For The Perfect Tex-Mex Salad, A 2-Ingredient Dressing Is All You Need

If you're in the mood for a Tex-Mex salad, various ingredients can be piled on to give it that quintessential Texan flair. The pièce de resistance to top it all off is a super simple yet flavorful sauce combo, and this perfect dressing can be quickly assembled with just two ingredients: ranch dressing and barbecue sauce.

Your tangy ranch-BBQ dressing can feature your favorite homemade ranch mixed with from-scratch barbecue sauce, or try simply combining your favorite store-bought versions of these condiments. Just mix, taste, and adjust the amounts of each until the flavor balance is to your liking. The result is a smoky-sweet, tangy topping that will perfectly complement the Tex-Mex flavors, whether you use avocado, beans, sour cream, shredded chicken, or ground beef.

After making your dressing, the whole dish can be assembled super quickly and effortlessly with bagged salad and leftovers from your fridge. Your preferred bed of greens can be anything from romaine lettuce to iceberg, or even a mix that includes kale or spinach. The salad base can be further upgraded with canned beans that are already in your pantry – in particular, kidney beans packed in chili sauce are a powerhouse pantry ingredient that can give a real punch to your Tex-Mex salad. As for serving, the greens and toppings can be layered onto a soft tortilla, crunchy taco shell, or even a DIY crispy tortilla bowl.

When it comes to Tex-Mex salad, there really are no hard-and-fast rules. That's part of what makes the dish so easy and fun. Spanish rice and beans can add a complete protein for an extra-filling dish, with the rice adding a nice dimension of texture. Besides chili sauce kidney beans, try pinto, black, or refried beans. A bagged Mexican blend of shredded cheese is a quick add-on, or genuine Mexican cheeses like cotija or queso fresco will give your salad a delicious tangy and fresh punch. 

On the veggie side, extra freshness can come from tomatoes, onion, avocado, and corn, while jalapeños or any other variety of pepper are great crunchy additions. Fajita-style chicken or steak are juicy, hearty meat choices, but you also can't go wrong with ground beef or turkey fried up with taco seasonings. Guacamole, salsa, or a dollop of sour cream (or all of the above) add balancing coolness to the warm elements. 

Last but not least, drizzle on that special barbecue-ranch dressing. If you want to get a little extra with the simple mixture, a squeeze of fresh lime juice adds acidity and a beautiful complementary flavor. To turn up the smokiness, a smoked paprika or ancho chili powder can be mixed in, and even more heat can be added with cayenne, red chili flakes, or chipotle powder.