Vegan Southwest Salad (vegan)
This delicious vegan Southwest Salad recipe is full of fresh ingredients. It is inspired by Café Rio's Sweet Pork salad, and the flavors of the Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. A healthy meal that is quick and easy to make. Drizzle with a vegan creamy cilantro lime dressing and tortilla chips for some crunch.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Mexican, Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Vegan
Servings: 4 big servings
Cost: $2.50 per serving
pot to cook rice, or rice cooker; kitchen knife and cutting board; bowls
to prepare salad dressing you need a high-speed blender or food processor
Ingredients for the salad
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain rice (eg: basmati) (195g)
- 12 ounces of shredded and fried tofu (400g)
- 1 can of black beans (15oz / 425g)
- 1 can of corn (15oz / 425g)
- ½ head of iceberg salad head (or chopped salad greens)
- 10 to 14 ounces pico de gallo (300-400g)
- 8 to 10 ounces guacamole (200-300g)
- 4.2 ounces tortilla chips (120g)
To make creamy cilantro lime dressing
- ½ cup of vegan ranch or sour cream (7.7 oz / 220g)
- ⅓ bunch of fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon cumin and smoked paprika each
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup, or some organic cane sugar
- 1 clove of garlic
- juice of 2 limes
- salt and pepper to taste, if needed
Optional dressing add-ins for more flavor
- 2 tablespoons vegan salsa verde
- ½ jalapeño, deseeded (toss seeds unless you want spice, then add a few to taste)
Assemble salad
Once everything is prepared all you need to do is assemble it all on plates. Start with the rice, followed by the beans and tofu, salad greens, corn, some dressing, more salad greens, pico de gallo and guacamole, and more dressing if wished. Top with your favorite tortilla chips, serve and enjoy! Optional you can lay it all out on a warm tortilla, as Café Rio does.