An interesting bit of trivia often forgotten is that Caesar salad comes from Mexico. Tex-Mex Caesar Salad leans into that heritage by taking this salad to the borderlands with a whole new range of flavors! The beloved crunchy croutons get in on the action, coated in aromatic Southwestern spices and the dressing combining creamy avocado, salty cotija cheese, and fragrant cilantro. That takes any Caesar salad to the next level in an instant! Ready in just 15 minutes, Tex-Mex Caesar Salad will lasso everyone to the table.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 large head romaine lettuce, washed and torn
- 1 (5-ounce) bag croutons
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
For the dressing:
- 1 small avocado, diced
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cotija cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1-2 green onions
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1 –Add the romaine lettuce to a large bowl.
Step 2 –Add the croutons, the chili powder, and the cumin to a resealable plastic bag, sealing the bag and shaking to combine.
Step 3 –Add the seasoned croutons to the lettuce in the bowl.
Step 4 –Add the avocado, the sour cream, the cotija cheese, the lime juice, the green onions, the garlic, and the cilantro to a blender.
Step 5 –Add 1/2 of the milk to the avocado mixture and purée until smooth.
Step 6 –Gradually add the remaining milk to the avocado mixture until the dressing reaches the desired consistency.
Step 7 –Season the dressing with the salt and the pepper to taste.
Step 8 –Add the dressing to the salad and toss well to coat.
Step 9 –Garnish with the extra cheese and serve.