Prep: 5 This Southwest Salad Dressing is perfect for taking any type of salad to the next level! With flavors of smoked paprika and ancho chili powder, this salad dressing is creamy, savory, and has just the right amount of kick to it. Make this recipe in just 5 minutes or less and have it on hand for healthy salads all week long!
One thing I know for sure: you can make or break a salad by the dressing you choose to put on it. I used to hate salads! But I can honestly say that it’s because I was using store bought dressings with fake ingredients and not the best taste. Once I started making my own homemade vinaigrettes and dressings, it was life changing!
This Southwest Salad Dressing is INCREDIBLY easy to make. All you have to do is throw everything together in a salad dressing shaker (opens in a new tab) or whisk it together and store it in the fridge for a delicious, healthy salad dressing that everyone love. Simple, wholesome, and so much flavor!
RELATED: 20+ Easy Healthy Salad Recipes
Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are SO simple and easy to find! Here’s what you’ll need:
Plain Yogurt – Plain greek or whole milk yogurt is the base of this recipe. Add water to adjust the consistency to taste!
Ancho Chili Powder – Made of ground dried poblano chiles, Ancho Chili Powder (opens in a new tab) adds a smoky flavor with the right amount of kick.
Smoked Paprika – And speaking of smoky flavors, smoked paprika (opens in a new tab) takes things to another level! However, you can also substitute with regular paprika if you don’t have this ingredient on hand.
Lime – Fresh lime juice balances the smoky and spicy flavors in the recipe.
Cilantro – Fresh or dried cilantro are both great options to bring cool, earthy flavors to this dressing!
Seasoning – This recipe uses a mix of cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper.
How to Make an Easy Southwest Salad Dressing
Making a Southwest Salad Dressing is incredibly easy. Simply combine yogurt, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, lime juice, cilantro, and basic seasoning like garlic, salt, and pepper. Shake it or whisk it together and enjoy!
TIP: Slowly add water to adjust the consistency of this dressing to taste (2 Tbsp at a time)!
Storing Yogurt-Based Salad Dressings
Yogurt-based salad dressings can be stored in an airtight container (opens in a new tab) or mason jar in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. This is a great option for keeping a healthy dressing option on hand all week long!
Salad Pairings for This Dressing Recipe
- Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad
- Poached Egg & Avocado Breakfast Salad
- Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe
- Easy Healthy Taco Salad w/ Ground Turkey
This salad dressing isn’t just for salads! You can also use it to add flavor to baked or roasted chicken, sandwiches, or even pizza. The options are limitless!
More Healthy Salad Dressings & Vinaigrettes
- Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing
- Easy Classic Lemon Vinaigrette
- Vegan Turmeric Ginger Dressing
- Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing
- 10-Minute Healthy Ranch Dressing
More From Jar Of Lemons
Did you make this Southwest Salad Dressing recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons! (opens in a new tab)
The BEST Southwest Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk greek yogurt (or light sour cream)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
- 1 medium lime (juiced)
- 2 tsp ancho chili powder (opens in a new tab)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)
- 1 tsp dried cilantro (or 2 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro)
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients in a salad shaker or bowl.
- Shake or whisk together until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Slowly add water to adjust the consistency of this dressing to taste (2 Tbsp at a time)!
- This Southwest Salad Dressing can be stored in an airtight container (opens in a new tab) or mason jar in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Did you make this? I’d love to see!
Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
Love this stuff!
Made it with no -fat plain yogurt from Costco. Came out amazing. I went heavy cilantro to really put the herb kick in it.
Great share! And it’s sugar free!!
Thanks, Kyle! I’m glad you enjoyed this!
Such a good recipe. A great substitute for the chick fil a creamy salsa dressing. What’s the serving size? I want to be able to track this accurately and just wanna know how much to use when following the nutritional info. Thanks!!
Absolutely! A serving size is about 2 Tablespoons. Enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Bought a burrito and made a small salad to accompany. Needed dressing that would complement the burrito and this totally filled the requirement. Also easy to scale down for just one. Bookmarked!
So glad this worked for you!
This salad dressing is so good! I literally put it on everything. Thank you for sharing.
I have made this dressing 3x now, it’s THAT good! I always double the recipe and only add 2 tablespoons of water to get a more creamy consistency. I made the mistake of adding 1/4 cup to my double batch and it’s too runny. I’ll stick to 2 tablespoons. Fabulous dressing for taco salad!