Southwest Dressing

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This creamy Southwest dressing is packed with zesty lime and bold spices, ready to upgrade your favorite bowl of greens! It takes less than 10 minutes and only a few pantry staples to make.

Salad dressings are always better homemade! No preservatives and fresher flavor. Try these other recipes next: homemade Caesar dressing, green goddess dressing, and poppyseed dressing!

Southwest dressing in a glass serving bottle.

Southwest Salad Dressing

Skip the store-bought stuff! This homemade Southwest dressing packs just as much flavor, minus all the additives and preservatives! It’s creamy and cool thanks to the sour cream and mayo, but what really makes it good is the addition of lime juice and Southwest seasoning. (A tasty mix of spices like chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, garlic, and herbs!)

This Southwest dressing has the perfect amount of flavor and a wonderful creamy texture. Try it in this Santa Fe salad, a combination of all the best Tex-Mex ingredients!

Ingredient List

Only a few simple ingredients make up this Southwest dressing. Here’s what you’ll need from your fridge and pantry:

  • Sour Cream and Mayonnaise: The creamy base, together they make the dressing rich and tangy.
  • Milk: Adjusts the consistency of the dressing. It also adds a little extra creaminess.
  • Minced Cilantro: For bright, herby flavor. If you’re not a fan, you can also leave it out. Parsley is another herb that works as a substitute.
  • Lime Juice: Fresh is best, so the dressing has a pop of bright, zesty flavor.
  • Southwest Seasoning: You can use storebought southwest seasoning or make your own blend to tweak the flavor!
  • Salt and Pepper: Add to taste.
All of the dressing ingredients, separated into small glass bowls.

How to Make Southwest Dressing

It’s so easy, and only takes a few minutes! You’ll never want store-bought again.

  1. Whisk: In a medium bowl whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, cilantro, lime juice, southwest seasoning, and salt and pepper.
  2. Serve: Pour over your favorite salad and then enjoy!
Whisking up the dressing.

Tips and Ways to Customize Your Dressing

  • Substitute the Mayo and Sour Cream: You can swap out mayo/sour cream for plain Greek yogurt!
  • Add More Spice: To give your Southwest dressing more kick, add red pepper flakes or chili powder to taste.
  • Other Ways to Use It: Southwest dressing isn’t just great for salads, but as a dipping sauce as well! Try it with some avocado egg rolls, as a burger spread, or drizzled on tacos.

Pouring the southwest sauce over a bowl of greens, corn, olives, and other chopped veggies.

Storing Leftovers

This homemade Southwest dressing will stay good for about a week in the fridge in an airtight jar or container. Sometimes the ingredients will settle as it sits, so give it a quick stir or shake before using!

Santa fe salad in a large salad bowl, being tossed.

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

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  • In a medium bowl whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise milk, cilantro, lime juice, southwest seasoning, and salt and pepper.

  • pour over your favorite salad and enjoy!

Serving: 1ounceCalories: 89kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 66mgPotassium: 34mgFiber: 0.02gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 0.03mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Published by Staff Reporter