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A clear bowl filled with a creamy Mexican caesar salad, with limes and cilantro around the bowl.
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3.78 from 9 votes

Mexican Caesar Salad

This easy and summer salad is loaded with Mexican flavors! I've kept things simple, and topped crunchy romaine with juicy tomatoes, creamy avocados, and crunchy pepitas and tortilla strips. Sure to become a new family favorite!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Total Time22 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Michelle Miller

Ingredients

Mexican Caesar Salad

  • 2 heads romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 large avocado
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 cup pepitas
  • 5 corn tortillas cut into strips
  • olive oil for spraying
  • sea salt to taste
  • cumin to taste

Mexican Caesar Dressing

  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked overnight
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar* or Cholula hot sauce
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon capers with brine
  • 1 clove garlic chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • On a baking tray, spread out tortilla strips. Lightly spray with olive oil, and then season with sea salt and cumin to taste. Bake for 5 minutes.
  • Add pepitas to the baking tray along with the tortilla strips, and spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for another 10 minutes. Open the door to allow some heat to escape the oven, and then allow the pan to sit in the warm oven to completely crisp up the tortilla strips while preparing the rest of the salad.
  • Make the dressing by adding all the ingredients to a blender, and processing until very, very smooth. I find that I have to scrape cashew pieces off the side and lid of my blender once before it all breaks down and becomes a smooth and creamy dressing. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add romaine, tomatoes, avocado, pepitas, tortilla strips and cilantro. When ready to serve, toss with the Mexican caesar dressing.

Notes

*I love this dressing made with Cholula for a spicy and vinegary kick. Use red wine vinegar if you don't have it.
 
**The nutrition facts for this recipe include using all of the dressing. I find the salad only needs about half of the dressing.

Nutrition

Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 1163mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 27670IU | Vitamin C: 32.8mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 5.7mg