La Presa Salad Recipe

Prepare lettuce and beans

Place the chopped romaine in a large bowl. Add the drained and rinsed black beans and gently toss to combine so ingredients are evenly distributed.

Char or cook the corn

Heat a skillet or grill over medium-high heat. Toss the corn with a light spray or 1 tsp olive oil and sear until light char marks appear, 4–6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly and add to the romaine and beans.

Add cotija and tortilla strips

Sprinkle the crumbled cotija and tortilla strips over the salad base, but reserve some strips for topping at serving to preserve crunch.

In a medium bowl combine the diced tomatoes, diced yellow onion, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño (if using), lime juice, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir gently and taste; adjust salt or lime as desired. Let sit 5–10 minutes to marry flavors. Spoon pico over the salad base or serve on the side.

In a small bowl mash the avocados with a fork until mostly smooth but slightly chunky. Stir in the minced red onion, lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt, chopped cilantro, and minced jalapeño (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep covered until assembly to prevent browning.

Char the poblano

Place the poblano pepper directly on a gas burner over medium-high flame or under a hot broiler. Rotate frequently until all sides are blackened and blistered, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a bowl for 10 minutes to steam; this loosens the skin.

Peel and seed

When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the charred skin, stem, and seeds. Chop the poblano roughly.

In a blender or food processor combine the chopped poblano, mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), cilantro, minced garlic, ground cumin, lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Blend until smooth. If too thick, add additional buttermilk 1 tsp at a time to reach a pourable ranch consistency. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or cumin as desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Divide the romaine, beans, corn, cotija, and tortilla strips among 2–3 bowls (servings below). Top each bowl with a generous spoonful of pico de gallo and a scoop of guacamole.

Drizzle the charred poblano ranch over each bowl (about 2–3 tablespoons per serving) or serve on the side. Finish with reserved tortilla strips for crunch, extra cotija if desired, and cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze on top.

If preparing ahead, keep the tortilla strips and guacamole separate until just before serving to maintain texture and color; toss lightly when serving.