Mexican Caesar Salad
User Reviews
5
Mexican Caesar Salad
Description
This Mexican Caesar Salad adapts the classic Caesar by adding southwestern ingredients like black beans, diced seeded tomatoes, ripe avocado slices, and crunchy tortilla strips or chips. Chopped romaine provides a crisp base, while cotija cheese adds a salty, crumbly finish. Roasted and salted pepitas introduce a nutty crunch both in the salad and the dressing. The dressing is made by blending roasted, peeled green chiles with pepitas, cotija, garlic, lime juice, honey, olive oil, red wine vinegar, cilantro, and mayonnaise or sour cream. This creates a smooth, creamy dressing with tanginess, gentle heat, herbaceous notes, and a slight sweetness. Tossing the salad with the dressing coats the ingredients lightly, preserving the variety of textures, colors, and flavors.
Serve the salad immediately garnished with cilantro and lime wedges for an extra fresh zing. It complements Mexican or Tex-Mex meals or stands well as a filling, flavorful lunch or light dinner.
Cotija cheese can be substituted with feta if unavailable, and mild green chiles sourced from canned options in Mexican food sections provide an accessible way to add heat and smokiness.
Ingredients
For the salad
- 5 cups romaine lettuce chopped
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese can substitute feta, crumbled
- 1/2 cup tomato diced and seeded
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed, canned
- 1/2 cup tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips
- 1 avocado pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup Pepitas pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted
- lime wedges and leaves; optional garnishes
- cilantro wedges and leaves; optional garnishes
For the dressing
- 1 green chile seeded, roasted and peeled, whole canned mild or 1 Anaheim pepper
- 2 tablespoons Pepitas pumpkin seeds, roasted and salted
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons cotija cheese finely crumbled (can substitute feta
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise or sour cream
Instructions
- For the dressing:
- Place all of the salad dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Add a little water if needed to get to a pouring consistency.Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- For the salad:
- Place the lettuce, tomatoes and beans in a large bowl. Add the dressing (in the amount you prefer) and toss to coat. Top the salad with tortilla strips, cotija cheese and avocado slices. Garnish with cilantro leaves and lime wedges if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cotija cheese is generally available in regular cheese aisles but can also be found in deli specialty areas; feta cheese is an acceptable substitute.
- Mild green chiles come canned in Mexican food sections; Ortega brand is one recommended brand.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 633 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 633kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 44g | 15% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 44g | 68% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 26mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 703mg | 29% |
| Potassium | 1240mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 13g | 52% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5655IU | 113% |
| Vitamin C | 14.4mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 210mg | 21% |
| Iron | 4.4mg | 24% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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