Santa Fe Taco Salad with Cool Salsa Ranch brings peppery arugula and vibrant Southwest flavors together with crunchy ranch tortilla chips and a bright Cool Salsa Ranch for a simple, satisfying meal.
I’m not just sharing a salad recipe today—this is really about the Cool Salsa Ranch. I make ranch dressing nearly every week and use it on everything: as a dressing, a dip, and sometimes as a craving. I prefer my ranch cool and thin, and I enjoy changing it up often while keeping that classic, refreshing profile.
Recently I combined those flavors: ranch and salsa together. That playful mix is what makes this salad special—a Cool Salsa Ranch vehicle, if you will.
We recently returned from Austin, Texas, where tacos were abundant, so I’m still in Taco Mode and craving all the taco flavors. This salad captures that spirit with fresh ingredients and bold contrasts.
Peppery arugula and tender mixed greens meet crispy ranch chips. Creamy avocado, sweet corn, and bright cherry tomatoes balance the Cool Salsa Ranch. These are my favorite summer flavors combined into one easy salad.
Santa Fe Taco Salad with Cool Salsa Ranch
YIELD: 4 salads
Dairy, egg, soy, oil, and gluten free — vegan
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch arugula, rinsed
8 ounces mixed greens, rinsed and torn to bite size
1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
3–4 ears fresh corn (about 2 ½ cups), cut from the cob
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cubed
Ranch chips
Oil Free Celery Ranch Dressing
Fresh Simple Salsa (recipe below)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Arrange the arugula and mixed greens on a large platter or divide between four plates. Top with cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, and avocado. Combine the Oil Free Celery Ranch Dressing with the Fresh Simple Salsa and drizzle over the salad. Add ranch chips just before serving for crunch.
Fresh Simple Salsa
YIELD: enough for a small serving — easily doubled
Dairy, egg, soy, and gluten free — vegan
INGREDIENTS:
3 fresh Roma tomatoes, diced fine
1 shallot, peeled and diced fine
1 small jalapeño, stem removed, ribs and seeds removed if desired, diced fine
juice of 1 lime
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small bowl, combine diced tomatoes, shallot, jalapeño, and lime juice. Stir and let sit a few minutes to meld flavors before mixing into the ranch dressing.
Perfect for Taco Tuesday or any warm-weather meal — fresh, bright, and easy to assemble.
Printable Santa Fe Taco Salad with Cool Salsa Ranch recipes:
Santa Fe Taco Salad with Cool Salsa Ranch
dairy, egg, soy, oil, and gluten free — vegan
Ingredients
- 1 bunch arugula, rinsed
- 8 ounces mixed greens, rinsed and torn to bite size
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3–4 ears fresh corn (about 2 ½ cups), cut from cob
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
- Ranch chips
- Oil Free Celery Ranch Dressing
- Fresh Simple Salsa (recipes above)
Instructions
- Arrange greens on a serving platter or divide between individual plates. Top greens with tomatoes, beans, corn, and avocado.
- Combine Oil Free Celery Ranch Dressing with Fresh Simple Salsa. Pour over salad and top with ranch chips just before serving.
