For a fun twist on a classic Caesar salad recipe, we are making a Mexican caesar salad dressing recipe that will have your crew asking for more.
This creamy dressing has zesty and bold flavors. Then you will pour over your delicious homemade dressing onto crisp romaine lettuce and top with all your Mexican favorites for a fantastic side dish.
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What to Expect From This Salad
We are taking our original caesar salad and giving a bright Mexican twist. With this dressing, you can skip the raw egg yolk and anchovy paste. Instead we will use creamy avocado, fresh lime juice, and more Mexican flavors.
Combine this flavorful dressing with crunchy tortilla strips and plenty of queso fresco or cotija cheese, and you'll have the perfect salad for your next fiesta.
Mexican Caesar Dressing Ingredients
When you are grocery shopping, the freshest ingredients make the biggest difference.
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh avocado (small to medium in size)
- 1 large clove of garlic or 2 small cloves of garlic
- juice from 2 limes
- juice from 1 lemon
- ½ jalapeno - ribs and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 2-3 tablespoons of cilantro
- ¼ cup queso fresco
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons of water depending on desired thickness of dressing
Helpful Kitchen Supplies
- blender or food processor - I use my ninja smoothie blender because it is the perfect size and easy to clean
- glass container with airtight lid- these jars from EONJOE are my favorite but you can also use a mason jar or glass snap ware
Make the Dressing
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until the dressing is creamy and smooth.
- Check for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Assembling Your Beautiful Mexican Salad
This is the fun part. Grab a large bowl and add your clean romaine lettuce. I like to dress the lettuce first with our delicious Mexican caesar salad dressing so that it holds on to the lettuce. Then add the other toppings and toss well.
Simple Salad Ingredients:
- Romaine Lettuce
- Queso Fresco crumbled
- Fresh Cilantro
- Crispy Tortilla Strips
- Pepitas (aka pumpkin seeds) are optional
If you are serving the salad for a party, transfer the prepared salad to a clean bowl and add more queso fresco cheese over the top of the salad for that beautiful presentation.
Saving and Storing Leftover Dressing
Transfer any leftover salad dressing to an airtight container and save in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend only dressing as much salad as you know you will eat because salad greens with the dressing will become soggy in just a few hours.
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Recipe Modifications
If you don't have lime or if your prefer lemon juice you can swap that to keep a slightly more traditional caesar dressing flavor.
Give the salad dressing a spicy kick by adding a Serrano pepper or chipotle peppers.
No pipitas? Sunflower seeds are another great option.
If you don't like cilantro, a great substitute is flat leaf Italian parsley
You can also use avocado oil instead of extra-virgin olive oil
No Queso fresco? Use feta cheese instead
What to Serve With Mexican Caesar salad
This salad is so bright and delicious it will pair perfectly with beautiful main dish loaded with rich flavor.
Mexican Caesar Salad Recipe Card
Homemade Mexican Caesar Salad with Dressing
Equipment
- smoothie blender
Ingredients
Salad Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 fresh avocado small to medium in size
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 limes juice only
- ½ lemon juice only
- ½ jalapeno
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2-3 tablespoons cilantro
- ¼ cup queso fresco
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
To Assemble the Salad
- 6 cups Romaine Lettuce
- ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Cilantro
- ½ cup Crispy Tortilla Strips
- Homemade Dressing
Instructions
Salad Dressing
- Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until the dressing is creamy and smooth.
- Check for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Assemble the Salad
- Prepare the romaine lettuce. Chop, wash, and dry 2-3 heads of romaine lettuce.
- In a large salad bowl combine the romaine lettuce with your desired amount of salad dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the salad.
- Add more crumbled queso fresco and tortilla strips and toss to combine.
- Serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Tag me on Instagram @fancy_apron 🙂 or leave a comment below.
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