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    Home » Recipes » Salads

    Santa Fe Salad

    Published: May 25, 2022 by Janessa

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Filled with a rainbow of fresh ingredients like creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes, crisp greens and topped with a zesty homemade dressing, you'll love this Santa fe style salad.

    Jump to:
    • The Ingredients
    • The Method
    • Make Ahead and Leftover Storage
    • Make it Your Own
    • Serving Ideas
    • Dietary Notes
    • And if you liked this recipe...
    • Santa Fe Salad
    • Comments
    Santa fe salad topped with avocado and tortillas.

    I have a confession.

    I'm not really a salad person...

    It's not that I don't like vegetables. I would happily pile some Baked Herb Tomato Zucchini high on my plate!

    But when I'm looking to have a light lunch, I would much prefer a warm dish of Cherry Tomato Soup to a salad bowl.

    However, there are always exceptions to the rules (like Thai Peanut Salad or this Mediterranean Salad), and now this hearty salad!

    With a plethora of textures and so much flavor, this hearty salad is one of those easy meals you'll look forward to and is also a great option for a potluck.

    Even a picky eater will be excited to eat their greens when they come in a form this delicious!

    The Ingredients

    Ingredients for Santa Fe salad.
    • Greens- I like to use a pre-chopped "Spring Mix" for this- one of my favorite cooking short cuts! It is usually a mixture of baby spinach, kale and arugula. You can also use Romaine lettuce or whatever combination of salad greens that you like best.
    • Carrots- I prefer to use shredded carrots in this recipe but diced or thinly chopped would also work.
    • Black Beans- Homemade beans add extra flavour but canned beans work as well. You could also substitute canned pinto beans or leave them out.
    • Corn- You can use frozen, canned or fresh corn kernels.
    • Jalapeno- Be sure to remove seeds and membranes unless you want it extra spicy!
    • Tomatoes- I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes that have been sliced in half. You could also use larger fresh tomatoes that have been diced up instead.
    • Green Onions
    • Avocado- If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, wait to add the avocado until just before serving so that it doesn't brown.
    • Santa Fe Ranch- This light, fresh and creamy recipe with Greek yogurt (or sour cream), taco seasoning and lime juice is super easy to make.
    • Tortilla Chips- A couple of handfuls of crispy tortilla strips or chips adds some nice crunch to the salad. You could omit them or use Crispy Roasted Chickpeas instead.

    The Method

    1. Mix. Combine all of the salad ingredients except for the ranch and tortilla chips into a large bowl.

    Salad unmixed in a bowl.

    2. Dress. Add ¾ of the Santa fe dressing and mix until well combined. Taste and add remaining dressing if desired.

    Salad mixed in a bowl with dressing on the side.

    3. Serve. Top with crumbled tortilla chips and enjoy.

    Completed Santa Fe salad dished out into a serving bowl.

    Make Ahead and Leftover Storage

    Make Ahead: You can mix together all of the ingredients except the avocado, dressing and tortilla chips up to one day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just before serving, add the avocado, mix in the dressing and top with tortilla chips.

    To Store: Store undressed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store dressed salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

    Close up shot showing how colourful the salad is.

    Make it Your Own

    Salads are great because you can easily add or omit ingredients as you see fit! The following would be tasty additions to this salad:

    • Cheese- Shredded cheddar, Monterey jack cheese, crumbled feta or cotija would all be great.
    • Chicken- Diced, shredded or this Nacho Chicken would all be good ways to add more protein.
    • Pork- Leftover Carnitas or Pulled Pork would also be tasty ways to add some meat.
    • Ground Beef- Leftover Beef Taco filling is also delicious.
    • Grains- To make the salad more filling and add texture, you can add 1-2 cups of cooked grains such as quinoa, barley or millet.
    • Red Onion- Thinly sliced fresh onion would be good in the salad as well. TIP: To reduce the "bite" of the onion, slice it and place it in a bowl of cold water for 10-20 minutes, then drain and add to the salad.
    • Fresh Cilantro
    • Pico de Gallo

    Change up the flavour with one of these homemade dressings:

    • Cilantro Lime Dressing- Perfect if you're looking for a vegan Santa fe salad recipe
    • Salsa and Greek Yogurt- Like eating a taco in a bowl
    Bowl of salad with additional servings in the background.

    Serving Ideas

    Enjoy this salad all on its own for a light lunch or supper. Or try rolling some up inside a pita or tortilla with maybe a bit of grilled chicken for a tasty wrap!

