mexican caesar salad
this mexican caesar salad is so easy that you can put it together in literally about 15 minutes (can you tell that’s a theme with me?)! it’s a great accompaniment to tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, enchiladas, etc. you can top it with whatever protein you have around (taco meat to turn it into a different variation of my chicken taco salad would be great!), or just eat it on its own. if you love regular caesar salad, then you will love this cheesy, nutty, herby twist with a kick!
if you haven’t tried cotija cheese, you are missing out! it’s sort of like a milder feta, and it crumbles beautifully. i don’t know about you, but i am also a huge cilantro fan (i know some people don’t like it, and i am sorry–perhaps try replacing it with parsley, and let me know how it works!).
pepitas are the same as pumpkin seeds. one more fun fact: did you know that “pepitas” actually means “little seed of squash” in spanish? some people say that the term, “pepitas” refers only to the interior seed, without the shell, but that is technically inaccurate. pepitas can mean either the shelled seed or the un-shelled seed. i personally prefer the un-shelled, as it absorbs more of the salt flavor after roasting and gives it a different, chewier texture. to each their own, but this is my favorite brand for this salad that i buy at my local whole foods: cb’s organic pumpkin seeds
i know that in my picture i have the shelled version, because that’s all i happened to have on hand. honestly, both are good!
the dressing can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. it can also be made and frozen, which i’ve done before, and it still tastes great (maybe even better since the flavors have had so much time to come together). after you thaw it out, you just have to stir it up.
the consistency of the dressing can be a bit thick, so you may need to thin it out with some water to toss the salad. however, when i make this i cut the work by just leaving the ripped romaine lettuce a little bit wet after rinsing. this way, there’s already a little extra moisture in the salad to toss it, and you don’t need to bother drying all of the pieces of romaine completely before throwing them in your salad bowl!
Ingredients
1/2 of a 4oz. can of green chilies
1/3 c. roasted & salted pepitas
2 large (or 3 small) garlic cloves
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
12 oz. avocado (or olive) oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
6 tbs. crumbled cotija
1 big handful of cilantro (stems & leaves)
water or juice of lime to thin out, as needed
1 bag of baby romaine leaves, torn into bite size pieces
1/4 c. roasted & salted pepitas
4 tbs. crumbled cotija
Instructions
place all ingredients (besides the water/lime juice) into a food processor or nutribullet
add water or lime juice to thin out as needed.
throw the torn lettuce leaves in a large salad bowl, dress, & sprinkle pepitas & cotija on top.
that's it!
http://www.dishandchipsblog.com/mexican-caesar-salad/
Sid Snyder
December 18, 2018
The delicious dressing also works as a dipping sauce for shrimp as well as a pasta sauce.
more information
January 2, 2020
Wonderful site. Lots of useful info here. I'm sending it to several pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And obviously, thanks to your sweat!