This recreation of the Mexican Caesar Salad from El Torito Restaurant has crispy romaine lettuce tossed with a tangy cilantro-pepita dressing, and is topped with toasted pepitas and crispy tortilla strips, for a bright and refreshing salad with lots of texture and flavor.
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I fashioned this Mexican Caesar Salad after the salad I used to get whenever we took our kids to El Torito restaurant in San Diego. El Torito was our family's go to restaurant for birthdays, anniversaries, and even one of my baby showers!
The star is the Mexican Caesar dressing that has a little herbiness from cilantro, a little salty bite from crumbly cotija cheese, and just the right level of spice from a roasted jalapeño. It tastes just how I remember the El Torito salad dressing, and gives a nod to the original Caesar salad - with a Mexican twist!
Putting together this Mexican caesar salad recipe, I like to hand tear romaine leaves and combine them with kale, for a heartier bite. I toss it with my amazing salad dressing and top the each salad with more crumbled cotija cheese, more toasted pepitas, and crispy tortilla strips.
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Did you know?
The classic Caesar salad actually has its origins in Mexico. Developed by Italian-American Restaurateur Caesar Cardini, in Tijuana Mexico. It was a salad that came together during a rush of customers to his restaurant, cobbled together from whatever ingredients he could find to satisfy everyone's appetites. So I guess technically, that was the original Mexican Caesar Salad, but this one deserves a spot right next to it.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's all the ingredients you need to make an amazing Mexican Caesar dressing and pull together a caesar salad with all the flavor and texture you can handle! I know sometimes we need to make some swaps based on what we have and what we prefer to eat. Let's break it all down:
- Romaine and kale - These are the salad greens that I prefer in this Mexican salad, but you can change them up for whatever salad greens you prefer. All romaine, all kale, Spring mix, anything will do.
- Jalapeño - If you don't have a jalapeño, a serrano pepper or anaheim peppers will do. If you are spice averse (don't like it) leave it out. No problem.
- Fresh Cilantro - I have a good friend who says cilantro tastes like soap to her, and this is quite common. Substitute with some parsley.
- Pepitas - These are a type of pumpkin seed, but should not be confused with the kind of pumpkin seeds you clean out of your jack o'lantern. You can find these in the "health food" section of most grocery stores.
- Cotija cheese - If you cannot find cotija cheese, feta or parmesan cheese, which have a similar crumbly texture and salty flavor, are a great substitute.
- Milk - I add just a bit of milk to the dressing to thin the dressing, while keeping it creamy. If you prefer you can use any milk alternative you choose, or even water.
- Garnishes - I like to add more toasted pepitas and extra crumbled cotija cheese on top of the salad. Sometimes I buy prepackaged crispy tortilla strips, or you can fry your own with fresh tortillas, or even top with crumbled tortilla chips.
See recipe card below for precise quantities.
Instructions
Despite having quite a few ingredients, the creamy dressing comes together very quickly and easily in a food processor. If you don't have one you can use a compact food chopper or even a blender.
- Pepitas - Start by toasting your pepitas by placing them on a small sheet pan and placing in a 350°F oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until they smell nutty. Pour onto a small dish so they don't over-toast. You can also toast the pepitas in a dry pan on the stove over medium heat.
- Jalapeño - Next roast the jalapeño pepper by putting it on the same small sheet pan and placing it under a broiler, turning often, until nicely browned. You can also roast in a very hot pan until browned on all sides. Remove the stem and some or all of the seeds inside, depending on how much spice you want.
Step 3: Add toasted pepitas, cotija cheese, salt, black pepper, and cotija cheese.
Step 4: Add cilantro, stems and all, and your jalapeño.
Step 5: Blend until your delicious Mexican caesar salad dressing is smooth with visible flecks of cilantro. Makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing. Place in a lidded jar, or airtight container, and place in the refrigerator at least one hour, or up to 1 week.
Makes enough dressing for 8 to 10 entree salads and many more if serving as a side dish.
Finish: Assemble your salad by tearing your crisp romaine lettuce and kale into bite sized pieces. Toss with your preferred amount of dressing. Portion into individual servings. Top with more crunchy pepitas and crumbled cotija cheese. Add homemade tortilla strips, if desired.
Tortilla strips garnish
You have two options for crispy tortilla strips: pick up a bag from the store, typically found in the salad dressing aisle, or make them fresh at home for a truly authentic touch.
Start by slicing a stack of corn tortillas into small strips about ¼ inch thick. In a small pan, pour enough oil to reach about ½-inch depth. Warm it over medium-high heat until it’s about 350°F, or the handle of a wooden spoon sizzles if you dip it into the oil.
Working in batches, gently lay a handful of tortilla strips into the oil. Fry for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Allow them to cool, and repeat with the remaining strips until they’re all perfectly fried.
Recipe FAQs
Cotija cheese can usually be found in the regular cheese aisle of your grocery store but may also be found in the specialty cheese area of the deli.
You can make this a creamy avocado dressing by adding a ripe avocado to the dressing. Just blend it in the food processor with everything else. If adding an avocado, the dressing will only last 2 days in the refrigerator.
Yes you can make the dressing and tortilla strips ahead, but store the components separately until you are ready to eat. Just mix the salad greens with dressing and toss half of the garnishes with it. Then sprinkle the rest of the garnishes on top and let guests serve themselves.
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-Cynthia
📖 Recipe
Mexican Caesar Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
Cilantro-pepita dressing
- 1 jalapeno
- 3 tablespoons pepitas plus extra for garnish
- ¼ cup olive oil or other neutral vegetable oil
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 cloves garlic
- Juice of one lime
- ¼ cup grated cotija cheese plus extra for garnish
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ bunch cilantro leaves and stems
Salad
- 2 heads romaine torn bite size
- 2 cups kale ½ bunch kale with stems stripped and leaves chopped
- Cotija cheese
- Toasted pepitas
- Crispy tortilla strips
Instructions
Pepitas
- Start by toasting your pepitas by placing them on a small sheet pan and placing in a 350°F oven for 6 to 7 minutes, or until they smell nutty. Pour onto a small dish so they don't over-toast. You can also toast the pepitas in a dry pan on the stove over medium heat.
Jalapeño
- Next roast the jalapeño pepper by putting it on the same small sheet pan and placing it under a broiler, turning often, until nicely browned. You can also roast in a very hot pan until browned on all sides. Remove the stem and some or all of the seeds inside, depending on how much spice you want.
Make dressing
- Add olive oil, mayonnaise, milk, and garlic cloves to the bowl of your food processor.
- Squeeze in the juice of one lime. Turn on processor and blend until smooth.
- Add toasted pepitas, cotija cheese, salt, pepper, and cotija cheese.
- Add cilantro, stems and all. and your jalapeño.
- Blend until the dressing is smooth with visible flecks of cilantro. Makes about 1 ½ cups of dressing. Place in a lidded jar, or airtight container, and place in the refrigerator at least one hour, or up to 1 week.
Assemble salad
- Assemble your salad by tearing your romaine and kale into bite sized pieces. Toss with your preferred amount of dressing. Portion into individual servings. Top with more toasted pepitas and crumbled cotija cheese. Add crispy tortilla strips, if desired.
Save This Recipe! 💌
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later, plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
Robin says
This dressing tastes just like the original from El Toritos!! Easy to make and delicious!! You must try it!
Cynthia Christensen says
Amazing! There are no El Torito restaurants on the East Coast so I had to create my own!
Cindy says
How long can you keep refrigerated?
Cynthia Christensen says
You can keep the dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week. I would not dress the salad until right before you’re ready to eat or your lettuce will get soggy. I hope you make and enjoy the recipe!