For the Southwest ranch dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Juice from 1/2 a lime
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle seasoning
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• Water or milk, optional (to thin dressing consistency)

For the Southwest salad:

• 1 head green leaf lettuce
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 ear of corn, grilled and kernels removed
• 1/2 a lime, sliced into wedges
• 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 Nellie's Free Range Eggs, hard-boiled and sliced (see notes)
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• Tortilla strips, optional
• Cilantro, for garnish, optional

To make the Southwest dressing:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the Southwest dressing until well combined (see notes). For a slightly thinner consistency, add a splash of water or milk. Set aside in the fridge while you make the salad.

To make the Southwest salad:

• Add lettuce to a large bowl and top with the avocado, corn, tomatoes, black beans, hard-boiled eggs, green onions, and red onion. Garnish with cilantro and tortilla strips if desired.
• Transfer salad to individual bowls and serve with a lime wedge and a drizzle of Southwest ranch dressing.

Nellie's Notes:

To make perfect hard-boiled eggs at home, follow our recipe for easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.

No time to make the ranch from scratch? Just mix 1 cup of store-bought ranch dressing with 1 tablespoon (or more if you like it spicy) of chipotle seasoning or your favorite hot sauce.