cream – the base for this dressing that makes it so creamy! For a healthy spin on the dressing, use fat-free Greek yogurt instead. The flavor will be slightly different, but very similar.
- Lime juice – in a salad dressing, I recommend using fresh-squeezed juice to get the freshest, best flavor.
- Southwest seasoning – click the link for my homemade seasoning mix that adds so much flavor to this salad dressing! It’s easy to mix up in less than 5 minutes and can be stored in the pantry for up to 6 months, so you can easily make it ahead of time. The base of this seasoning is ground chipotle chili powder and smoked paprika, which gives it the signature smoky, southwest flavor! It also includes pantry staples like salt, ground cumin, garlic powder and onion powder, making it easy to mix up with ingredients that you already have on hand.
- Cilantro – to add a fresh, bright flavor to the salad, use chopped fresh cilantro. If you don’t enjoy the taste of cilantro, you can leave it out, or replace it with fresh chopped parsley.
Instructions
- Add sour cream, lime juice, cilantro and southwest seasoning to a small bowl.
- Use a spatula to stir all of the ingredients together. Add 1 tablespoon water to thin out the dressing. If you’d like it thinner, continue adding 1 teaspoon of water at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Easy as that, you have a delicious homemade southwest salad dressing, ready to amp up the flavor of your next salad!
Ways to use it
While this southwest salad dressing can be used on any salad, it’s especially delicious on the Southwest Salad pictured above with black beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and pepper jack cheese!
You can also use it as a drizzling or dipping sauce with any of these main dishes, snacks or appetizers.
- Veggies – this is a great dipping sauce for broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, bell peppers or celery.
- Air Fryer French Fries – grab my easy recipe for air fryer french fries, linked to the left, or dip your favorite variety of french fries into this creamy dressing.
- Chicken Tenders – dip my air fryer chicken tenders in this southwest salad dressing, or use your favorite recipe for chicken tenders, fried chicken or chicken nuggets.
- Southwestern Egg Rolls – this really is the perfect dipping sauce for this popular Chili’s copycat egg roll recipe!
- Vegetarian Burrito Bowl – drizzle this dressing over any burrito bowl to add a smoky, spicy, creamy, and zesty topping!
- Chicken Taquitos – this creamy dressing is the perfect smoky dipping sauce for taquitos!
You can also spread it on a sandwich, wrap, or burger. Or drizzle it over grilled chicken, grilled shrimp, fajitas or eggs.
It can also be used as a substitute for taco seasoning when you want something with a slightly more smoky and spicy flavor.
Recipe notes
- This creamy southwest dressing recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
- The spice level of this dressing is medium. If you’d like to tone down the spice to mild, remove or reduce the amount of cayenne pepper added to the southwest spice mix.
- To add sweetness to the dressing, add 1 teaspoon honey.
- You can easily double this homemade salad dressing recipe. Simply click the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts will automatically update to make a double batch of the dressing. Follow the instructions the same as if you were making a single batch.
- You will need about 2 ounces of salad dressing per 4 cups of chopped lettuce or greens in a salad. This recipe makes 6 ounces of dressing, or enough to toss with 12 cups of salad.
Storage tips
Southwest salad dressing can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for up to 10 days. It will thicken up as it sits in the fridge. Simply give it a stir to loosen it up before serving.
I do not recommend freezing any dressing that contains dairy. The dressing will separate in the freezer and will not be the same consistency once it’s defrosted.
More dressings and sauces
Add flavor to all of your meals with this collection of delicious dressings and sauces!
Southwest Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh-squeezed
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon southwest seasoning, click link for the recipe
Instructions
- Stir all of the ingredients together in a small bowl, or mason jar.
- Store in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Notes
- You will need about 2 ounces of salad dressing per 4 cups of chopped lettuce or greens in a salad. This recipe makes 6 ounces of dressing, or enough to toss with 12 cups of salad.
- If the dressing is too thick for your taste, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
- This southwest dressing recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.
- The spice level of this dressing is medium. If you’d like to tone down the spice to mild, remove or reduce the amount of cayenne pepper added to the southwest spice mix.
- To add sweetness to the dressing, add 1 teaspoon honey.
- You can easily double this homemade salad dressing recipe. Simply click the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update to make a double batch of the dressing. Follow the instructions the same as if you were making a single batch.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