    And you could not go wrong with serving some fresh Corn Tortillas alongside.

    This Santa Fe Salad would also be a great side to accompany:

    • Pulled Pork
    • Simple Barbecued Burgers
    • Pork Carnitas
    Top view of two servings of Santa Fe salad.

    Dietary Notes

    If you have dietary restrictions, check the packaging of specific ingredients that you use to ensure they are compliant. This recipe is:

    • Dairy Free- If you use the cilantro-lime dressing.
    • Gluten Free
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan- If you use the cilantro-lime dressing.

    And if you liked this recipe...

    ...you might also like:

    • Mediterranean Salad
    • Chimichurri Shrimp Bowls
    • Thai Peanut Salad
    • Creamy Lemon Tahini Slaw

    Santa Fe Salad

    Filled with a rainbow of vegetables and topped with an easy and creamy Santa Fe Ranch dressing, this fresh salad really is a satisfying lunch or side dish!
    5 from 59 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 297kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1 (12 oz) package fresh mixed greens (about 12 cups)
    • 3 carrots shredded (about 2 cups)
    • 1 jalapeno finely chopped, seeds and membranes removed
    • 1 (19 oz) can black beans (about 2 cups)
    • 1 cup corn
    • 1 dry pint cherry tomatoes sliced in half (about 2 cups)
    • ¼ cup green onions
    • 2 avocados
    • 1 batch Santa Fe Ranch
    • 1 cup tortilla chips crushed
    US Customary - Metric
    (Prevent your screen from going dark)

    Instructions

    • Place all of the ingredients except for the ranch and tortilla chips into a large bowl and mix until combined.
    • Add ¾ of the ranch dressing and mix. Taste and add more dressing if desired.
    • Top with tortilla chips and serve.

    Notes

    Leftovers
    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Dressed salad can be kept for 1 day but undressed salad will stay good for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 1131mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 9621IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let me know what you thought in the comments below!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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    1. Shelby

      June 13, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      I love the variety of ingredients in this and the added crunch from the tortilla chips!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 13, 2022 at 1:39 pm

        I'm glad you liked this recipe, Shelby! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    2. nancy

      June 15, 2022 at 11:00 am

      5 stars
      this Santa Fe Salad reminds of the one Earls used to serve but then took off the menu - it's wonderful! thanks for the easy instructions.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 15, 2022 at 12:35 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nancy! Thank you for your kind review.

        Reply
    3. ChihYu

      June 15, 2022 at 4:53 pm

      5 stars
      Beautiful to look at and delicious to eat! The flavors and textures are perfect - especially the right amount of heat from the jalapenos!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 16, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        I'm glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for the kind review ChihYu.

        Reply
    4. Donny

      June 17, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      For someone who doesn't eat a lot of salads you sure made a good one here! This was delicious and I've always loved tortilla chips on salads so I'm so glad you reminded me to do that!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 18, 2022 at 7:35 am

        I'm glad you liked this recipe! Thank you for your kind review, Donny.

        Reply
    5. Megan

      June 27, 2022 at 7:42 am

      5 stars
      I love that this is healthy and has the fun Santa Fe flavors we all love. Thanks for a great new dinner idea!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        June 27, 2022 at 8:35 am

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Megan. Thank you for your kind review!

        Reply
    6. Gabby

      August 19, 2022 at 4:31 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! This is going to become a regularly weekly lunch for me. It’s so full of color and flavor. I really enjoyed it.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 19, 2022 at 10:27 pm

        Thank you for your kind review, Gabby!

        Reply
    7. Tavo

      August 19, 2022 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      The salad was so good! I loved the santa fe ranch dressing!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 19, 2022 at 10:27 pm

        Thank you for your kind review, Tavo!

        Reply
    8. Beth

      August 19, 2022 at 7:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is wonderful - I eat salads year round and been known to eat them for breakfast! This is in the rotation - easy and flavorful - perfect!

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 19, 2022 at 10:23 pm

        I'm glad you liked this salad, Beth!

        Reply
    9. MacKenzie

      August 19, 2022 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      This fresh salad was perfect for our family gathering. The colors were beautiful and flavors were fantastic.

      Reply
      • Janessa

        August 19, 2022 at 10:23 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, MacKenzie!

        Reply

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    Janessa

    Hi, I'm Janessa and I'm passionate about sharing recipes that are made with wholesome ingredients, are quick and easy and most importantly, delicious!

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