Try this Southwest Summer Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 cup corn
- pinch of cayenne
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 2 medium-large zucchini spiralized
- 5 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered
- 2 cups canned/cooked chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1/2 purple onion diced
- Carbohydrate 35.7093065276621 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 114.260010325688 g
- Fiber 6.05942151114443 g
- Protein 6.61638401643601 g
- Saturated Fat 13.2709668432852 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (409g)
- Sodium 1776.35938077578 mg
- Sugar 29.6498850165176 g
- Trans Fat 5.18974162115911 g
- Calories 1154 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine avocado oil, lime juice, cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, and cayenne in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl add the spiralized zucchini, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, corn, avocado, and purple onion.
- Toss the ingredients in the large bowl with the avocado lime dressing and serve.
Bright lime juice pierces rich avocado oil while earthy cumin and sharp garlic anchor the raw vegetable base. Spiralized zucchini releases surface moisture upon contact with salt, meaning dressings thin out rapidly if left sitting. Keep dressing separate from vegetables until ten minutes before service to preserve structural integrity. Zucchini noodles exude water when stored, so consume this dish immediately rather than freezing or holding overnight.
Ideal Accompaniments
Grilled flank steak or blackened shrimp provide savory protein contrast against the bright, acidic profile of raw vegetables. Charred poblano peppers introduce smoky depth that complements the natural sweetness of sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. Warm flour tortillas offer a textural counterweight to the crisp crunch of spiralized zucchini and diced purple onion.Storage Limitations
Raw zucchini salads degrade quickly under refrigeration due to high water content in both squash and tomatoes. Drain excess liquid through a colander if storing leftovers for more than twelve hours. Avocados oxidize rapidly when exposed to air, so slice fresh fruit immediately prior to final assembly.
