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Monday, July 14, 2025

Houston’s Southwest Caesar Salad – CopyKat Recipes


The primary time I attempted Houston’s Southwest Caesar Salad, I knew this wasn’t your common restaurant aspect dish. The brilliant, spicy dressing mixed with the satisfying crunch of tortilla strips and the refined sweetness of roasted corn created an explosion of taste that instantly made me wish to recreate it at house. After a number of check batches (and pleased taste-testers!), I’m excited to share this copycat recipe that brings the restaurant expertise straight to your eating desk.

Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in two bowls.Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in two bowls.

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What makes a Southwest Caesar Salad so good? 

Caesar Salads don’t need to be stodgy and uninteresting. This Southwest Caesar Salad is filled with taste because of the roasted corn, black beans, and cojita cheese. However the do-it-yourself Spicy Caesar Dressing takes this salad from peculiar to extraordinary.

The reimagined conventional Caesar dressing incorporates recent citrus juice and chili paste for a brilliant and spicy taste that goes nice with the Southwest-inspired elements!

Why you’ll love this Southwest Caesar Salad recipe

Making salads at house is nice as a result of it’s easy, and there are such a lot of methods to customise them to fit your tastes. Do you want just a little extra protein, or possibly you wish to flip the salad right into a primary course? Then add a number of items of grilled or sauteed rooster on prime and serve it as a Southwest Caesar Salad with rooster. It is going to fulfill the heartiest appetites, and you may nonetheless eat wholesome. 

Southwest Caesar Salad elements

For the Spicy Caesar Salad Dressing:

  • Egg yolk – Creates the wealthy, creamy base for the dressing and helps emulsify the oils
  • Garlic – Provides important pungent taste that defines a Caesar dressing
  • Dijon mustard – Works as an emulsifier and provides tangy depth
  • Anchovy fillets – Supplies the umami basis that offers Caesar dressing its distinctive savory high quality
  • Black pepper – Provides refined warmth and complexity
  • Salt – Enhances all of the flavors within the dressing
  • Floor coriander – Introduces a refined citrusy, floral notice that enhances the Southwest theme
  • Floor cumin – Provides earthy, heat taste attribute of Southwest delicacies
  • Worcestershire sauce – Contributes depth with its fermented umami qualities
  • Chilly water – Helps create the correct consistency and aids emulsification
  • Additional-virgin olive oil – Supplies fruity notes and richness
  • Canola oil – Creates a milder base that lets different flavors shine
  • Sambal chili paste – Provides the signature spicy kick that makes this dressing particular
  • Recent lemon juice – Brightens the dressing with acidity and recent citrus notes
  • Recent lime juice – Provides a particular tang that enhances the Southwest profile
  • Parmesan cheese – Contributes saltiness and umami whereas thickening the dressing

Sambal is an Indonesian and Malaysian chili paste that provides taste and delicate warmth. You could find it on-line, however you possibly can substitute the extra frequent Thai chili paste in case you can’t get it at your native grocery store.

Recent citrus juice will actually make this dressing shine, however you may as well use bottled juice in case you desire. 

For the salad, you’ll want:

  • Romaine lettuce – Supplies the crisp, crunchy basis for the salad
  • Roasted corn kernels – Provides candy, smoky taste and nice textural distinction
  • Black beans – Contributes earthy taste, protein, and fiber
  • Cotija cheese – Delivers a salty, crumbly texture much like feta however with genuine Mexican aptitude
  • Pumpkin seeds – Provides nutty taste and satisfying crunch
  • Tortilla strips – Create the important crispy ingredient that finishes the salad

If you wish to take the roasted corn to a brand new stage of yum, attempt making Chili’s Roasted Road Corn! Multicolored tortilla strips look cool however are more durable to seek out than natural-colored strips. Each varieties style the identical, so go for those you like.

Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad ingredients on a tray.Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad ingredients on a tray.

The way to make a Southwest Caesar Salad

To arrange the Spicy Caesar Salad Dressing:

  1. Within the bowl of a meals processor, pulse collectively the egg yolk, garlic, Dijon mustard, anchovy fillets, freshly floor black pepper, salt, floor coriander, floor cumin, Worcestershire sauce, and chilly water.
  2. Stir collectively the extra-virgin olive oil and the canola oil in a mixing bowl with a spout. 
  3. With the meals processor working, slowly drizzle within the oil. The dressing will begin to thicken. Flip off the meals processor.
  4. Add the samba, recent citrus juices, and parmesan cheese. Mix till easy.
  5. Pour the dressing right into a container with a lid and place it within the fridge till wanted.

To make this Southwest Caesar Salad recipe:

  1. Lower or tear the romaine lettuce into bite-sized items. 
  2. Rinse the lettuce and spin it dry. Place the lettuce in a big mixing bowl. 
  3. Add a number of tablespoons of the Spicy Caesar Salad Dressing to the bowl and toss to coat the lettuce within the dressing. 
  4. Add the black beans and roasted corn kernels and toss once more. Add extra dressing if wanted. 
  5. Plate the salad and prime it with some crumbled cojita cheese and pumpkin seeds. Garnish with tortilla chips. 
Making Houston's southwest salad.Making Houston's southwest salad.

What to serve it with 

If you’re making this Southwest Caesar Salad recipe for a primary course, attempt including a number of sides and toppings to make it extra filling. Listed here are a number of recommendations:

Parmesean Garlic Bread. Heat, tacky, and loaded with garlic, Parmesean Garlic Bread is a good aspect. This easy-to-make recipe additionally goes with pasta, mussels, soup, and extra!

Cracker Barrel Grilled Rooster Tenders. Flip this salad into Southwest Caesar Salad with Rooster with this easy but scrumptious recipe for Grilled Rooster Tenders. These tenders are juicy with a contact of acidity, making them an ideal add-on. 

Sopapillas. Why not prime off your meal with a few candy Sopapillas? These Mexican-style doughnuts are nice with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a light-weight drizzle of honey. 

Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in two bowls and two forks on cloth napkins.Houston’s Southwest Caesar Salad – CopyKat Recipes

The way to retailer the leftovers 

For the perfect texture and style, prep the salad elements proper earlier than utilizing them. The salad dressing could be stored in an hermetic container within the fridge. 

Attempt to end any dressed salads, however you possibly can retailer {a partially} eaten salad within the fridge. 

How lengthy will the salad and dressing final?

Correctly saved, the dressing ought to keep recent for about three days. Leftover dressed salad ought to be eaten inside a number of hours earlier than it turns into soggy. 

Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in bowls and forks next to them.Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in bowls and forks next to them.

Extra Houston’s copycat recipes

Favourite salad recipes

Try extra of my straightforward salad recipes and the perfect copycat restaurant recipes on CopyKat!

Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in two bowls.Copycat Houston's southwest caesar salad in two bowls.

Houston’s Southwest Caesar Salad

Houston’s Southwest Caesar Salad with spicy Caesar dressing has a great deal of Tex-Mex flavors.

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