Air Fryer Healthy Southwestern Salad. A delicious southwestern style salad using the air fryer to roast mixed peppers, chickpeas and sweetcorn. Low in calories, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free. The go to air fryer salad for eating healthy this summer.
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Air Fryer Southwestern Salad
After showing you how to cook air fryer chickpeas yesterday, I wanted to share with you my air fryer southwestern salad.
Not just because this southwestern salad is AMAZING but because there is so many fun and tasty ways to enjoy your air fryer chickpeas.
In the summer months my air fryer is mainly used for add ins for salad. If you love salads loaded with bread then the air fryer makes the bread, or if you want crispy red peppers in your salad, then the air fryer is perfect for that too.
I first made this air fryer southwestern salad on a meal prep day for new recipes for Recipe This. It was a cold March Saturday and it always feels like it is cloudy whenever I want to take any photos.
Jorge helped me with all the recipes, and it was great fun doing the prep, making the recipes, taking photos and having a good summer foodie binge.
We made instant pot quinoa salad, did new photos for our air fryer chickpeas, instant pot brown rice and our ultimate guide showing you how to make quinoa in the instant pot.
Even after a day or so living off salad, because there were so many leftovers, we didn’t have enough fridge room.
So, our instant pot quinoa salad was mixed with this air fryer southwestern salad and OMG I just ate it for about 3 days and nothing else.
It was just that good.
I also think that this air fryer southwestern salad should be the go to recipe that you use at summer potluck gatherings, take to the beach or use as your meal prep.
Healthy Southwestern Salad
You are probably wondering why this southwestern salad is considered healthy, and how low calorie it actually is.
Well with most southwestern salads they are loaded with avocados or an avocado dressing, well while making it we were stuck in the house during the coronavirus.
This meant that we couldn’t go out and get any avocados, so you are welcome to add in some avocados to your version if you prefer.
But being avocado free, even though avocados are very healthy means that it is even lower in calories than a classic version of the salad.
There is also only a small amount of extra virgin olive oil and the rest of the salad is made up of salad items.
There are no hidden calories in secret add ins like you would get if you bought a salad from a restaurant.
Southwestern Salad Ingredients
The southwestern salad ingredients that we are using today are simple ingredients.
The likelihood is that you will have these salad ingredients in your pantry and fridge already.
In fact, we just used what we had in and didn’t go grocery shopping to make this recipe.
- Chickpeas
- Red Peppers
- Sweetcorn
- Cucumber
- Red Onion
- Celery
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Seasoning
Just look at the simplicity of those ingredients and I bet most people could go into their kitchen, get their air fryer on and have a southwestern salad on the dinner table in 10 minutes from now.
You can also mix and match with what ingredients you have in. For example, we used frozen sweetcorn as it is cheaper than canned.
But you could use canned or frozen. Or use different coloured bell peppers to add extra colour to your summer salad.
Why An Air Fryer Salad?
The air fryer works perfectly for making your favourite salad ingredients wonderfully crispy.
Here are the links to some of the salad add ins you can air fry:
Though in today’s recipe we will be air frying both the bell pepper and the chickpeas and adding in some sweetcorn too.
How To Make Southwestern Salad?
Making a southwestern salad in the air fryer is FAST and SIMPLE. It is so fast that you are prepping at the same time as cooking and EVERYTHING is done within 10 minutes.
- Dice your red pepper. Rinse and drain your chickpeas.
- Load your sweetcorn, peppers and chickpeas into the air fryer.
- While your air fryer is in action, prep everything else and by the time the air fryer beeps, everything else will be ready to go!
- Combine the salad ingredients together, mix and eat!
Air Fryer Roasted Salad
If you are using your air fryer for making a southwestern salad, I have a few tips:
- Use an air fryer grill pan attachment. It makes it even more authentic to cooking your salad bits on the barbecue and gives a chargrilled flavour. You can get one here.
- Season before air fryer grilling. I add Mexican seasoning before cooking and it gives it a wonderful flavour once cooked.
- Plenty of space. Because when you are air frying sweetcorn, peppers and chickpeas they are small items, it gives the air fryer plenty of space. This gives you a better depth of flavour. Though you could double up the ingredients and it still wouldn’t feel it was overcrowded.
Air Fryer Healthy Southwestern Salad
Ingredients
Kitchen Gadgets:
Southwestern Salad Recipe Ingredients:
- 600 g Chickpeas
- 1 Medium Red Pepper
- 200 g Frozen Sweetcorn
- 2 Celery Sticks
- ¼ Medium Cucumber
- ½ Small Red Onion
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Grainy Mustard
- ¼ Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Basil
- 2 Tsp Mexican Seasoning
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Chop your red pepper into bite size cubes. Load into the air fryer basket with the grill attachment the chickpeas, sweetcorn and pepper. Sprinkle with Mexican seasoning and salt and pepper and cook for 8 minutes at 180c/360f.
- While the air fryer is in action, prep the rest of your salad. Peel and thinly slice your red onion. Clean and thinly dice your cucumber and celery. Load all three into a salad bowl.
- Mix extra virgin olive oil, basil, grainy mustard and garlic powder. Pour into your salad bowl and mix.
- When the air fryer beeps, load in the ingredients and mix a little more.
- Serve or store into containers for later.
Notes
If you like avocado in your southwestern salad then add it in when you add the celery.Nutrition
Can’t make it now? Then pin it for later!
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Wow thank you so much. I never once thought of making a salad using the air fryer. The chickpeas were amazing and will be making this all summer.
Looks so easy and yummy!
OMG! The whole family loves this salad. It tastes like it has been cooked on the grill but in the air fryer.
t looks very tasty and healthy. Thanks for the recipe!
Another health reminder I need more chickpea salad in my life. ????
Oh wow – that looks so tasty and colorful!
I’m in desperate need of something nourishing right now – my fresh produce options are a bit lacking and pantry chickpeas are ideal.
Emma x