Tortilla Bowl Southwestern Salad With Lime Dressing

Four flour tortillas, four oven-proof bowls, and about 10 minutes in a 350°F oven. That's the whole trick behind this salad. The tortillas crisp into shells you can actually fill, and the salad goes in cold and crunchy on top.

The filling is romaine, tomato, red onion, avocado, canned corn, and canned black beans, tossed in a lime dressing with garlic, cumin, and cilantro. No cooking beyond the shells. You drain two cans, chop a few things, and whisk.

It feeds four as a main course. Everything except the avocado holds up if you make it ahead, which makes it a decent weeknight option when you want something fresh but don't want to stand at the stove.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

2. Pour the vegetable oil (1 teaspoon per bowl) into medium (1.2 quart) oven-proof bowls and rub around to coat the surface. Press each tortilla into a greased bowl.

3. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let the tortilla bowls cool.

4. Make 3 cuts lengthwise on each of the romaine hearts, remove the stems, and chop into smaller pieces. Rinse, drain, and place in a large salad bowl.

5. Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the romaine.

6. Dice the onion and add it to the salad.

7. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and dice. Add to the salad.

8. Add the corn and black beans.

9. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

10. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.

11. Fill each tortilla bowl with the salad.

12. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• Press the tortilla down firmly into the greased bowl so the corners stay up. Loose corners flop over as it bakes.
• The shells are done when the edges and exposed surface are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Pale spots mean it needs a couple more minutes.
• Let the shells cool in the bowls for a few minutes before lifting them out. Hot shells are soft and will tear.
• Dice the avocado last and add it right before tossing. It browns within about 20 minutes once cut.
• Dress the salad just before you fill the bowls. Tossed greens sitting in dressing soften fast.

Variations

• Swap the tomatoes for grilled chicken if you don't like raw tomato, as long as the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
• Add sliced jalapeño or pickled onions for more heat and crunch.
• Use pinto beans in place of black beans, or add a diced bell pepper.

How to Store Tortilla Bowl Southwestern Salad

Frequently Asked Questions

Tortilla Bowl Southwestern Salad With Lime Dressing

Crunchy baked flour tortilla bowls filled with romaine, black beans, corn, tomato, and avocado, all tossed in a fresh lime and cilantro dressing.

15 minPrep time10 minCook time25 minTotal4Servings

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Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 romaine lettuce hearts
• 2 tomatoes
• ½ red onion
• 2 avocados
• 1 cup corn (canned, rinsed and drained)
• 1 cup black beans (canned, rinsed and drained)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. 2Pour the vegetable oil (1 teaspoon per bowl) into medium (1.2 quart) oven-proof bowls and rub around to coat the surface. Press each tortilla into a greased bowl.
3. 3Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Let the tortilla bowls cool.
4. 4Make 3 cuts lengthwise on each of the romaine hearts, remove the stems, and chop into smaller pieces. Rinse, drain, and place in a large salad bowl.
5. 5Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bowl with the romaine.
6. 6Dice the onion and add it to the salad.
7. 7Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and dice. Add to the salad.
8. 8Add the corn and black beans.
9. 9In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
10. 10Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
11. 11Fill each tortilla bowl with the salad.
12. 12Enjoy!

Cook's note: The shells are the only part that needs the oven, so bake them first and let them cool while you chop. One substitution note: if you don't have fresh limes, use 3 tablespoons of bottled lime juice plus 1 tablespoon of water.

Servings: 4

Cuisine: Southwestern

Course: Salad

RecipesCooker15 minutes10 minutes25 minutes

Written by Maya Whitfield
Maya writes about easy American cookies and bars, plus eggs and breakfast casseroles for busy mornings. She focuses on pantry-friendly ingredients, reliable bake times, and make-ahead steps that fit real weekday schedules. Her recipes keep instructions short and checkpoints clear so nothing gets overbaked or underdone.