Tex-Mex Caesar Salad with Chipotle Croutons
Why have a plain old Caesar salad when you can infuse it with big, bold Southwestern flavors! There’s plenty of garlic in this recipe, but you’ll also find a citrusy burst of lime, cotija cheese, avocado, and cilantro, which give this tasty salad its Tex-Mex twist! It’s so good, you may never want a classic Caesar again!
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I wish you could give you a sample of this salad so you could taste how amazing it is. I know everybody says their standby salad is great, but seriously, I KNOW food, and this Caesar is knock-your-socks-off-good. Heck, I could eat the Chipotle croutons all day long!
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Southwestern flavors are among my favorite, so why not treat a classic Caesar to a flavor makeover? This salad isn’t spicy, but it’s got big, bold flavors, and the dressing is a quick fix in your blender or food processor. Or you can go old-school and whisk it. However you make it, the dressing, the croutons, and the whole salad are just delish.
What you’ll love about Tex-Mex Caesar Salad with Chipotle Croutons
- It’s a tasty and creative twist on a classic salad.
- The croutons are amazing and add tons of flavor!
- If you love Tex-Mex flavors, you’ll love this easy Caesar salad!
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce – Use crisp, fresh romaine. Wash and dry it thoroughly, as wet lettuce will dilute the dressing. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Eggs yolks – Use large or extra-large eggs; if you’re uneasy about raw yolks, pasteurized eggs are a safe option.
- Cooking oil – I like olive oil or avocado oil for a clean, smooth dressing, but use a neutral oil if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Cotija cheese – This is a Mexican crumbly and salty cheese. You can substitute feta cheese, but Cotija has a milder, less tangy flavor. Use block Cotija and crumble it yourself for the best texture.
- Cilantro – Fresh only; dried cilantro won’t give the same bright flavor.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic only; skip jarlic for the best flavor.
- Dijon mustard – Yellow mustard works in a pinch, but Dijon has better tang and helps emulsify the dressing.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds umami and depth. Don’t skip it because it’s a key Caesar flavor.
- Fresh lime juice – Use fresh only; bottled lime juice tastes flat in this dressing.
- Salt and pepper – Season to taste.
For the Chipotle Croutons
- Crusty bread
- Olive oil
- Butter
- Chipotle powder
- Freshly cracked black pepper
How To Make Tex-Mex Caesar Salad with Chipotle Croutons
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Begin by washing the romaine lettuce, tearing it into bite-sized chunks, and spinning it dry. Place it in the refrigerator to stay crisp while you prepare the dressing.
Add the egg yolks, cilantro, half of the cotija cheese, grated garlic cloves, lime juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to a food processor or blender.
Pulse until the ingredients are well combined and smooth.
With the blender or food processor running on medium-high speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil or avocado oil. Continue blending until the dressing is thick and fully emulsified.
Season the dressing with salt and pepper to taste, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Meanwhile, prepare the chipotle croutons. Cut the bread into crouton-sized cubes and place them in a large bowl.
Melt the butter and stir in the olive oil and chipotle powder. Drizzle one-third of the butter mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Repeat with another third of the mixture and toss again. Finish with the remaining butter mixture and toss until the bread cubes are evenly coated. Grind some black pepper over the cubes.
Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on a baking tray.
Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 5 minutes, then toss the croutons and bake for another 5 minutes, or until they are crisp and golden.
To assemble the salad, place the chilled romaine lettuce in a large salad bowl and drizzle with as much dressing as desired. Toss well to coat the lettuce evenly.
Top with the remaining cotija cheese and the chipotle croutons.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- I love dressing up this salad even more with diced avocado, toasted pepitas, and crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch.
- You can prep the lettuce up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container or bag with a dry paper towel inside.
- The dressing can also be made up to a few days in advance – just shake it or whisk it vigorously to recombine if it separates a bit.
- The croutons are best made and eaten fresh.
Make It A Meal
Wondering what to serve with your fresh and fabulous Tex-Mex Caesar Salad? How about anything else Tex-Mex! From Smoked Chicken Enchiladas and Baja Fish Tacos to Chicken Tinga Tostadas, anything goes! You could also serve this stunning salad with steaks on the grill or Crockpot Southwest Chicken. I also love this salad with a feast of ribs. These oven baked ribs are meaty, delicious, and fall-off-the-bone tender!
Storage
Once tossed with the dressing, this salad is best eaten fresh. Save any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a day, but the lettuce will get soggy. Only add dressing to as much salad as you think you’ll eat. Store the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Tex-Mex Caesar Salad with Chipotle Croutons
Equipment
- blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce washed and torn
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
For the croutons
- 4 cups bread cubes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Wash the romaine lettuce, tear it into chunks and spin it dry. Pop it in the fridge to keep cool while you make the dressing.
- Add the egg yolks, cilantro, half the cotija cheese, garlic cloves, lime juice, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce to a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined.
- Leaving the blender or food processor on medium-high, slowly add the olive oil or avocado oil in a drizzle until the mixture is thick and emulsified.
- Season the dressing with salt and pepper and pop it into the fridge until ready to use.
- Meanwhile, make the croutons. Preheat your oven to 400-F and cut the bread into crouton-sized squares and add them to a large bowl.
- Melt the butter and mix it with the olive oil and chipotle powder. Drizzle 1/3 the butter mixture over the bread cubes, then toss the bread cubes. Drizzle another 1/3 of the butter mixture over the cubes and toss. Repeat with the final butter. Grind some black pepper over the cubes.
- Arrange the bread cubes on a baking tray and bake in a preheated 400-F oven for 5 minutes, then toss them and bake for another 5 minutes or until they are crispy.
- Assemble the salad. Add the washed and torn lettuce to a salad bowl and drizzle over enough dressing to dress the salad as you like it. Toss well.
- Top the salad with the remaining cotija cheese and the chipotle croutons. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- I love dressing up this salad even more with diced avocado, toasted pepitas, and crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch.
- You can prep the lettuce up to a day in advance and store it in an airtight container or bag with a dry paper towel inside.
- The dressing can also be made up to a few days in advance – just shake it or whisk it vigorously to recombine if it separates a bit.
- The croutons are best made and eaten fresh.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.